Army Honors John Warner & Duncan Hunter

Sep 25, 2008BY Alex McVeigh

A joint services color guard marches onto Fort Myer’s Whipple field at the start of the ceremony. Photo by Alex McVeigh

ARLINGTON, Va. (Army News Service, Sept. 25, 2008) -- Secretary of the Army Pete Geren hosted an Armed Forces retirement ceremony Wednesday afternoon for former chairmen of both the Senate and House Armed Services Committees, Sen. John Warner of Virginia and Congressman Duncan Hunter of California. The two men worked together on many defense bills, officials said, that contributed to strengthening America's armed forces into what they are today. Ceremonial units from the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force and Coast Guard were present, along with the U.S. Army Band "Pershing's Own," who performed a brief pre-ceremony concert. With the downtown Washington D.C. skyline behind them and a billowing American flag above them, the joint services color guard slowly marched onto the field just prior to the arrival of the official party. Geren started off the ceremony by speaking volumes about what both men had accomplished in their years of service. Between their military time and their legislative careers, their combined years of service was over three quarters of a century, Geren said. "These leaders have served our nation over many decades, in and out of uniform, in times of war and times of peace," he said. "It is a privilege and a pleasure to honor them today, and to celebrate the partnership between our military and our congress, a partnership that has served our nation well."Hunter served in the Army beginning in 1969, and served in Vietnam with the Army Rangers' 75th Regiment. He participated in 24 helicopter assaults, and was awarded the bronze star among other achievements. Hunter has been in the House of Representatives since 1980, when he defeated an 18-year incumbent. He served as Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee from 2003-2007. Warner served in both the Navy and the Marines, enlisting in the Navy at 17. After his Naval service was complete, he attended college at Washington and Lee University. After graduation, he began to study law at the University of Virginia. When the Korean War began in 1950, Warner took a hiatus from his law studies to serve as an officer in the Marine Corps, where he eventually reached the rank of Captain. Marine Corps Gen. James Cartwright, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, spoke after Geren, and he too extolled the virtues of the two men. "Both men carried [their military service] not as challenges, but as opportunities," he said. "Opportunities to make a difference, to define service and to define quality of service in a way that marks them forever."In their responses, both men began with a tribute to each other, saying that they made it possible together what they were able to accomplish. Warner concluded his remarks by saying that his military experiences were what gave him the ability to serve as long as he had, and he is grateful for that. "I stand here, filled with honor and a great sense of humility, only because of what I learned by way of training and discipline," he said. The ceremony concluded with a joint service medley played by Pershing's Own, but more than their music, the closing words of Geren were what attendees took away. "Senator Warner and Congressman Hunter will be missed by all who had the privilege to serve with them, and every Soldier Sailor, Marine and Airmen who may serve," he said. (Alex McVeigh writes for the Pentagram newspaper at Fort Myer, Va.)

Up Close And Personal: Duncan Hunter

Getting to know Duncan Hunter...

What item most reminds you of where you came from? "Letters and articles by my Dad written over the past 60 years."
What were your best and worst grades or subjects in school? Favorite college subject was contract law. No answer on worst subject.
What pets live in your home? Two black Labs, Boo and Hunter
What is the last work of fiction you've read?
"The Democrats' proposal to balance the budget."
What task at home needs tending? "Finishing the rebuilding of our house that burned down -- a big task."
Alternate career choice? Outdoor writer
Favorite food to cook? Chicken fried venison
Desert island necessity? "Mrs. Hunter"
Favorite reality TV show? Watches Versus, previously called the Outdoor Life Network Favorite fitness activity? Hunting, fishing and hiking
Worst habit? "Not turning off the Outdoor Life Network (now called Versus) before I go to sleep"
Hidden talent? "Making rifle scabbards out of leather"
What time is "sleeping in?" 7:30 a.m.
What was your last music purchase? Favors country and gospel
What car or cars do you drive? "Suburban with 274,000 miles on it"

Red's favorite Duncan Hunter quotes...

"If you can get over my fence, we'll sign you up for the Olympics"

"I don't belong to any organized religion, I'm a Baptist"

"Ted Kennedy seems to have the most influence over the top 3 Republican candidates, ...it's time to move AWAY from the Ted Kennedy wing of the Republican Party"

Duncan Hunter III To his 1st grade school teacher...
"My name is Duncan Hunter and my grandpa is going to be President.",
..."that's nice" said his teacher, ...
(Duncan III) "so, can I count on your vote?"

Duncan Hunter Bio-

Since first being elected to Congress in 1980, Duncan Hunter has devoted himself to ensuring that our military is second to none, securing our nation’s borders, and protecting American workers from unfair competition. Hunter works on these issues because he believes that America’s greatest strength is our freedom and its protection requires our effort in all areas.

A Vietnam veteran, Duncan Hunter served in the 173rd Airborne and 75th Army Rangers and, after coming home, utilized the G.I. Bill to attend Western State University Law School in San Diego (now Thomas Jefferson School of Law). While completing his degree, Hunter supplemented his income by working in farming and construction, and opened a storefront legal office after graduation where he began serving many in the Hispanic community, often without compensation.

In 1980, Hunter was asked to mount a challenge for the Congressional seat held by 18-year incumbent Lionel Van Deerlin. Despite the district having a 2-to-1 Democrat registration, Hunter won the seat in an upset. Coming to Washington, Hunter successfully sought a seat on the House Armed Services Committee where he could work on America’s national security needs. Serving on this committee throughout his career, Hunter became Chairman of the full committee in 2002, overseeing a $532 billion defense budget. During his chairmanship from 2002-2006, and now as Ranking Member of the committee, Hunter focuses his efforts on providing President Bush with the necessary resources to win our nation’s military conflicts, protecting our men and women in uniform, and developing modernization initiatives that will move new and more effective technologies into the field of battle.

Living in a border community, Hunter also came to Congress to make securing the California-Mexico border a top priority. Hunter’s goal was to make the region safe for communities on both sides of the border by providing the necessary resources to our border enforcement agencies. September 11th, however, made border security a national security issue and Hunter responded by leading efforts in Congress to seal a porous border susceptible to illegal aliens, drug trafficking and terrorism. Hunter’s efforts have resulted in over 59 miles of fencing and border infrastructure to date in San Diego County. Hunter also wrote the Secure Fence Act, extending the San Diego fence 854 miles across California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. These fence provisions were signed into law by President Bush on October 26, 2006.

On the House Armed Services Committee, Hunter has protected U.S. defense jobs in aircraft, ship repair, machine tools, textile, steel and titanium to ensure that what he calls the “Arsenal of Democracy,” the U.S. industrial base, is maintained to provide security in time of war. Hunter’s other legislative priorities include retaining and increasing jobs across this nation, providing tax relief to hard-working families, keeping our promises to America’s veterans, protecting Social Security for present and future generations, and promoting strong family values.

Hunter resides in East San Diego County with his wife Lynne where they, like many of their neighbors, just completed re-building their Alpine home after it was lost in the October 2003 wildfires. In 2006, Duncan and Lynne celebrated their 33rd wedding anniversary; they have two sons, Duncan Duane, who served two tours in Iraq in the U.S. Marine Corps, and Sam Hunter, a business student at San Diego State University. Duncan D. and his wife, Margaret, have three children, Duncan Lee, Elizabeth Grace and Sarah Louise, and reside in Lakeside, California. Sam was married on Valentine’s Day 2004 to the former Theresa Heger of Jamul and they had their first child, Marin, in October of 2006.

The Wit and Wisdom of Duncan Hunter

Duncan Hunter "quotable quotes"... (Lifted from the Town Crier).

(AP) Referring to Giuliani, Romney and McCain, Hunter said: * “Governor Romney stood with Bill Clinton (and Ted Kennedy) for the 1994 gun ban when I was fighting that.
Mayor Giuliani stood with him at the White House on that.
Governor Romney has passed what I consider to be a major step toward socialism with respect to his mandated health care bill.
John McCain is standing strong with Ted Kennedy on this Kennedy-McCain-Bush border enforcement bill".
The guy who has the most influence with these three gentlemen is Ted Kennedy. We need to move away from the Kennedy wing of the Republican party.” -(Hunter)

“I don’t need consultants to give me a conservative image.” - Duncan Hunter

"If you can climb my fence, ...we'll sign you up for the Olympics.” - Duncan Hunter Author of the US Mexico Border Fence Bill passed by Congress and signed by the President.

Duncan Hunter on Will Rogers and religion:
"I don’t belong to any organized religion... I’m a Baptist".

Duncan Hunter when speaking to the Conservative Political Action Conference about his 1st place finish in the South Carolina poll said, “You know, I woke up to … one of the commentators saying that the only reason that Hunter beat all those guys in South Carolina is because his Marine son has been there for a week. Well, I looked down at that army of consultants, everybody who was vertical in South Carolina was hired by the other guys, and I said, ‘You know, that is a good match-up: One Marine versus 550 consultants.’ We did have the advantage!”

Hunter: “I’m leaving to meet a constituent that I haven’t seen for a long time... my wife!"

Hunter responding to Johnny Suttons’ remarks re: Campeon/Ramos ...about assuming known drug runners and dealers are unarmed.
HUNTER: "You know, that’s about the weakest statement I have ever heard and about the weakest justification for saying that a guy is unarmed". "I’d ask him, if that’s true, how did those 600 people die in Nuevo Laredo, most of them in drug-related murders if guns weren’t used? Do these guys choke to death on their Wheaties in the morning?"

Duncan Hunter III:
He walked up to his first-grade teacher about a month ago, stuck his hand out, and said, "My name is Duncan Hunter' … 'My grampa’s going to be president,' ...“And then this little 6-year-old looked his teacher right in the eye, and he said, ‘ ...can I count on your vote?’ ”

Duncan Hunter comes right down Santa Claus lane (archive 1985)
Nurse Amy Salud, one of a platoon of nurses thanking Hunter for cheering their patients, shakes his hand and says they have met before. On a previous hospital visit? asks the congressman. “No, at the Miss Philippines Pageant,” says Salud. Hunter puts on a Scrooge face. “Ah, yes,” he says, “the Miss Philippines Pageant"... "I didn’t win". Salud laughs.
He hands her a House of Representatives pen. He hands another to a bedridden patient. Hunter bends over and half-whispers, “It’s a congressional pen... It writes only in red.” The patient laughs.

Duncan Hunter on... THE FAIR TAX... and more...

On the American DIP-lomats who refused to serve in Iraq when called upon...and our "wounded warriors" at Walter Reed and Bethesda who are eager to go back to Iraq.
..."let’s fire these guys that refuse to go and we’ll give the State Department careers to these military guys"..."they know the lay of the land, they know the people and they are professionals and they are patriotic."

On what could be the greatest tragedy in US history...
"One of the greatest tragedies in US history would be ...''If having dissolved the Soviet empire with a policy of strength and strong principles and strong character, ...if having dissolved the socialist Soviet Republic, we ourselves slide into socialism".

"What I want to see is an American people who, the day I walk out of the White House after eight years, are more independent of government than the day I walk in".

"Every major political movement starts not in Washington but it starts with the grassroots."

*edited for clarification and additional quotes. 11/3/08
-red stater