Good evening.
It’s an honor to be here to join in the recognition of our nation’s top Airmen.
Tonight we celebrate their achievements, excellence, and service to our nation.
I’d like to begin by acknowledging some of the senior leaders in attendance tonight: Acting Secretary Donovan, General Goldfein, Chief Wright, The Honorable Whit Peters and General Wright.
I thank you all for your outstanding leadership and your tireless effort to ensure that the United States Air Force remains the leading, most technologically advanced air force in the world.
At Lockheed Martin we are deeply honored to be your industry partners.
We take great pride in providing Airmen with many of the capabilities and solutions they need to carry out the Air Force mission: to “fly, fight and win in air, space and cyberspace.”
From World War I and the earliest days of military aviation, to fifth-generation fighters and into the Final Frontier, Lockheed Martin has proudly helped our nation’s Airmen achieve victory in war and maintain leadership in peace.
We also recognize that America’s technological superiority can never be taken for granted.
Maintaining our nation’s competitive advantage requires constant vigilance, innovation, and collaboration.
With the Air Force and industry working together, we are anticipating the threats of the future, and we are developing the technologies and capabilities that will ensure continued dominance in every domain of warfare.
Our nation’s top Airmen – the men and women we are recognizing here tonight – are at the vanguard of these shared efforts.
We are succeeding because of their dedicated focus, superior leadership, and outstanding performance.
So, on behalf of the 105,000 men and women of Lockheed Martin, I applaud each of the 12 individuals for earning your place among America’s Outstanding Airmen of the Year.
And to further recognize your contributions and achievements, it is my distinct pleasure to present each Airman honored tonight with a lifetime membership to the Air Force Association – compliments of your partners at Lockheed Martin.
We are grateful for the trust you place in us – because we believe your mission is ours.
Finally, I would like to extend a special thank you to the families of tonight’s awardees for the sacrifices you’ve made to support them throughout their faithful service to our nation.
Congratulations to all of you. Enjoy the rest of this special evening.
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