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M2 PRESSWIRE-31 August 2004-US DOD: News transcript. Page 1 of 2.(C)1994-2004 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD

RDATE:08262004

DoD News Briefing, Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld

COL. COONEY: Good morning and welcome. My name is Col. Jim Cooney. I`m the commanding officer here at Marine Corps Air Station in Yuma. We`ve got a very special guest, as you well know, and I`d like to take a moment to introduce him to you. Some of you may not be aware, but Secretary Rumsfeld has the only distinction of being the secretary of Defense who has had this job twice. He was the 13th secretary of Defense some time ago, is currently serving as the 21st secretary of Defense.

He`s had a distinguished career in both public and private service. And in public service he has served as a U.S. congressman in Illinois. He has also served with distinction as the Ambassador to NATO -- North American Treaty Organization -- in Europe from the United States. He has also served as the White House Chief of Staff. I`d also like to point out that Secretary Rumsfeld is a retired Navy Captain for the United States Navy Reserve. He served on active duty as a naval aviator. And he was telling us this morning, he had a great time as a flight instructor down in, I believe, in Pensacola. Secretary Rumsfeld in his private life, he has served as the CEO for two Fortune 500 companies.

And this morning, ladies and gentlemen, I would like to introduce our special guest Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld. Could you give him a good Yuma welcome, please?

[Applause]

SEC. RUMSFELD: Well, this being a chapel, it`s not surprising that some people have left the front pews open. [Laughter] And there`s folks standing in the back and along the sides. And they`re certainly welcome to come on up and have a seat. Don`t be shy. You can do it. [Laughter] Unless you`re trying to leave early. [Laughter]

Thank you. Thank you so much. I am delighted to be here. As you know, those of us who work in Washington, D.C., but aren`t from Washington, D.C., do need to get out of there once in a while so that they can get a slightly different perspective on the country and on the world and what`s taking place, so I`m pleased to be able to do this.

As we meet today, there are a great many talented and very patriotic men and women and folks from across this wonderful state, and across the United States, who are serving our country in uniform and are performing a vitally important service to our country.

And the distinctive thing from when I was a Navy pilot is the fact that today everyone`s a volunteer. A lot of volunteers then, but we still had the draft back in the 1950s....