Current Graduating Class

Graduation Speech by: COL Edwin J. Deedrick, Jr.

“I would like to thank MG Sacolick for the opportunity to address the men of Special Forces Qualification Course 262. I would also like to recognize the distinguished members of the regiment, CSM Luthy and CSM Morakon for honoring us with their attendance. To the men who are graduating today, I extend my congratulations. There are very few men within the ranks of the US Army who are called to the commitment of being a Special Forces Soldier. And, there are even fewer who are able to earn the right and privilege of wearing the Green Beret.

Of equal importance, I would like to extend a welcome to the wives, parents, grandparents, children, brothers and sisters of our newest Green Berets who were able to attend today’s ceremony. As we welcome these men into the Special Forces Regiment, we also welcome you and thank you for the support you have demonstrated in the past and for the support we will require in the future.

To the parents that instilled the values of selfless service in these fine men, we say thank you. To the spouses and children who will make sacrifices as these men deploy and execute the missions that only this force can conduct, we say thank you. And to all the family members, we may have recruited and trained a soldier, but our responsibility is to all of you. You are all important members of the Special Forces family, and once again we welcome you to our family.

In front of the 10th Group Headquarters stands a stone, engraved on the back of the stone, the words of President Kennedy, “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country,” serve as a constant reminder of the commitment we have to our country, our teammates and our family.

We are a nation that continues to be at war. This class is representative of our Army and our nation. Altogether, 121 men will walk across this stage today: 116 are US graduates and five are allies. To our allies, we look forward to working with you in the future. Sixty three of the US graduates are already combat veterans, six have been the recipient of awards for valor on the battlefield, and 20 of these young men have answered their countries call and were selected to come directly into Special Forces from civilian life.

Today, there are over 3,000 Green Berets deployed to 36 countries. The Special Forces Regiment’s contributions to operations in Afghanistan, Iraq and the Philippines are well documented and speak to the courage, tenacity and intelligence of this force. But, of equal importance to our national interest are the missions that are “off the radar” and are conducted quietly, professionally and focus on supporting our allies and friend’s ability to meet common security threats. Our real goal is not only to arrive before a time of crisis or conflict, but in conjunction with other US agencies and our partner nations, pro-actively work to avoid conflict escalation.

The new global society with its ease of travel, instant communication, and open immigration ensures that threats, especially the threat of terrorism, cannot be viewed as a set of disconnected regional problems. In the past, war was most often framed around armed conflicts between states. The security environment that we will ask you to work in is much more complex.

Terrorist organizations (driven by perverse ideologies), insurgent groups (more tied to money and drugs than a political ideology) and nations ruled by dictatorial regimes with no regard for the welfare of its own population all present diverse threats. And, more often than not, those groups of threats are in some way linked.

It is into this morass, that we will ask you to wade. We will ask you to assist nations and populations struggling with these threats by providing quality training to security forces. We will ask you to develop reliable intelligence that supports our global efforts. But, most of all we will ask you to develop and portray an understanding of the situation.

Knowledge of facts, statistics and orders of battle is not enough. Understanding a situation is much deeper than simple knowledge of a situation. You must work to understand the historical, cultural, religious and tribal underpinnings of a conflict. And then, develop with our partners, both US and foreign, strategies that get at the root cause of conflict and make a tangible difference. While we expect Green Berets to be masters of tactical skills and the absolute best in their different specialties. What sets the Green Beret apart is that you are absolutely mandated to think creatively and empowered to effect change.

As a class, depending on Group assignment, you will participate in operations that range from the current conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, to the jungles of South East Asia and South America to the Trans-Sahara region of Africa. Your tactical and operational prowess, coupled with a true understanding of the situation is vital. In the end, your contributions provide strategic options to theater commanders and national decision makers.

Again, congratulations and welcome to the Special Forces Regiment! Live up to the legacy of those who have come before you. Maintain the high standards that are being set today. And work to learn something new every day.

May God bless each of you and your families, the United States of America and the Special Forces Regiment.

“De Oppresso Liber”