It’s in all the papers. It’s being mentioned on the news. 9/11 is big news just now because it is ten years since the atrocity happened. It’s been ten years since we experienced tragedy such as we had never experienced before. It’s ten years since the sky rained its death and destruction. It was a time that showed the worst and the best of humankind. Words like courage, bravery and commitment were a part of it as were sorrow, grief and heartbreak. Soon we will commemorate that awful time and we will speak lovingly of lost ones and emotively of those who gave their lives for others. All the word won’t bring them back but they will give comfort and they will make us think. We need to think of the reason why it happened and what we can do to prevent it happening again. We need to believe in a better world.

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Will you be speaking on September the 11th? Will you be paying tribute to the fire-fighters and emergency crews? Will you be mentioning those who lost their lives on those planes? There will, of course be many ceremonies to mark the anniversary of 7/11. It’s ten years since it happened and for some the grief is as raw now as it was then. Others have moved on with their lives but there is still an ache in their hearts, an empty place that cannot be filled. For political and military leaders there is the question of what should be done to prevent a reoccurrence. For religious leaders a question still remains. How do we integrate diverse beliefs? 7/11 then is much more than a date. It’s still a case of unanswered questions.

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We don’t appreciate our armed services enough. After all without the army, the navy and the air force we might not sleep safely in our beds at night. Sometimes, though, we forget that the forced are made up of individuals who have to give speeches. It may be because an enlisted soldier is retiring. It could be because there is a graduation ceremony. It might be a change of command speech or, sadly, a eulogy. Then there are those more light-hearted occasions such as an after dinner speech or you may be the best man at a military wedding. Whatever the occasion the speech should speak of life in the forces as being special and different. The speech should have an undertone of pride in it. . A light-hearted comment will certainly add to the speech and make it popular with your audience. Like the flag you serve the speech should reflect on the traditions you cherish.

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Many military officers are coming and going. They are leaving their command or joining another. When they do they usually want to say a few words about their feelings on the occasion. They may, for instance, have served in battle and want to express their admiration for their troops who were so brave under fire. They may simply be taking up another command in another country. If so they might want to speak of the challenges that lie ahead. It could be that they want to explain that those troops are going as representatives of their country which will be judged by them. Being a commanding officer is a privilege but without their troops they cannot amount to anything. Usually they will recognise this and speak of the contribution made by such troops. They will praise them of course and perhaps speak of a shared mission or incident. Their speeches will be motivational in tone and of course, refer graciously either to the previous officer or the one who will be taking over the command. Such speeches should be short and sincere and leave those listening feeling proud and patriotic.

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Adiós Amigos, farewell friends. Whatever language we use there are many occasions when a farewell speech is appropriate. It may be that a member of the clergy is leaving a parish. It could be that neighbour is leaving the neighbourhood. Army deployment speeches are another instance or, more light-heartedly a farewell may be given to an officer leaving a post. The M.C. at a conference will obviously close the conference with a few words of farewell and club officers who are leaving their positions will also speak. The fact that the occasions are so different does not really mean that the speeches have to be widely different too. They should, for instance, all be gracious in tone. They should all refer to the past and what the person who is leaving has achieved. Officers leaving posts will express their thanks to those who have helped them. If you are speaking to someone leaving you will of course say how much they will be missed… Where you are addressing a group such as at a conference you will speak of how wonderful it was to have such an audience. Overall farewell speeches should be positive and include a farewell wish for a better future.

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Are leaders born or made? Is leadership something innate or can be developed? The army believes it can and it runs Warrior Leadership Courses. You can also develop your leadership skills in the office of course and we all know that in every football team there is bound to be a leader. Strangely they are not always the most vocal on the pitch.  They might just lead by example. Every community has them too and they can inspire great improvements in their locality. Developing confidence is the best way to develop the skill. After all if you know you can do something you are bound to feel more assured. We all know the great leaders of our times such as Napoleon Bonaparte, Churchill and Robert E. Lee but there are thousands of others who lead in youth clubs, at church events and who are the back bone of professional or charitable organisations. They inspire others simply by motivating and encouraging them to share their vision. They kick- start new ventures. They demonstrate authority.  They command, control and influence others. The world needs such people and there is absolutely nothing to say but that with the right attitude and determination that too can lead.

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“You, you and you” is what we are told soldiers are told when they need volunteers for a dangerous mission. There is no doubt though that lots of soldier do volunteer freely just as many civilians do. Such volunteers make a difference and should be applauded. In the army of course they would get promotion or a medal. In civilian life there are often volunteer appreciation speeches to a special volunteer or indeed thank you speeches to a group of volunteers. In fact the person of the year is quite often some sort of volunteer who has achieved something special in the community. It doesn’t always mean going into enemy territory. Volunteering can be fun too. Those who spend years doing good works often manage to have a shared sense of humour which helps keep them involved. Then there are others who volunteer in societies and associations and who thoroughly enjoy the camaraderie of putting on a play or organising an outing. So whether you are a soldier going into battle or a football coach organising a team remember that you are one of a very elite and special group.

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Tinkers and tailors are not very popular jobs these days. Soldiers and sailors will, however always be the career choice of many. As students graduate from High School they will be deciding on their future careers. Those who join the military are often from military families and following in their parents, footsteps. For others joining the forces is a decision based on the individual appeal of the navy, the army or the air force. Certainly it is a career that calls for loyalty and love of country. Those who join know they are not going to be millionaires. They are well aware that promotion will have to be hard earned. They know they face the danger of being killed or wounded. The appeal of the forces is likely to be the lure of foreign travel and the opportunity to learn new skills. They have to balance these things against the chance that they may be taken prisoner by the enemy or blown up in a mortar attack. Yet every year thousands decide to take the chance and are rewarded with a career of camaraderie and the chance to do something worthwhile for your country. Route marches aren’t fun but there is a wonderful sense of self satisfaction in becoming a fit fighting machine. At passing out parades there is a sense of justifiable pride and why not? As they salute the flag they know they have made the right decision. They are living proof that old fashioned values such as service to one’s country are not yet dead. There is always a new generation to answer the call.

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It’s time to hand over the reins. That’s what is happening when there is a military change of command. The outgoing officer will thank those who have served with him and pay tribute to their ability, courage and commitment. He will, of course welcome the new officer who is taking over his command and wish him well. Above all he will wish his own troops good luck in their future assignments and verify his belief in them. A change of command though is not the only time a member of the forces hands over the reins. Those who retire do exactly the same thing. Whether he is an officer or not he is leaving his comrades behind. He is handing over the reins of defending his country to those who have not yet served their time. The officer who speaks at a graduation ceremony or at a warrior leadership course is again handing over responsibility to new blood. That responsibility may be limited at first but as they gain confidence, and stripes, the troops will play their own particular part in serving their nation. Sometime in the future they too may be the ones who hand over their reins to yet more new blood.

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It’s probably one of the most fraught situations for any of us. Somebody has died and you are asked to give a eulogy. Even more worrying is the fact that you are not a family member so we don’t know the deceased as well as others do. You may be a friend of the deceased or perhaps a colleague. You might be a comrade in the armed forces. Whatever the connection you are expected to pay tribute to the person who has died. That’s basically it. You should pay your respects to the deceased by what you say. Ask yourself why you have been asked to speak. Is it because you share a hobby with the deceased or that you worked with him/ her? If so you should speak about the person you knew through whatever the connection was. You might say you found the deceased to be great company, extremely generous or very thoughtful. You could say your shared interest led to many fascinating discussions or that the deceased had shared his/her encyclopaedic knowledge of the subject with you. You could say that as a workmate you found that he was always helpful and always cheerful. Do a little probing. Ask around the office or around the club about what others knew about him/her. If possible use a story to demonstrate what sort of a person he/she was. End by saying the deceased left you with many happy memories. Depending on whether or not the deceased had any religious beliefs you might wish him/her a welcome to the Heaven in which he/she believed. Either way you can always say at the end of your eulogy, “May he/she rest in peace.”

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