* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. WHAT I'M DOING. [00:00:05] GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. YEAH, GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. WELCOME TO OUR CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS. WE'LL HEAR, GET AWAY, GET UNDERWAY WITH OUR CEREMONIALS FOR THIS EVENING. WE OBVIOUSLY HAVE A VERY SPECIAL SET OF CEREMONIALS AND RECOGNITIONS FOR THIS EVENING, SO IF I COULD ASK EVERYONE TO TAKE THEIR SEATS, WE'LL GET UNDERWAY. OUR FIRST CEREMONIAL ITEM FOR THIS EVENING IS A VERY SPECIAL RECOGNITION OF THE GREAT MEN AND WOMEN OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, AND I'D LIKE TO CALL ON NOW TO RECOGNIZE OUR MILITARY VETERANS CITY MANAGER, CHERYL SCULLY. GOOD EVENING, UH, TO MAYOR AND COUNCIL, ALSO TO THOSE WHO ARE IN THE AUDIENCE. AND ON BEHALF OF MILITARY CITY U SS A I WANT TO WELCOME YOU TO THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS. AND AS WE GET READY TO CELEBRATE VETERANS DAY ON SATURDAY, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE RECOGNIZE THE IMPACT THE MILITARY HAS HAD AND CONTINUES TO HAVE ON THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. AS YOU KNOW, THE MILITARY'S ROOTS RUN VERY DEEP IN OUR COMMUNITY. OUR BEAUTIFUL HISTORIC CITY HALL ACROSS THE STREET SITS ON WHAT WAS ONE'S MIL. TODAY, THE MILITARY HAS AN ECONOMIC IMPACT ON OUR CITY OF NEARLY $50 BILLION PER YEAR. THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 250,000, A QUARTER OF A MILLION VETERANS WHO RESIDE IN AND AROUND OUR CITY. THESE MEN AND WOMEN ARE INTERWOVEN INTO THE CULTURAL, HISTORIC, AND ECONOMIC FABRIC OF THIS CITY, AND MANY OF THESE VETERANS CONTINUE TO SERVE WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. THIS INCLUDES OUR VERY OWN MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL, COUNCILMAN CREW SHAW AS A US NAVY VETERAN, COUNCILMAN CLAYTON PERRY, GREG BROCK, HOUSE COURAGE, ALL US AIR FORCE VETERANS, OUR CITY ATTORNEY. I DON'T KNOW IF ANDY SGO IS ALSO A US NAVY VETERAN, AND THEN THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF VETERANS WHO CONTINUE TO SERVE WITHIN OUR OWN RANKS HERE AT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. I DO, AND WE ALL WANT TO PERSONALLY RECOGNIZE THE MARINE AIR FORCE, NAVY, ARMY, AND COAST GUARD VETERANS, RESERVISTS AND GUARDSMEN WHO ARE EMPLOYED BY THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. IF YOU ARE A VETERAN AND ARE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO FAMILY, WE'D LIKE FOR YOU TO PLEASE RISE OR RAISE YOUR HAND, UH, TO BE RECOGNIZED AT THIS TIME. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED PUBLIC SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY AND FOR YOUR SERVICE AND SACRIFICE ON BEHALF OF OUR NATION. ALSO IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY ARE A NUMBER OF ACTIVE DUTY RESERVISTS AND WOUNDED WARRIORS WHO ARE RECOVERING AT THE SAN ANTONIO MILITARY MEDICAL CENTER. AND WE THANK THEM FOR BEING HERE. AND THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SERVICE. THIS SATURDAY IS VETERANS DAY A DAY. WE PAUSE TO REMEMBER THE MEN AND WOMEN THAT HAVE PROUDLY WORN THE CLOTH OF OUR NATION, AND TODAY WE HONOR THEIR COURAGE AND COMMITMENT TO VOLUNTARILY SERVE DURING TIMES OF PEACE AND WAR, TO ENSURE THAT OUR NATION REMAINS A BEACON, BEACON OF FREEDOM FOR ALL OF THE CITIZENS WHO MATTER, WHERE THEIR ANCESTORS CAME FROM, WHERE THEY WORSHIP, WHERE THEY LIVE, AND WHO THEY CALL FAMILY. REGARDLESS OF ANY OF THOSE FACTORS, WE'RE ALL DEFENDING OUR NATION. FINALLY, I DO WANT TO WISH ALL THE MARINES HERE AND AROUND THE WORLD, UH, INCLUDING OUR OWN RETIRED GENERAL JUAN AYALA, A HAPPY 242ND BIRTHDAY. WE'RE DOING A SPECIAL RECOGNITION TONIGHT FOR THE MARINES, AND I'D LIKE TO A, UH, TO ASK JUAN AYALA, THE DIRECTOR OF OUR MILITARY AFFAIRS OFFICE AND RETIRED GENERAL TO COME FORWARD AND MAKE A FEW REMARKS. JUAN, GOOD EVENING. NICE STEP. HOW ARE YOU? ON BEHALF OF THE 10 YEAR INSTRUCTOR, FOURTH RECONNAISSANCE BATTALION, I WISH TO EXTEND A HEARTFELT WELCOME TO ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE COME TO JOIN US IN CELEBRATING THE 242ND BIRTHDAY OF THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS. THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO CALL FOR STEP SERGEANT JANE BY TO PROVIDE THE INVOCATION. PLEASE RISE FOR THE INVOCATION AND REMAIN STANDING FOR THE PRESENTATION OF THE COLORS FOLLOWED BY THE PLANE OF THE NATIONAL ANTHEM. LET US PRAY. [00:05:02] ALMIGHTY GOD, TODAY WE COME TO YOU WITH DEEP GRATITUDE IN OUR HEARTS FOR ALL THE GIFTS YOU GIVE US EACH DAY. AS ALWAYS, WE CALL UPON YOU ON BEHALF OF OUR MILITARY COMMUNITY HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, KNOWING THAT YOUR PRESENCE IS AMONGST US RIGHT NOW. WE GATHER UNDER YOUR ETERNAL GAZE TO CELEBRATE THE HONOR TRADITION OF THE MARINE CORPS BIRTHDAY, AND TO ASK FOR YOUR CONTINUED PROTECTION, WISDOM AND CARE. GRANT, YOUR ABUNDANT BLESSINGS UPON ALL PRESENT HERE TODAY, AND THOSE IN HARM'S WAY, YOUR STRENGTH ENABLES US TO PROTECT OTHERS. YOUR PROVIDENCE KEEPS US SAFE. HELP US TO TURN OUR HEARTS TOWARDS YOU EACH AND EVERY DAY, IN YOUR POWERFUL NAME, LORD GOD WE PRAY. AMEN. AMEN. OKAY, GO. OKAY, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE BE SEATED. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE WELCOME MAJOR GENERAL JUAN AALA, RETIRED DIRECTOR OF MILITARY AFFAIRS FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR CITY COUNCIL, UH, CITY MANAGER. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALLOWING US, UH, TO DO THIS THIS AFTERNOON FOR 242 YEARS, THE MARINE CORPS HAS BEEN AT THE VANGUARD OF OUR NATION'S QUEST FOR PEACE AND FREEDOM WORLDWIDE. MARINES HAVE DEFENDED OUR NATION EVERY CLIMB AND PLACE, WHETHER AT WAR, RESPONDING TO DISASTERS, OR KEEPING THE PEACE. MARINES HAVE ALWAYS ANSWERED THEIR NATION'S CALL FROM THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR TO KOREA, VIETNAM, THE DESERTS OF IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN, AND EVERY CONFLICT IN BETWEEN. THE MARINES HAVE CONSISTENTLY ACQUITTED THEMSELVES IN THE HIGHEST MANNER AND HAVE EARNED A DEEP RESPECT OF OUR GRATEFUL NATION. TODAY, ALL OF US WILL BE HONORED TO WITNESS WHAT MARINES DO EVERY 10TH OF NOVEMBER FROM SMALL, QUIET GATHERINGS TO LARGE FORMER BALLS, MARINES, EVERYWHERE CELEBRATE THEIR BIRTHDAY. THE CAKE CUTTING CEREMONY IS IMPORTANT TO ALL MARINES AS IT IS AN ANNUAL RENEWAL OF EACH MARINE'S SOLEMN COMMITMENT TO THE BELOVED CORE AND THE CORE'S COMMITMENT TO OUR NATION'S SECURITY. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I WOULD PLEASE NOW, UH, LIKE MAYOR NURNBERG TO SAY A FEW WORDS. THANK YOU. GENERAL BEHALF OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO ARE 1.5 MILLION RESIDENTS, MANY OF WHOM WE CALL NEIGHBORS AND FRIENDS AND FAMILY, BUT ALSO VETERANS OF OUR ARMED SERVICES. WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR DEDICATION AND YOUR SERVICE. IT'S EXTRA SPECIAL TODAY THAT WE GET TO RECOGNIZE, UH, NOT ONLY OUR VETERANS AND, AND CELEBRATE A BIRTHDAY OF THE OLDEST INSTITUTION [00:10:01] OF AMERICA'S DEFENSE, BUT ALSO THE VERY DEDICATED SERVICE OF OUR CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES, UM, WHO HAVE SPENT THEIR CAREERS SERVING, BUT NOW HELP US, UH, PUT TOGETHER AND KEEP ONE OF AMERICA'S GREAT CITIES OPERATING. SO THANK YOU TO YOU, UH, THANK YOU TO YOUR FAMILIES WHO MAKE THAT SACRIFICE ALONG WITH YOU, AND THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR CITIZENS OF SAN ANTONIO WHO RECOGNIZE THE VERY IMPORTANT WORK THAT YOU CONTINUE AND THE LEGACY YOU CREATE EVERY DAY. THANK YOU, GENERAL. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. TODAY I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO INTRODUCE FOR SOME SHORT REMARKS, THE COMMANDER OF FOURTH RECONNAISSANCE BATTALION WHOSE MARINES ARE PERFORMING TODAY'S CEREMONY. LIEUTENANT COLONEL JEFFREY BUFFET, COMMANDING OFFICER FOUR THREE COMM BATTALION. JEFF, THANK YOU GENERAL. UH, GOOD EVENING MAYOR, UH, CITY COUNCIL, UH, AS MY SEAL CHIEF INSTRUCTED ME TO BE BRIEF, BE BRILLIANT, AND BE GONE. UM, TONIGHT WE WANNA SHARE WITH YOU, UH, OUR LEGACY. AND WHAT'S IMPORTANT ABOUT OUR LEGACY IS THAT WE STAND UPON THE SHOULDERS OF GIANTS. THOSE THAT HAVE PRECEDED US INTO BATTLE HAVE, UH, CREATED A LEGACY FOR WHICH WE ALL ASPIRE TO STAND UP TO. UM, AND WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS AS WE COME TOGETHER TONIGHT, I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE OVER 30 YEARS OF SERVICE TO WATCH GENERATIONS OF MARINES COME TOGETHER AND BE JUDGED. AND I HAVE FOUND THEM TO BE EXACTLY WHAT YOU ALL HAVE COME TO EXPECT FROM THEM, AND THAT IS TO BE WORTHY OF THE TITLE MARINE. SO AS WE CELEBRATE THIS TONIGHT, UM, I WOULD PLEASE, UH, INDULGE US WITH OUR, OUR CEREMONY OF BEING A UNITED STATES MARINE. THANK YOU. A MESSAGE FROM THE 37TH COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS. EVERY DAY BEFORE I PUT ON THESE THREADS, I ASK MYSELF ONE QUESTION, AM I WORTHY? HAVE I EARNED THE PRIVILEGE TO REPRESENT THE LEGACY OF ALL THE OTHERS WHO HAVE COME BEFORE ME? TO PROTECT AND DEFEND OUR NATION AGAINST ALL WHO THREATEN OUR WAY OF LIFE? NOT ONLY DEFINES OUR MOTTO, IT'S WHO WE ARE. NOT EVERYONE CAN BE A MEMBER OF OUR TEAM. IT TAKES GUTS AND IT TAKES COURAGE. NO ONE SAID IT'LL BE EASY, BUT ANYONE WHO'S EVER WORN OUR CLOTH, EAGLE GLOBE AND ANCHOR OR HEARD THE CADENCE, KNOWS OUR NAME. YOU LEARN FROM DAY ONE. IT'S ABOUT THE TEAM. WE ARE PART OF A TEAM. ANYONE I'VE EVER MET WHO'S BEEN AWARDED THE MEDAL OF HONOR, ANY OF OUR HIGHEST NATIONS DECORATIONS WILL TELL YOU THEY DID IT BECAUSE THEY WERE PART OF A TEAM. THEY DIDN'T DO IT FOR THEMSELVES. THEY DID IT BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY CAME HOME. NO GREATER EXAMPLE OF THAT WAS, WAS MY OWN SITUATION ON NOVEMBER 13TH, 2004, AND I THINK I GET WAY TOO MUCH CREDIT FOR THAT DAY. UH, THE REAL CREDIT GOES OUT TO, TO THE AND THE SERGEANT ROBERT J MITCHELLS AND THE, AND THE LANCE CORPORAL MARQUEZ AND LANCE CORPORAL SCHAFER AT THAT TIME, SERGEANT MITCHELL, UH, HE RAN ACROSS A, A KILL ZONE IN A ROOM THAT WAS COVERED BY HEAVY ENEMY FIRE AND PUT HIMSELF IN HARM'S WAY VOLUNTARILY TO GET INSIDE THE ROOM WITH ME AND TRY TO, UH, MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND, AND TO TRY TO ASSIST AN EVACUATION OF MYSELF AND LANCE CORPORAL NICOLE. AND, AND I THINK THAT'S PRETTY INCREDIBLE. YOU KNOW, MARINES STEPPING UP TO THE PLATE TO SAVE OTHER MARINES TO MAKE SURE THEY DEFEND FREEDOM AND LIBERTY WITH EVERYTHING THEY GOT. IT'S NO DIFFERENT ONCOMING VALLEY, STILL A COMMON VIRTUE. 75 YEARS AGO, THE 7TH OF AUGUST, THE FIRST MARINE DIVISION LANDED ON THIS ISLAND, GU OF CANAL, UNLIKE A LOT OF THE FIGHTS IN THE PACIFIC, WAS A SIX MONTH LONG CAMPAIGN. THE SERIES OF ATTACKS, ATTACKS ON AIRLAND AND SEA ON THE NIGHT OF 24, 25 OCTOBER, RIGHT HERE, SERGEANT JOHN BASSON OF CHARLIE ONE SEVEN, WHOSE POSITION IS ABOUT 10 METERS TO MY RIGHT, DEFEND HIS POSITION AGAINST OVERWHELMING ODD, BUT HE EARNED HIS MIDDLE OF HONOR RIGHT HERE, CORRECT, YEAH. GOING BACK AND FORTH BEFORE GETTING AM LET'S HERE, ISSUED OUT THIS MACHINE [00:15:01] GUN REPAIR. NEVER THOUGHT IN MY LIFETIME, I'D BE STANDING IN THE SAME POSITION WITH SERGEANT JOHN BASILONE LED HIS MACHINE GUNS, HIS TEAMS, AND HE SEALED HIS NAME IN THE HISTORY OF THE MARINE CORPS FOREVER. THE MAIN THINGS I THINK THE ALL OF US WILL NEVER FORGET IS THE TERRIBLE NIGHT BAR PARADES. YOU CAN'T FIGHT A PLANE AND YOU CAN'T FIGHT A SHIP. IT WAS VERY FRUSTRATING BECAUSE YOU HERE, YOU HAD TO SIT THERE IN A HOLE IN THE GROUND AND, AND TAKE ALL THIS BOUNDING AND YOU COULDN'T FIGHT BACK. YOU COULDN'T FIND YOUR FIRE, YOUR RIFLE. THAT'S ANYBODY BUT THE MARINES WHO WERE ON THE LINE ON GUARD A CANAL. I THINK EVERY MAN THERE SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED A MEDAL. AND I THINK EVERY CORPSMAN THERE SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED A MEDAL. THIS IS A STORY ABOUT INDIVIDUALS HEROIC ACTIONS, BUT IT'S REALLY, IT'S ABOUT LEADERSHIP. IT'S ABOUT PERSEVERANCE, ABOUT RESILIENCE. THEY COULD HAVE QUIT. THEY COULD HAVE GIVEN UP. I MEAN, THERE WEREN'T TOO MANY GOOD DAYS HERE. SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR ALL OF US TO REMEMBER WHERE WE CAME FROM AND WHO WE ARE AND WHY WE'RE HERE ON OUR BIRTHDAY, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO DO. REMEMBER THE PAST, HONOR THOSE THAT ARE NO LONGER WITH US. THINK ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON TODAY AND GET READY FOR TOMORROW. WE'VE GOT A GREAT MARINE CORPS, WE'VE GOT GREAT MARINES. OUR FAMILY SUPPORT US. THE NATION SUPPORTS US. WE JUST HAVE TO EXECUTE, AND WE ARE EXECUTING EVERY DAY. AND SO OUR MEASURE AND ARE VERY PROUD OF WHAT YOU DO DOESN'T MEAN WE CAN'T GET BETTER. WE DON'T, WE DON'T WANT TO MAKE A MISTAKE TO LEARN. WE DON'T WANT TO LOSE. TO LEARN. WE CANNOT LOSE IF WE HAVE TO GO FIGHT. WE GOTTA DO WHAT THESE MARINES DID HERE SEVEN, FIVE YEARS AGO, PERSEVERE AGAINST DIFFICULT, CHALLENGING CONDITIONS AND ODDS AND WIN. WE'VE GOTTA WIN. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE RISE FOR THE MARCH ON OF THE TRADITIONAL BIRTHDAY CAKE. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE BE SEATED. ON NOVEMBER 1ST, 1921, JOHN A LA JUNE 13TH, COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS DIRECTED THAT A REMINDER OF THE HONORABLE SERVICE OF THE CORPS BE PUBLISHED BY EVERY COMMAND TO ALL MARINES THROUGHOUT THE GLOBE ON THE BIRTHDAY OF THE CORPS. SINCE THAT DAY, MARINES HAVE CONTINUED TO DISTINGUISH THEMSELVES ON MANY BATTLEFIELDS AND FOREIGN SHORES IN WAR AND PEACE ON THIS BIRTHDAY OF THE CORPS, THEREFORE, IN COMPLIANCE WITH [00:20:01] THE WILL OF THE 13TH COMMANDANT. ARTICLE 38 UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS MANUAL EDITION OF 1921 IS REPUBLISHED AS FOLLOWS, 75 WAS CREATED RESOLUTION THAT THE NAME MARINE MEMBER OF THEM. IT'S FITTING THAT WE WHO ARE MARINES SHOULD COMMEMORATE THE BIRTHDAY OF OUR CORE BY CALLING TO MIND GLORY. ITS LONG AND ILLUSTRIOUS HISTORY. ONE PERSON WITH THAT MOST FAMOUS MILITARY ORGANIZATIONS IN THE WORLD'S HISTORY. DURING 90 OF THE FIRST 146 YEARS OF ITS EXISTENCE, THE MARINE CORPS HAS BEEN IN ACTION AGAINST THE NATION'S FOES. FROM THE BATTLE OF TREND TO THE ARGON, MARINES HAVE WON FOREMOST ARMS IN WAR AND IN THE LONG AREAS OF TRANQUILITY AT HOME. GENERATION AFTER GENERATION OF MARINES HAVE GROWN GRAY WAR IN BOTH HEMISPHERES AND IN EVERY CORNER OF THE SEVEN SEAS THAT OUR COUNTRY AND ITS CITIZENS MAY ENJOY PEACE AND SECURITY IN EVERY BATTLE OF SKIRMISHED. SINCE THE BIRTH OF OUR CORPS, MARINES HAVE ACQUITTED THEMSELVES WITH THE GREATEST DISTINCTION, WINNING NEW HONORS ON EACH OCCASION UNTIL THE TERM MARINE HAS COME. TO SIGNIFY ALL THAT'S HIGHEST MILITARY EFFICIENCY, SOLDIERLY VIRTUE, THIS HIGH NAME OF THE STATION AND SOLDIERLY RE REPUTE, WE WHO ARE MARINES TODAY HAVE RECEIVED FROM THOSE IN THE COURT WITH IT. WE ALSO RECEIVED FROM THEM THE ETERNAL SPIRIT THAT HAS ANIMATED OUR CORE FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION, AND HAS BEEN THE DISTINGUISHING MARK OF THE MARINES IN EVERY AGE. SO LONG AS THE SPIRIT CONTINUES TO FLOURISH, MARINES WILL BE FOUND EQUAL TO EVERY EMERGENCY IN THE FUTURE AS THEY HAVE BEEN IN THE PAST. AND THE MEN OF OUR NATION WILL REGARD US AS WORTHY SUCCESSORS. IT'S A LONG LINE OF ILLUSTRIOUS MEN WHO HAVE SERVED THE SOLDIERS OF THE SEA SINCE THE FOUNDING OF OUR CORE. THIS INSPIRING MESSAGE FROM OUR 13TH COMMANDANT HAS LEFT ITS MARK IN THE HEARTS AND MINDS OF ALL MARINES. ONE TRADITION WITH THE MARINE CORPS' BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS WORLDWIDE IS FOR MARINES TO CUT A TRADITIONAL CAKE AND CELEBRATION OF THE BIRTH OF OUR ILLUSTRIOUS CORE. THE FIRST PIECE IS GIVEN TO THE GUEST OF HONOR, MAYOR RON NUREMBERG. THE NEXT PIECE IS GIVEN TO THE OLDEST AND YOUNGEST MARINES PRESENT, SYMBOLIZING THE EXPERIENCE AND THE YOUTHFUL SPIRIT THAT ARE HALLMARKS OF OUR CORE. THE OLDEST MARINE PRESENT IS MAJOR NORBERT HART RETIRED. HE WAS BORN IN MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA IN 1942. HE ENLISTED IN THE MARINE CORPS IN JANUARY, 1964 AND WAS COMMISSIONED IN APRIL OF 1966 AND RECEIVED HIS WINGS. HE IS CURRENTLY A DEPUTY CITY ATTORNEY HERE IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. THE PASSING OF THE CAKE FROM THE OLDEST TO THE YOUNGEST MARINE SYMBOLIZES THE PASSING OF HISTORY AND TRADITIONS TO THE NEXT GENERATION. THE YOUNGEST MARINE PRESIDENT IS LANCE CORPORAL NOAH TAM BUNGA. HE WAS BORN IN SAN ANGELO, TEXAS ON APRIL 6TH, 1995. HE ENLISTED IN THE MARINE CORPS ON NOVEMBER 11TH, 2013, AND IS CURRENTLY IN THE COMMUNIC COMMUNICATIONS SECTION HERE AT FOURTH RECONNAISSANCE BATTALION. [00:25:18] THANK YOU AGAIN CEREMONY. AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALLOWING US TO DO THIS. WE WOULD LIKE TO INVITE ALL OF YOU TO ATTEND A RECEPTION AND COUNCIL V ROOM IN HONOR OF TODAY'S EVENT, SEMPRA FIDELIS MARINES. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, HE RISE FOR THE PLAYING OF ANCHORS AWAY AND THE MARINE'S HYMN. THIS CONCLUDES OUR CEREMONY. PLEASE JOIN US FOR A PIECE OF CAKE. HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARINES. WOW. INVITE EVERYONE TO, UH, JOIN OUR FOLKS IN THE B ROOM FOR RECEPTION. BUT FIRST DO HAVE SOME COUNCIL COMMENTS. SO GENERAL, IF YOU COULD STAND BY, UH, AND I'LL JUST LEAD OFF BY SAYING THAT, UH, FOR THOSE FOLKS WHO DON'T ALREADY KNOW IN THE AUDIENCE, UM, YOUR MISSION IS A PRIMARY MISSION FOR THIS CITY AND FOR THIS CITY COUNCIL, FOR THANKS TO YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO. WE TAKE A CERTAIN MEASURE OF PRIDE BEING MILITARY CITY, U S A. WE'RE ALSO A HIDDEN HERO CITY, UH, HERE IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. SO FOR US, UH, YOUR, UH, LEGACY, UH, YOUR FAMILIES ARE ALL, UH, PRIMARY IMPORTANCE FOR US AS A, AS A COUNCIL AND AS A CITY. SO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARINES. COUNCILMAN SAL. THANK YOU MAYOR AND, AND GENERAL AND, AND REALLY TO THE FOLKS IN THE CORPSMEN WHO ARE HERE, UH, WHAT A WONDERFUL TREAT TO GET TO SHARE IN THIS TRADITION. A TRADITION THAT IS OVER 200 YEARS OLD, AND I CAN'T REALLY DESCRIBE THE FEELINGS, UH, THAT I HAVE. IT'S CERTAINLY JOY. IT'S THE REVERENCE OF WHAT WE'VE WITNESSED AND VIEWED THINKING ABOUT HOW MANY GENERATIONS HAVE WITNESSED THE, THE, THE, THE, THE CEREMONY SANCTUARY THAT IS THE SPACE THAT YOU ALL PROVIDE FOR THE BROTHERS AND SISTERS, UH, WHO ARE PART OF THE COURSE. SO, UH, YOU KNOW, PART OF MY FEELING AFTER WATCHING THAT VIDEO TOO IS TRYING TO SEE THE, UH, MAKE SURE I CAN FIGURE OUT THE AGE QUALIFICATIONS. THAT'S AN INSPIRING VIDEO. I MIGHT HAVE TO FIND A CAREER AFTER 2019. UM, GENERAL, WHAT A, WHAT A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE TO, TO GET, TO GO THROUGH AND TREAT FOR THE REST OF THE COUNCIL. AND, UH, THANK YOU TO THE, UH, YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN AND EVEN THOSE, UH, CITY AND, UH, CITY EMPLOYEES WHO ARE MARINES AND THE CITY EMPLOYEES WHO ARE VETERANS AS WE'RE NEARING VETERANS DAY. AND REALLY, IT'S MORE THAN JUST A SINGLE DAY AND A THOUGHT TO HONOR OUR VETERANS. IT'S UNDERSTANDING THAT NOT ONLY DO WE PRAISE THEM AND HONOR THEM AND, AND, AND REJOICE IN THE PRIDE WE FEEL DURING TIMES OF WAR, BUT, UH, REALLY WHAT HAPPENS EVEN AFTER CONFLICTS AND WHEN FOLKS COME BACK EITHER, UH, WITH VISIBLE, WITH VISIBLE SCARS OR WITHOUT VISIBLE SCARS AT ALL, UH, IT'S A DAY TO ENSURE THAT WE CONTINUALLY REMEMBER THE SACRIFICE AND THE SERVICE THAT GOES INTO, UH, SIGNING UP, UH, RAISING YOUR RIGHT HAND AND SWEARING AN OATH, AN OATH BECAUSE SERVICE MEANS, UH, YOU COULD OTHERWISE BE DOING SOMETHING ELSE, BUT YOU ARE COMMITTING YOURSELF TO THE SERVICE OF THIS COUNTRY. AND FOR THAT, WE ARE ALL ETERNALLY GRATEFUL. AND THANK YOU. AND, UH, ONCE AGAIN, HAPPY BIRTHDAY IN SIFY. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN SARDINIA. COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, THANK YOU. THIS IS, LIKE THE COUNCILMAN [00:30:01] SAID, A GREAT TREAT TO HAVE YOU HERE, AND IT'S REALLY HUMBLING FOR ME. YOU KNOW, I, I AM NOT A SERVICE PERSON. HA HAVE NOT ENROLLED, UM, BUT MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE YOU, UH, ESPECIALLY FOR THE EMPLOYEES OF SAN ANTONIO WHO ARE HERE TODAY. YOU WENT OUT, YOU SERVED THE COUNTRY, AND THAT WASN'T ENOUGH. YOU CAME BACK AND YOU CONTINUED TO SERVE YOUR COMMUNITY. YOU HAVE MY HEARTFELT THANKS FOR THAT. UH, YOUR DEDICATION TO PUBLIC SERVICE IS DEFINITELY AN EXAMPLE TO, TO ALL OF US. UM, SINCE TAKING OFFICE, I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF TALKING TO NOT JUST MY COLLEAGUES, BUT A NUMBER OF THE EMPLOYEES HERE. AND SO MANY OF THEM ARE, ARE VETERANS. AND YOU CAN HEAR THE PRIDE IN THEIR VOICE, UM, THAT THEY SERVED THEIR COUNTRY, THAT THEY CAME BACK TO SERVE THEIR COMMUNITY, AND THAT THEY ARE SERVING MILITARY CITY, U S A, NOT JUST ANY, BUT THEIR HOME AND MILITARY CITY. AND I CAN ALSO HEAR, UH, IN THEIR VOICE, THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY WERE IN DANGER MANY TIMES AND THAT THEY ARE SO GLAD THAT THEY MADE IT HOME SAFELY. AND SO AM I, UH, TO HAVE THEM HERE. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SACRIFICES AND FOR YOUR CONTINUED DEDICATION TO OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL, COUNCILMAN PERRY. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, HAPPY BIRTHDAY. THIS IS GREAT. WHAT AN AWESOME, AWESOME 242 YEARS, THAT, THAT IS JUST WONDERFUL. AND I AM MY HAT'S OFF TO YOU FOLKS FOR, UH, UH, STEPPING UP TO SERVE. I, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE A BROTHER AT ARMS WITH, UH, WITH MYSELF. I, I, I REALLY TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY IN WISHING YOU A HAPPY BIRTHDAY AND THANKING YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THE COUNTRY. UH, THIS MORNING I HAD THE PRIVILEGE AND HONOR TO GO TO AN, AN ASSISTED, UH, LIVING FACILITY. AND, UM, THERE WERE ACTUALLY, IT WAS A HOSPICE, AND, UH, I WAS PRIVILEGED TO ADDRESS, IT WAS ABOUT A DOZEN VETERANS IN THERE THAT WERE, THEY WERE UP IN THEIR YEARS. AND LET ME TELL YOU, I CAME TO TEARS THIS MORNING BECAUSE THEY EACH GOT A CERTIFICATE, THEY GOT A MEDAL. IN FACT, WE ALL GOT A MEDAL LIKE THIS WITH A FLAG ON IT THIS MORNING. BUT LET ME TELL YOU, WHEN YOU HAD PEOPLE AT THAT AGE THAT ARE STILL SHOWING THEIR PRIDE AND SUPPORT FOR OUR COUNTRY WAS AMAZING. THERE, THERE WERE FOLKS THERE. THEY GOT A SALUTE, AND THEY HAD TO USE ANOTHER ARM TO LIFT UP THEIR HAND TO TAKE THAT SALUTE AND RETURN IT BACK. IT, IT WAS, UH, IT WAS QUITE AN EXPERIENCE THIS MORNING, AND I'M HAPPY TO HAVE DONE IT, AND I HOPE TO PARTICIPATE IN MORE, UH, DAY, UH, CEREMONIES. BUT THIS IS A SPECIAL DAY FOR YOU IN, IN WISHING YOU A HAPPY BIRTHDAY. SO HAPPY BIRTHDAY AND, UH, MANY MORE YEARS OF SERVICE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN PERRY. COUNCILWOMAN GRO. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I THINK I WANNA THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE AND, UH, CHERYL AND GENERAL FOR MAKING SURE THAT THIS HAPPENED HERE IN OUR CHAMBERS. I THINK THIS ABSOLUTELY EXEMPLIFIES THE RELATIONSHIP THAT WE AS A CITY GOVERNMENT HAS WITH OUR MILITARY, AND THAT OUR ROOTS DO RUN DEEP TOGETHER. AND THAT IS WHY WE ARE MILITARY CITY U SS A. SO I WANNA THANK YOU ALL, AND I DO WANT TO THANK ALL OF OUR VETERANS AS WE'LL BE CELEBRATING, UM, AND HONORING ALL OF OUR VETERANS ON VETERANS DAY THIS WEEKEND, AND FOR YOUR SERVICE AND FOR THE ABILITY TO DO WHAT YOU DO, YOU'VE DONE TO ENSURE THAT I CAN DO WHAT I DO IN SERVING THE COMMUNITY FROM UP HERE. SO THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH. AND I DO HAVE TO ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE, UM, MY DADDY, WHO WAS A VIETNAM VETERAN, BUT TOMORROW IT WILL BE HIS SIXTH ANNIVERSARY OF HIS DEATH. BUT I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I HONOR HIM ON VETERAN'S DAY AND TODAY IN FRONT OF ALL OF YOU. AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARINE CORPS. THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN GRO. COUNCILMAN COURAGE. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, I TOO WOULD LIKE TO ADD A HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE MARINE CORPS AND THE WONDERFUL WAY THEY HAVE PROTECTED THIS COUNTRY FOR OVER 200 YEARS. I'D ALSO LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, AND I KNOW YOU HEAR THAT FROM MANY PEOPLE, BUT I HAD THE PLEASURE TO SERVE IN THE AIR FORCE FROM 1971 TO 1975. UH, I UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS TO SERVE. I CERTAINLY DO THANK YOU AND APPRECIATE ALL OF THE SERVICE THAT YOU'VE PROVIDED AS A MEMBER OF OUR MILITARY. BUT THERE ARE MANY OTHER WAYS THAT PEOPLE CAN SERVE, AND I HOPE THEY LEARN FROM YOU AS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW THEY COULD SERVE THROUGH THE MILITARY. BUT I ALSO HOPE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THERE ARE OTHER WAYS THEY CAN SERVE THEIR COMMUNITY. IT'S ONE OF THE GREATEST THINGS YOU CAN DO FOR YOUR COMMUNITY AND FOR YOUR COUNTRY TO SERVE IN WHATEVER WAY YOU CHOOSE TO, TO GO AHEAD AND HELP MAKE THIS [00:35:01] A BETTER COMMUNITY, A BETTER COUNTRY. SO THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN, AND I'M SO PROUD TO BE PART OF THIS CEREMONY TODAY. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN COURAGE. COUNCILMAN BROCK HOUSE. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARINES, I MEAN, 242 YEARS. THAT'S AN AMAZING, UH, COMMITMENT. UH, ACTUALLY, GERMANY, COUNCILMAN SHAW, PERRY, COURAGE MYSELF, WANTED TO HONOR YOU BY WEARING OUR OLD UNIFORMS TODAY. BUT THAT WAS AN UNSUCCESSFUL VENTURE, UH, YEAH, FOR YOU. UH, AND TO SEE GENERAL AYALA IN HIS MAKES ME FEEL EVEN WORSE RIGHT NOW. UH, SO I'M GONNA TRY TO SERVE MYSELF LESS FOOD. SO MY, MY SERVICE NOW IS LESS FOOD SERVICE, SO I CAN FIT BACK IN MY UNIFORM FOR THE NEXT YEAR FOR THE 250 YEAR WHEN THAT TIME COMES. BUT, UH, IN ALL SERIOUSNESS, THE HIGHEST AND AND HONOR OF MY LIFE IS, HAS BEEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO PUT ON A UNIFORM. AND, AND, AND, YOU KNOW, AND HAD THAT SOLEMN PRIDE. THEY JUST, THEY, THEY WON'T UNDERSTAND IT, BUT IT'S NOT ABOUT WHETHER THEY UNDERSTAND IT OR DON'T UNDERSTAND IT OR ANYTHING OF THE SORT. BECAUSE WHEN I WOULD PUT ON MY UNIFORM, UH, IT, IT, THE, THE CREASES, THE BADGES, THE, THE, THE METALS, THE HAT, THE EVERYTHING TOLD A STORY. AND WHENEVER I SEE ANYBODY ELSE THAT HAS DONE IT OR WORN IT OR IS IN IT, UH, I JUST, SOMETHING WARMS YOUR HEART, RIGHT? AND YOU REALIZE THAT THERE'S A BRUSH IN THERE. AND, UH, TO SEE ALL OF YOU HERE TONIGHT JUST BRINGS BACK, UH, MY OPPORTUNITY WHEN I HAD TO SIGN UP AND I WENT IN WHEN I WAS 17, AND, UH, I HAD TO SIGN UP AND I TOOK OFF AS SOON I TURNED 18. I COULDN'T WAIT TO GO. AND, UH, AND WHEN I LEFT, I THOUGHT ABOUT IT EVERY DAY SINCE EVERY DAY. AND I RUN INTO MEN AND WOMEN I SERVE WITH ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY IN EVERY JOB OR CAREER I'VE EVER HAD. SO, WHILE I ENJOY WHAT I DO NOW, HONESTLY, THE HIGHEST AND BEST JOB AND THE GREATEST HONOR I'VE EVER HAD WAS PUTTING ON A UNIFORM. AND I SEE IT IN ALL YOUR FACES, EVERY CORNER OF YOU OVER THERE, UH, TO ALL OF YOU. THANK YOU, UH, TO EVERYBODY ON ACTIVE DUTY WHO'S HOLDING THE LINE RIGHT NOW. WE APPRECIATE THEM MORE THAN EVER. THE VETERANS AND EVERYBODY THAT STOOD BEHIND THAT. UH, OF COURSE, WE'RE THANKFUL FOR THAT COMMITMENT OVER DECADES AND HUNDREDS OF YEARS TO SUPPORT THIS COUNTRY AND OUR OPPORTUNITY TO SIT UP HERE AND SAY WHAT WE THINK. UH, AND THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE DEFENDING. UH, AND IT DOESN'T MATTER WHO YOU ARE. THAT'S THE BEAUTY OF THE MARINE CORPS OR COAST GUARDSMEN, OUR AIR FORCE, OUR NAVY. IT DOESN'T MATTER WHO YOU ARE, YOU WALK IN SOMEONE DIFFERENT AND YOU WALK OUT TOGETHER. AND THAT TEAM IN THAT VIDEO, UH, PUTS IT ALL IN PERSPECTIVE WHY WE'RE HERE. SO FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART, AND I KNOW THE COMMUNITY I REPRESENT, WE'RE VERY THANKFUL FOR EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU HERE HOLDING THE LINE RIGHT NOW. UH, AND WE'LL DO THE BEST WE CAN UP HERE TO HONOR YOU WITH THE SERVICE AT THIS, UH, CITY COUNCIL. AND, UH, WE ARE THANKFUL. SO HAVE A HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARINES, AND, UH, WE WILL SEE YOU NEXT YEAR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN BROCK HOUSE. COUNCILMAN TREVINO. THANK YOU MAYOR MARINES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HAPPY 242ND BIRTHDAY. UH, WANNA SAY PRIDE IN THE MARINES, PRIDE IN YOUR SERVICE IS PRIDE IN OUR COMMUNITY, PRIDE IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. AND I THINK THAT SETS A, A, A, A SACRED EXAMPLE OF WHO WE ARE HERE IN THE UNITED STATES, HERE, WHO WE ARE HERE IN SAN ANTONIO, MILITARY CITY, U S A. AND WE JUST WANNA SAY THAT WE'RE ETERNALLY GRATEFUL. CITY COUNCILS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES ARE ALL GRATEFUL FOR YOUR SERVICE. IT IS FOR THAT SERVICE THAT WE ARE UP HERE AS A CITY COUNCIL, GETTING TO DO WHAT WE DO, SETTING POLICY, BUT BECAUSE OF, OF YOUR SERVICE, WE SHOULD BE ETERNALLY GRATEFUL. EMPER FIVE. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN TREVINO. COUNCILMAN SHAW. OKAY. ME BEING THE ONLY NAVY VET UP HERE, UM, I HAVE A LOT OF GOOD STORIES WITH THE MARINES, BUT WE'LL SAVE THOSE STORIES FOR, OH, I'M SORRY, WE GOT TWO, TWO OF US. SO IT'S TWO AGAINST A HUNDRED OUT THERE. BUT, UM, I HAVE SOME GOOD STORIES BETWEEN US AND, AND THE MARINE CORPS. AND EVEN THOUGH WE, WE HAD OUR FUN TIMES AND, AND THE BARRACKS AND OVERSEAS, UH, AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE CAME TOGETHER WHEN TIMES WERE ROUGH AND WE WOULD ALWAYS WORK TOGETHER REGARDLESS OF WHAT BRANCH WE SERVED, WE HAD ONE MISSION. THAT'S TO PROTECT THE FREEDOMS THAT WE'RE ALLOWED TO HEAR IN THIS COUNTRY. SO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR SERVICE. UM, I COMMEND EVERY, THAT'S ONE OF YOU. UH, CONTINUE TO DO THE GREAT BATTLES AND TO PUT ON THE GREAT FIGHTS THAT YOU DO. UH, I GET VERY EMOTIONAL IN TERMS OF SPEAKINGS OF MY MILITARY SERVICE BECAUSE AS MANY OF YOU ALL, WE'VE SEEN SOME OF OUR FRIENDS AND FAMILIES, UH, GO BY THE WAYSIDE AND SOME A LITTLE BIT TOO, TOO, TOO SOON. UH, WE'VE LOST, UM, SIBLINGS, PARENTS, GRANDPARENTS. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE KNOW WHY THEY, THEY SACRIFICE THEIR LIVES FOR US. AND I WILL NEVER DISRESPECT THEM. AND I ANTICIPATE THAT FROM YOU AS WELL. BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICES. CONTINUE TO DO WHAT YOU DO AND GOD BLESS YOU. HAPPY BIRTHDAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN SHAW. COUNCILMAN POLITES. UM, I'M NOT GOING TO BE A POLITICIAN WHO STANDS BETWEEN ALL OF YOU AND CAKE. AND SO I WILL, UH, JUST SAY SOMETHING VERY SHORT THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN SAID BEFORE AND HAS BEEN SAID MUCH BETTER THAN I COULD EVER SAY IT. AND THAT IS SOME, SOME [00:40:01] PEOPLE SPEND IN AN ENTIRE LIFETIME WONDERING IF THEY MADE A DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD. BUT THE MARINES DON'T HAVE THAT PROBLEM. THAT WAS RONALD REAGAN. UH, AND HE WAS RIGHT. AND THERE'S REALLY, I'VE NEVER HEARD ANY OTHER WORDS THAT DESCRIBE IT BEST EXCEPT MAYBE GENERAL WILLIAM THOMPSON, UH, WHO ONE SAID THERE'S ONLY TWO KINDS OF PEOPLE THAT UNDERSTAND MARINES. MARINES AND THEIR ENEMIES. EVERYONE ELSE HAS A SECONDHAND OPINION. AND, UH, I'M SO HAPPY TO BE YOUR FRIEND, GUYS, BECAUSE AFTER WATCHING THAT VIDEO AND KNOWING SOME OF YOU, THAT YOU GUYS ARE SOME OF THE BADDEST, BADDEST PEOPLE IN THE WORLD. AND I'M SO HAPPY YOU'RE ON OUR TEAM. THANKS FOR WHAT YOU DO. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN PIAS. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. AND AGAIN, HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARINES. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.