Monday, September 05, 2005

Roberts Chief Justice (VIDEO)

President Nominates Judge Roberts to be Supreme Court Chief Justice, FULL STREAMING VIDEO, The Oval Office, 8:01 A.M. EDT

President George W. Bush announces from the Oval Office the nomination of Supreme Court justice nominee John Roberts as his nominee as Chief Justice on Monday morning September 5, 2005. White House photo by Paul MorsePresident George W. Bush announces from the Oval Office the nomination of Supreme Court justice nominee John Roberts as his nominee as Chief Justice on Monday morning September 5, 2005. White House photo by Paul Morse
THE PRESIDENT: Morning. This summer I announced the nomination of Judge John Roberts to be associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. I choose Judge Roberts from among the most distinguished jurists and attorneys in the country because he possesses the intellect, experience and temperament to be an outstanding member of our nation's Highest Court.

For the past two months, members of the United States Senate and the American people have learned about the career and character of Judge Roberts. They like what they see. He's a gentleman. He's a man of integrity and fairness. And throughout his life, he has inspired the respect and loyalty of others. John Roberts has built a record of excellence and achievement, and a reputation for goodwill and decency toward others.

In his extraordinary career, Judge Roberts has argued 39 cases before the nation's Highest Court. When I nominated him to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, he was confirmed by unanimous consent. Both those who've worked with him and those who have faced him in the courtroom speak with admiration of his striking ability as a lawyer and his natural gifts as a leader. Judge Roberts has earned the nation's confidence and I'm pleased to announce that I will nominate him to serve as the 17th chief justice of the Supreme Court.

The passing of Chief Justice William Rehnquist leaves the center chair empty just four weeks left before the Supreme Court reconvenes. It is in the interest of the Court and the country to have a chief justice on the bench on the first full day of the fall term. The Senate is well along in the process of considering Judge Roberts' qualifications. They know his record and his fidelity to the law. I'm confident that the Senate can complete hearings and confirm him as chief justice within a month. As a result of my decision to nominate Judge Roberts to be chief justice, I also have the responsibility to submit a new nominee to follow Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. I will do so in a timely manner.

Twenty-five years ago, John Roberts came to Washington as a clerk to Justice William Rehnquist. In his boss, the young law clerk found a role model, a professional mentor, and a friend for life. I'm certain that Chief Justice Rehnquist was hoping to welcome John Roberts as a colleague, and we're all sorry that day didn't come. Yet it's fitting that a great chief justice be followed in office by a person who shared his deep reverence for the Constitution, his profound respect for the Supreme Court, and his complete devotion to the cause of justice.

Congratulations.

JUDGE ROBERTS: Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you. I am honored and humbled by the confidence that the President has shown in me. And I'm very much aware that if I am confirmed, I would succeed a man I deeply respect and admire, a man who has been very kind to me for 25 years.

Thank you, Mr. President, for that special opportunity.

END 8:05 A.M. EDT For Immediate Release, Office of the Press Secretary, September 5, 2005

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Lt. General Russell L. Honoré

Lt. Gen. Russel L. Honore, commander of First U.S. Army, speaks to the media May 3 at Camp Shelby, Miss., during a two-day conference for trainers to discuss ways to defeat improvised explosive devices on the battlefield by Sgt. 1st Class Doug Sample May 5, 2005Lt. Gen. Russel L. Honore, commander of First U.S. Army, speaks to the media May 3 at Camp Shelby, Miss., during a two-day conference for trainers to discuss ways to defeat improvised explosive devices on the battlefield by Sgt. 1st Class Doug Sample May 5, 2005. Lt. General Russell L. Honoré commander of First U.S. Army since July 15, 2004, has served most recently as Commander,
Standing Joint Force Headquarters-Homeland Security, U.S. Northern Command until June 1, 2004.

As Commander of Standing Joint Force, General Honore` planned and conducted land and maritime military operations and provided Military Assistance to Civilian Authorities (MACA) in order to protect and defend the United States of America.

He was responsible for two Joint Task Forces: Joint Task Force-Civil Support, whose main focus is consequence management of chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear high-yield explosion events; and Joint Task Force-Six whose main focus is counter-drugs and counter-narcotics support.

His current command, First U.S. Army is one of two continental Armies in the United States. It is a highly specialized team of active Army soldiers, active Guard and Reserve soldiers and Department of the Army civilian employees. First U.S. Army is headquartered at Fort Gillem in Forest Park, Georgia.

Honoré, who took command of First Army on July 15, 2004, is a “warrior who understands the…fight, and is the right person at the right time for First U.S. Army,” said General Dan K. McNeill, FORSCOM’s top general. McNeill went on to say, “…we are changing the paradigm from active component to reserve component in our missions and Russ Honoré brings great leadership, coaching and mentoring to this fast-paced command.”

Honoré acknowledged and thanked his wife for the many military moves she has made with him over the years in supporting his service to the nation. He praised the great work done by First Army Soldiers and declared his great pride in leading the First U.S. Army during these critical times. Pledging to get Soldiers and units as ready as possible, Honoré said, “we will do what-ever the nation requires

Honoré is a native of Lakeland, Louisiana. He is the son of the late Lloyd and Marie Udell (St. Amant) Honor. He attended St. Alma Elementary School in Lakeland and is a 1966 graduate of Rosenwald High School.

He was commissioned a Second Lieutenant of Infantry and awarded a Bachelor of Science degree in Vocational Agriculture upon graduation from Southern University and A&M College in 1971. He holds a Master of Arts in Human Resources from Troy State University as well as an Honorary Doctorate in Public Administration from Southern University and A&M College.

The general has experience with synthesizing civilian and military capabilities within the continental United States:

He looks like a throwback to another era, recreating a scene out of the movie Patton -- a cigar-chewing, three-star general barking out orders as he personally directs a vehicle convoy. Known within the Army as "the Ragin' Cajun," U.S. Army Lieutenant General Russel Honoré was called a "John Wayne dude" who can "get some stuff done," by New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin.

He has been fully hands-on since "I give the president some credit on this, he sent one John Wayne dude down here that can get some stuff done, and his name is Gen. Honoré, and he came off the doggone chopper [helicopter], and he started cussing and people started moving," Nagin said in an interview September 1 with local radio station WWL.

CNN videotaped the general overseeing the deployment of 1,000 National Guard troops from a New Orleans street corner. Watching the video, one can hear the general gruffly ordering his troops to "lower your weapon[s] … this is a humanitarian relief operation."

Honoré is commander of a massive effort to help the devastated region in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. On September 3, President Bush ordered the deployment of more than 7,000 additional troops from the 82nd Airborne, from the 1st Cavalry, the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, and the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force. The president also reported the presence of about 21,000 National Guard troops in the affected area.

In addition to the ground forces, five amphibious operation ships -- the USS Bataan, the USS Iwo Jima, the USS Shreveport, the USS Tortuga and the USNS Arctic --are expected to be off the Louisiana coast shortly. Those vessels will be joined by the hospital ship USNS Comfort.

Another ship, the USS Grapple, will help with maritime and underwater survey and salvage operations. The military also has sent eight rescue teams with special flood expertise from California to Louisiana. Much of New Orleans now is underwater, after levees holding back Lake Pontchartrain broke and the waters released flooded more than 80 percent of the city.

The majority of the city's half million residents now have been evacuated. But as Honoré told CNN while he personally supervised a tiny baby’s evacuation to a hospital ship, "We’re going to fix it one at a time, if we have to."

His wide variety of assignments include tours in Korea (Where he saw monsoon-season flooding in his command Area I and flood prevention measures following 1998 floods that caused more than $150 million in damage to Area I bases.)and Germany. General Honoré was the Commanding General, 2d Infantry Division, Korea; Vice Director for Operations, J-3, The Joint Staff, Washington, D.C.; Deputy Commanding General/Assistant Commandant, United States Army Infantry Center and School, Fort Benning, Georgia; and the Assistant Division Commander, Maneuver/Support, 1st Calvary Division, Fort Hood, Texas. He has also served as the Brigade Commander, 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Georgia; Senior Mechanized Observer/Controller, “Scorpion 07”, National Training Center (25 Rotations); and Commander, 4th Battalion, 16th Infantry Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, Germany.

General Honoré’s awards and decorations include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, the Distinguished Service Medal, the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit (four Oak Leaf Clusters), the Bronze Star Medal, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal (three Oak Leaf Clusters), the Army Commendation Medal (three Oak Leaf Clusters), the Army Achievement Medal, the National Defense Service Medal (two Bronze Service Stars), Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Southwest Asia Service Medal (one Bronze Service Star) the Global War on Terror Service Medal, the Korean Defense Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon (4), Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi), the Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait) and the Joint Meritorious Unit Award. Qualification badges include the Expert Infantry Badge, the Parachutist Badge, and the Joint Staff Identification Badge.

Sources:
dix.army.mil/ by Karen Bradshaw First U.S. Army PAO

first.army.mil/ By Karen Bradshaw, First Army Public Affairs Office

usinfo.state.gov/ by Michael OToole, Washington File Staff Writer

northcom.mil/ by Standing Joint Force Headquarters – Homeland Security, Public Affairs Office

stripes.com/ by Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition

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