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(Electrical hum)

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- Greetings friends, family, and current

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and former members of the White Knights.

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Today, we will execute

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a virtual change of command for VMM-165.

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As we are unable to conduct
a traditional ceremony

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due to health and safety
measures being undertaken

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to prevent and slow
the spread of COVID-19.

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Nonetheless, we will conduct
the time-honored tradition

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of the change of command,

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where Lieutenant Colonel
Thomas Cisco Kershul

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will transfer command

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to Lieutenant Colonel
Josh Froman Bringhurst.

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Wherever you may be watching this,

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I would like to welcome you
and thank you for sharing

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this momentous occasion with us.

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We wish you could be here with us,

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but we're all grateful for
the support you have provided

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to these two fine officers
and the White Knights.

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Before I introduce both the
oncoming and outgoing officers,

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I would like to take a moment to reflect

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on the history of the squadron.

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The White Knights were
established as HMM-165

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on 1 July 1965 at MCAS Santa
Anta as part of MAG 36.

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The following year, in
September, the squadron deployed

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to support combat operations in Vietnam.

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During the 1970s, HMM-165
continued to operate in Vietnam.

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They took part in the
Philippine relief operations,

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and took part in the evacuation

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of the U.S. Embassy
following the fall of Saigon.

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In 1977, the squadron was
reassigned to Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii,

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where they were redesignated
Hawaiian Warriors,

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only to return to the
White Knights name in 1981.

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In the 1990s, the squadron supported

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Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.

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After 9/11, the White Knights deployed

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as a Marine Expeditionary
Unit Air Combat Element

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in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom,

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taking part in the
rescue of Jessica Lynch.

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On 11 April 2011, the White
Knights began their transition

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to the MV-22 Osprey and
were redesignated VMM-165.

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In 2013, VMM-165 conducted
combat operations

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in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

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Between 2015 and 2019,
the squadron supported

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three special purpose MAGTF

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crisis response CENTCOM deployments.

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The White Knights also
have the distinction

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of having been recognized

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as the MCAA Squadron of the
Year for this past year.

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HMM and VMM-165 has enjoyed
a long a storied history,

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and today's marines continue to uphold

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and build upon that legacy.

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For this, I am extremely
proud of each of the marines

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and sailors that wear
the White Knights patch,

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and I look forward to seeing

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how they continue to make history.

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As I reflect upon this
squadron's history and legacy,

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I am confident that Lieutenant
Colonel Josh Bringhurst

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is the right officer to lead the squadron

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to the same level of excellence
we have all come to expect

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from the White Knights.

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Lieutenant Colonel
Bringhurst is a proven leader

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and warrior with multiple deployments

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in the mighty CH-46E Battle
Phrog and the MV-22 Osprey.

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He has four deployments in support

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of Operation Iraqi Freedom

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and three in support of
Operation Inherent Resolve.

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The last two of these
were as part of VMM-165.

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Most recently, he comes to us from VMX-1,

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where he served as the Executive Officer.

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Froman, I welcome you, Liz and
your two sons, Seth and Luke

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back to the MAG 16 family,

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and I look forward to working with you.

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You're stepping into
some very large shoes,

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but I have faith in
your leadership ability

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to not just maintain the
squadron's trajectory,

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but to take it even higher.

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Lieutenant Colonel Kurshell,
Cisco, congratulations

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on an extremely successful command tour.

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Under your leadership, the White Knights

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have truly excelled

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through a rigorous
predeployment training period.

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Combat Operations is part

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of special purpose MAGTF
crisis response CENTCOM,

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and then again as the squadron prepares

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for its next deployment

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as a Marine Expeditionary
Unit Aviation Combat Element.

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You accomplished this while creating

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a positive command climate,
a professional pride

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and competence amongst
pilots and elicit aircrew,

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maintainers and support personnel.

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Rather than just meet the requirements,

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you ensured that the squadron
exceeded every metric.

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However, you do not
simply push the marines,

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but you led, worked and
fought by their side.

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Thanks in no small part to this culture,

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your White Knights earned

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the Marine Corps Aviation Association

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Commandant's Aviation
Trophy as the best squadron

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in the Marine Corps for 2020.

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In addition to doing the right things,

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the squadron also did them the right way.

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For this, the squadron was also awarded

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the Chief of Naval Operations
Aviation Safety Award

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for 2020.

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Congratulations on both of those awards.

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Each one separately is meaningful,

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but together they tell a much fuller story

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of who you are as a leader
and the squadron's character.

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Cisco, Thank you and Liesel
for your service to the marines

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and sailors of VMM-165
and to me personally.

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Bonnie and I will miss you both,

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but we look forward to hearing
of your future successes.

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I am proud of you and
of the White Knights.

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May God bless you both and semper fidelis.

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- The past 24 months in command

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have been the most rewarding
of my professional life.

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VMM-165 feels like home.

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I've spent a little over six years,

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almost one third of my career,

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associated with this unit,

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and it's always been a notch above.

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During my time here, I've been fortunate

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to know exceptional leaders

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from whom I have learned a great deal.

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Jaws, Snickers, Ducky,
Willy, you set this squadron

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on a path of excellence,

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and I am grateful to
have been its steward.

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First and foremost, a thank
you and acknowledgment

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that the Marine Corps is
very much a family business.

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To my wife, Liesel, I hit the jackpot

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when we met 18 years ago on
a golf course at El Toro.

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From the ups and downs of
six combat deployments,

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to the manner in which you
challenge my assumption

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and points of view.

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Your intellect, kindness,
empathy and counsel,

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to the influence you've gently provided

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to marines and families.

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Whatever successes we've had
are absolutely a team effort,

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and I'm so proud that you're my teammate.

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Liesel and I have moved 11 times

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and lived in 13 different homes.

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We've reflected over the last few weeks

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that this is the first time
we didn't feel ready to go

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when our time was up.

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If we could stay, we'd
do it in a heartbeat.

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But since we can't, we'd
simply like to say thank you.

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Thank you to the command
team at third MAW.

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Major General Iiams, Sergeant Major Siaw,

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Command Master Chief Patawaran,

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and thank you to MAG 16,

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Colonel Garcia, Sergeant Major Cedeno.

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These individuals and the
organizations they lead provided

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the guidance, resources and
support this unit needed

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to be successful, and man,
was this unit successful.

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The marines of this
squadron were the recipient

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of the 2020 Commandant's Aviation Trophy

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for outstanding performance.

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We competed with roughly 145 similar units

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across the Marine Corps,

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and were judged to be the very best.

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This is only the second time in history

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that a V-22 unit has been honored

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as the Marine Corps' top squadron.

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Additionally, we were recognized

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by the Chief of Naval Operations

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with the Annual Safety Award.

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Either of these
accomplishments are a big deal,

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together they're a really big deal.

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None of this would have been possible

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without the dedication, professionalism

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and sacrifice of the marines in this unit.

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Sacrifice.

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As marines we're called to sacrifice.

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It's part of the martial profession.

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We sacrifice our time with loved ones,

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our ability to choose where we live,

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and our physical safety.

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But to sacrifice doesn't simply
mean to give something up.

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The root word means to make sacred,

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and over the past two years

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as the CO of this exceptional unit,

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The sacrifice I have
witnessed by these marines

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have made this place sacred.

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Certainly to me, and I
hope to them as well.

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Throughout my time here,

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I've been so impressed with the culture.

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If I had to sum it up in a
single word, it would be care.

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Marines caring.

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Caring about each other,

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caring about the success of this unit,

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caring about the corps.

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Every day, deployed to combat,

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or training from home station,

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individual and collective caring

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has been the formula for success.

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And this culture of caring endures at 165

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because of the leadership
of marines at every level.

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So thank you White Knights.

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Thank you to two
outstanding sergeant majors,

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Gerardo Ybarra and Charles Latour.

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Thank you to a maintenance
chief with vast experience,

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Master Gunzo Video Parra.

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Thank you to a quiver of the
most talented department heads

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in the fleet, Lieutenant Colonel Clark,

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Majors Farrell, Hope and Elgy.

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Any of these officers
are immediately capable

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of commanding a squadron.

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As a group, they were unstoppable.

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Thank you to a ready room
and staff full of officers

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who are as dedicated and
proficient as any I've served with.

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Thank you to staff NCOs who
are the subject matter experts,

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and directly supervise the incredible work

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that goes on here.

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Thank you to the NCOs,
the backbone of the corps.

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They're out there on the flight line,

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exercising incredible
diligence and discipline,

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making our complex machines fly.

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And thank you to the families

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and loved ones of these marines,

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who have supported us through
deployments and training.

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The White Knights couldn't
do it without you.

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Although my wife and I aren't ready to go,

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I couldn't be more pleased

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to pass the colors to Josh Bringhurst

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and his wonderful wife, Liz.

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Froman's an exceptional
marine officer and leader.

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He's a combat experienced
pilot, and he also happens to be

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one of my best friends in the corps.

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He's truly the right
officer at the right time

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to take this storied
unit to the next level.

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Froman, I wish you and all the
White Knights the very best.

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- Thank you Colonel Garcia
and Lieutenant Colonel Kurshel

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for those kind words.

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Today is a great day, but
it is also bitter sweet.

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Tom and Liesel, this
is now the second time

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you are leaving the White Knights.

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You have both done and give so much

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to the marines and spouses
and their families,

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that we are forever grateful.

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Liz and I could not have
asked for two better people

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or greater friends to have
welcomed us back to 165.

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Sadly, this will be the final time we

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as a squadron can bid you farewell.

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Rest assured that the
legacy that you leave

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behind here with the White Knights

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will last for years to come.

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With any luck, our paths
will cross again soon.

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To my wife, Liz, thank you so much.

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Words cannot fully express how grateful

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and lucky I am to have
shared this journey with you.

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You're an incredible wife and mom,

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who is our family's rock and foundation.

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Thank you as well to my parents,

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family and friends watching from home.

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Know that you have all
played a special role

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in helping me get here today.

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I wish you could be here in person,

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but look forward to seeing you again soon.

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Specifically, I would
like to personally thank

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Colonel Gremovia, Colonel
McArdle Sergeant Major Miller,

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Sergeant Major Patrick and
Sergeant Major Buenafe.

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For the marines, sailors
and spouses at VMM-165,

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I am truly honored to again be wearing

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the White Knight patch
and humbled to be standing

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before you as the commanding officer.

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You are the reason
people fight to stay here

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and fight to come back.

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Your quiet professionalism
and whatever it takes spirit

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has created an incredible squadron,

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well deserving of the
Commandant's Aviation Trophy.

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I am excited and motivated
as we move forward

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and look to write the next chapter

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in our unit's storied history.

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Semper fidelis marines.