Philip M. Breedlove

Transcription

[APPLAUSE] President Peterson, thank you for the introduction. And most importantly, thank you for the opportunity to share this very special afternoon with all of you and all of you. I will have to say, it is absolutely no fair scheduling me to talk after Vincent. Well done to Vincent. Provost Bras, cabinet members, deans of college, esteemed faculty and staff, with a grateful spirit and on behalf of Class 2015, thank you for all you have done in leading this class of Yellow Jackets to success. Fantastic job. To all of you, the Yellow Jackets of 2015, this afternoon is about recognizing and celebrating your incredible accomplishment, graduating from this great institution. And we're going to do that here in a minute. But just as important, if not more so, today is also about reflecting back and looking forward, back on those who helped us get here. We all know none of us would have made it, nor would have been successful in such a rigorous program, were it not for the efforts of a host of some very special folks. From your family and friends who never gave up on you, your professors and teachers who inspired you, fellow students who suffered with you, and the librarians who were always there for you, spiritual advisers who guided you, the dining workers who fed you, dorm personnel who housed you, campus safety and support professionals who safeguarded you, counselors, administration specialists, all who kept you on track, as well as countless others on the Georgia Tech team who made this experience of a lifetime happen, we collectively owe them all our greatest appreciation. One more time, will you join me in applause for these folks. [APPLAUSE] Today is also about looking forward with gratitude as you begin to realize the enormity of the opportunities you will have ahead of you. And I owe you graduates my own special debt of gratitude. Thank you for giving this Georgia boy an excuse to stray from my normal routine to spend a beautiful Saturday afternoon with you in Georgia. To be here at Tech is like coming home for me, home with my Yellow Jacket family. So thank you, I'm very humbled to be here and there's no place I'd rather be today, believe me. It seems like yesterday-- 1977 was yesterday, wasn't it? That I was sitting right about where this nice interesting hat is leaning forward, right over here. Now she just looked up. She's got a great hat on. I was sitting right about there and my parents were sitting right up here, above the blue sign. It was just yesterday. On the fringe of graduating from one of the nation's most respected and highly-rated universities, thrilled to think about what lay ahead and eager to put what I had learned to use. Coming from the humblest of beginnings in this great state, I am proud of the many things I've been privileged to have been a part of. To be able to call myself a graduate of Georgia Tech still gives me chills and ranks right up there with my most treasured accomplishments. But before I tell you how great I think you are, I have to take a moment to let you know just how special this school truly is. Because, as you will soon find out, Georgia Tech is much more than just a school and your experiences here are far more than merely academic. Georgia Tech is a professional network of innovators, a civic resource, a charitable provider, a forward-leaning, critical-thinking institution. A university that actively seeks problems to solve and challenges to attack and conquer. But perhaps most notably, no one works harder or has as much fun at it as a Yellow Jacket from this great institution. It is in our blood. It is who we are. And you will soon discover, Georgia Tech will forever be a vital part of your family and in many ways, will always be your home too. Long ago, in a galaxy far, far away, long ago as a young fighter pilot and now as the not-quite-so young Supreme Allied Commander of Europe, I lean on the lessons that I learned here every day. All of which went well beyond my academic discipline. What Tech developed for me, although I didn't realize it until much later, was a solid foundation on which I've built and exercised my leadership skills. Lifelong lessons for which I am eternally grateful. Soon after I was in your seat, the Air Force put me into pilot training. It didn't take me long to gather that I had a leg up on my peers. Because of my Georgia Tech education, I was comfortable with the engineering and physics of flying and the maneuvers and weaponeering that we had to learn. Where others were completely immersed in the science of flying a jet, I was able to expand my focus outside of the airplane. Well, sometimes outside of the airplane. This Georgia Tech framework has served me well in my career both as a fighter pilot and as a leader of our nation's finest young men and women. It was here at Georgia Tech that I learned how to accept complexity for what it is and to harness what I could control into realistic and sustainable solutions that solve the problems I face and get our nation's mission accomplished every day. Additionally this school showed me just how important networks are and when they are rooted especially in trust and cooperation. In the military, everything we do is as a part of a team. It's all about trust in the man or woman to your left or to your right. I developed much of that team trust and dynamics right here in great places, material labs, survey class, ROTC. Just as importantly, this institution taught me how to listen, to really listen with empathy. And how to prioritize data into information with a critical ear. Here is where I learned the limitless potential of a team. A team that is empowered to lead change and to not be afraid to make mistakes along the way. But most importantly, Georgia Tech showed me the awe-inspiring power of motivated people, and that would be you. I'm reminded that these lessons daily are important as I sit at the very same desk that General and President Dwight Eisenhower sat when he was the first Supreme Allied Commander of Europe. His ability to bring together and lead the armies of numerous nations during World War II is legendary and for good reason. Not only did he have the intimately familiar stance with all of this command structures and their cultures and their weaponry, but he had to integrate that diverse team into a functioning team. A team that wanted to work together under the harshest of conditions, such as Normandy and in combat. In the best of circumstances he faced being responsible for thousands of fatalities. In the worst of circumstances, his failure would mean generations of democratic societies may have faced very, very different circumstances. The cornerstone of his success was not simply his understanding of doctrine or tactics, rather it was his ability to build and sustain the morale and the energy of those on his team. He listened to them. He inspired them with his own example. And he cared for each and every one like he was their father. As he later explained when he was asked about what made him such an effective and inspiring leader he simply remarks, "I adopted a policy of going around under the whole force to the full limit of my abilities. I did the best to meet everyone, from the general to the private, with a smile and a pat on the back and showing my interest in their problems." Not the words you would expect to hear from a military leader in a time of war but they were the words of a true leader when faced with his greatest challenge. I share this with you today because each of you will soon find yourselves in leadership positions. Your ability to lead and motivate people will underwrite your success as your technical skills and knowledge will be implied in what you do. Understanding technology and engineering will make you valuable but it will be your aptitude for understanding your people and motivating them that will make you invaluable. Technology and engineering provide an organization with capacity, but its people provide it with capability. A seemingly simple yet often misunderstood concept and one that must be grasped fully, especially in the complex world that you will be navigating. The good news, the good news. You're ready. And that is the heart of my message to you today. None of you should have any doubt as to your abilities to perform. You have been doing it ever since you got here. And most certainly, you've gotten much better at it across your years. I'm here to tell you that Georgia Tech has prepared you superbly for the challenges you will face. Now it is time for you to exercise those lessons and there is no greater reward, none, than meeting the challenge, leading people, and getting the job done. But I would be remiss if I did not remind you that just like you, I am still learning about leadership. That's what makes great leaders, their commitment to their people and their desire to continue learning. Because when we stop learning, we have stopped leading. I've been in the Air Force for 38 years and I learn about leading every day, for my soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines in the command. Every single day. Leadership is not a box to check or a project to complete. It is a daily commitment to the people in a lifelong quest to just get better. Embracing the concept and daily assessing your commitment will take you far regardless of your chosen specialty. OK, are you still with me, Yellow Jackets? I have a feeling some of you have plans for later this afternoon, am I right? [CHEERING] I figured as much and we're almost done. I want to leave you with a couple of quick pieces of advice. Advice I believe will assist you daily in your upcoming journey while ensuring that your lifelong experiences are both whole and enriching. First, insist on giving back to your community. Your community and our great nation needs your innovative minds and your motivation. Whatever it is particularly-- a youth program, a senior activity, a civic service, a charitable or spiritual organization. Find a way to get involved. The opportunities and talent you have been afforded will always be in high demand and there are limitless ways for you to contribute. You will leave here and build machines, buildings, and cities. I urge you to build the communities who will use them. Second, never forget who you are and remain anchored to your roots. You are destined for great success and you've worked hard and you deserve it. But a little humility goes a long way. And it's important to take time sometimes to laugh at yourself. Let others do the talking about how awesome you are, as you simply are awesome. And take pride in being that way. Finally, stay rooted in your family. Nobody is more important than those you love. Nobody. Your family was before this college, your family is during this college, and your family is after this college. [APPLAUSE] Your family and your friends were there for you before you got here and they will be there for you afterwards. Give back to those who have given so much to you, your time, your patience and your love. Class of 2015, my fellow Yellow Jackets, it's been an honor to share this time with you. I could not be more proud or excited. Please accept my sincerest thanks for inviting me back to this amazing place. It is awesome to be among fellow Yellow Jackets. Once again, my hearty congratulations on your accomplishment and finally getting out. You're going to do great things. And in my day, we were taught to say, Go Jackets, to hell with Georgia. [APPLAUSE] Thank you, General. Thank you for being here with us today and thank you for everything you do everyday to keep us safe. [APPLAUSE]