WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. -- Please take a moment to consider all that our team accomplished during the past year. We deployed a quarter of the wing, then performed magnificently in a record-setting effort during our Joint Nuclear Surety Inspection and capped this twelve-month period off with nothing less than the finest performance in Conventional Operational Readiness Inspection in Air Combat Command since 2000, when the command established its current scoring criteria ... to name only the wing's major efforts. Consider, also, all the additional inspections, education, training and tasks you accomplished and the manner in which you accomplished them. You were, and are, Outstanding! 

What led to our latest demonstration of excellence? First, we are a bomb wing and you enabled us to achieve perfection in sortie launch and target destruction. Next, not a single graded area of 135 scored less than Satisfactory. Most importantly, you fought through all the challenges of support, survival, production and airmanship with absolutely unmatched spirit, pride and teamwork. Every day you refuse to be defeated. 

The team...as individuals we can't all be the best but we can all be excellent. Because you understand how important you are to each other and our nation, you constantly work to be the best and, because you have achieved excellence, we maintain an outstanding team. You have given the wing and yourselves this moment. 

As you celebrate Memorial Day, understand that the patriotism and dedication you offer each day reinforces our strength and enables this Nation to remain free ...there's absolutely none finer! Thanks for making us the strongest of teams.