Secretary Hegseth Administers the Oath of Enlistment: Austin, Texas

How we doing guys? Awesome. Well, good afternoon. Please, please take a seat. Thank you. What an absolute honor it is to be here with what in our household we've taken to call in just great Americans, the best of our country who've raised their right hand to defend our nation, who have raised it and who are about to raise it. And, you know, this morning, we actually started our day at the Pentagon in our parade field because it's POW MIA recognition day. So we did a full, all the services, we did a full ceremony out front. I was with the chairman of the Joint Chiefs and gave a speech. And what I dwelled on, you know, obviously you think about those that we've lost and those that we have not found and we're continuing to fight to bring home. But then I tied it to today. Which is the example of Dude44Bravo on that mission in Iran, who knew. And what he said time and time again was, I know whether it's an hour, a day, a week, a month, or a year, that somebody's coming to get me. Because we leave no man behind no matter what. No matter where we are through space and time. Whether it was World War II, and Korea, and Vietnam, and the wars we fought, and to the present day. These men and women, far-flung places, should something happen, we have a commitment to them to this day to have their back and to follow through and to leave no one behind. And that today, that was a reminder this morning and then following through to today of the solemn oath that they swear, but also the commitment from the very top, from the President of the United States to myself all the way through, to have the backs of our warfighters. And to ensure that they are equipped and prepared and trained and focused on the basics to ensure that they can do what needs to be done on behalf of our nation, close with and destroy the enemy, and come home and accomplish their mission successfully. Because what, I mean, I'm looking, one of the great pleasures and reminders for me in ceremonies like this is I'm looking, you look out at the families. You look out at mom and dad and sisters and brothers who love, These Americans more than anyone else on the planet, and I can see in the face the fact that you're realizing that you are gifting your greatest gift to the United States military, to the War Department, and I get chills just saying that. And my commitment to you is that with our every breath that we have. ...is to ensure that they are prepared, that they are backed up, that they are trained, that they are ready, and that the missions we give them are clear, and the equipment we give them is the best, and the training the most difficult and rigorous and standards-based. We've put our focus back on gender neutral. Colorblind, merit-based. In fact, I gave a speech about a year ago where I talked about the golden rule of the War Department, the new golden rule of the War Department, because I have a bunch of little kids. And maybe someday, if I parent as well as you, I'll have a chance to sit in those chairs and be proud of them making a choice like this. But I know as a father, I would want... What I asked of our commanders and our formations is the golden rule of the War Department, which is do unto your formation That which you would have done onto your son or daughter's formation. Meaning if you're compromising a standard or you're meeting a quota or you're changing training to soften it or make it easier for some subset of people, would you do that if your son or daughter were in that formation or not? It's the ultimate clarifier, just like it is in a biblical sense. It is in this sense. Your most precious gift, you want to have the best. And so that's our that's our commitment to you from reviving the warrior ethos, to rebuilding the military, to reestablishing deterrence, putting our country first, to asserting peace through strength and applying common sense in the things that we do in our formation. Because we have the privilege at the War Department of serving the real one percent of our country, the true elite. We live in a town in in in Washington, D.C. currently deployed to Washington, D.C. Where politicians like to think themselves the elite. Or you go to New York City where bankers like to think themselves the elite. Or maybe here in Austin where certain musicians like to think themselves the elite. Or Hollywood, the elite. No, no, no, everyone's got it wrong. See, we live in a vapid, celebrity, clickbait culture which highlights a lot of things that are meaningless. And then we get a chance to sit right here and look at something meaningful, something purposeful. Young men and women who are prepared to raise their right hand and serve something greater than themselves, God and country, the Constitution, an oath for the men and women on their right and their left, a mission, something bigger than them, they are the real elite, the real 1% who made that decision in ways that other Americans maybe just don't understand, can't quite fathom, didn't have the parents that instilled in them that understanding. And so I'm here with a heart full of gratitude to all of you for raising them. For all of you, for what you're about to do in raising your right hand, for those that will mentor them and guide them and lead their formations, the officers and NCOs that are the core of who we are and what we do, who uphold that standard, who maintain that discipline, who will make them ready, who will train them, who will hold them accountable. It's on them to make sure they're ready. That entire system only works when those standards are applied. And that's certainly our commitment to you at every echelon. So thank you to those watching. You can't see the families, but I can. And that's the backbone of who creates the foundation of those that serve. And we are here at the highest echelons of the Pentagon to serve the warfighter, full stop. Not serve politicians, not serve those that do the difficult things in dark and dangerous places. And President Trump always asks me to relay to the formations, which is all I ever wanted when I was a young officer. Is that he has your back. When you're charged with doing difficult things in dark and dangerous places, all I ever wanted was to know that my command would support me in my earnest effort of succeeding in that mission. Because things will go wrong. Things will break. Mistakes will be made. But we need warriors, Americans willing to step out and take the risks and do those difficult things. President Trump has your back. I have your back. And I'm absolutely honored that we raise such men. That we raise such women who are willing to do something bigger than themselves and serve. So thank you to the families. Thank you to all of you. It's an honor to be here on what we are calling the Send Me Tour. To wrap it up. Because if you know the book of Isaiah. Isaiah 6-8. The Lord asked, who will I send? And Isaiah said, I am here Lord. Send me. And for 250 years, we have needed Americans who would stand up and say, Who will I send? Who will go fight the Redcoats? Who will go fight the Communists? Who will go fight the Islamists? Who will fight? And there have always been Americans that raise their right hand and they say, Send me. I will fight. Because there was an army in 1775 before there was a declaration. There were men and women willing to carry a rifle and say, I will defend those freedoms, fight for those freedoms, and that will continue for 250 more years. So as you raise your right hand, know that you are part of that legacy. You are standing on the shoulders of giants, 250 years of Americans who made the same commitment, ordinary Americans who did extraordinary things, and as a result, we live free today. So thank you for saying send me. Thank you for your commitment to your country, for loving your country enough to serve it. And certainly, we're proud of the fact that the last two years, we have smashed recruiting numbers, records. Previously, we couldn't meet them, so standards were lowered and numbers were lowered. Now we're raising and growing the size of our force to match the demand and interest of the young Americans who want to serve our country. Man, that should make you feel good about the trajectory of our country, optimistic about the future of our country, that we have more and more Americans prepared to say, send me. So thank you for what you've done. Thank you for what you're about to do and how you serve. God bless you all, and how about we administer some notes? That sound good? Outstanding. All right, let's do it. We will start with the Texas Army National Guard. Raise your right hand and repeat after me. I, state your full name, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States and the Republic of Texas against all enemies Foreign and domestic that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same and that I will obey the orders of the president of the United States and the governor of Texas and the orders of the officers appointed over me according to law and regulations. So help me God. Congratulations. Congratulations. Thank you. Thank you guys. Appreciate it. Congratulations. All right, let's do it one more time to all branches. Raise your right hand and repeat after me. I state your full name. Do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic, and that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same, and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me. According to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God. Congratulations. Congratulations. Thank you very much. I appreciate you. Congratulations. Thank you. Congratulations. Thank you. Congratulations. I appreciate you. Congrats. Thank you. Thank you. Congratulations. I appreciate it. Thank you. Congrats. Thank you. I appreciate it. Thanks a lot. Congratulations. Thank you. Good looking. Good looking fellas here. Congratulations. Thank you. Congratulations. Thank you. Thank you. Congratulations. Congratulations. Appreciate it. Let's do it. All right. You want to get a picture? Can we get a picture? All right. You guys can. How about at ease? And then we'll take a picture. Let's go. Come on in. All right. One, two, three. Good. Outstanding. Thank you. Want to get a picture over here? Can I get a picture with this group? Can I get a picture I appreciate you guys, awesome, thank y'all very much. Let me jump in here. Good. Awesome. Thank you all very much. Appreciate it. Thank you. Thank you.