Posted on 05/12/2005 9:30:36 AM PDT by SwinneySwitch
Stepping out of his car to the welcoming sounds of a serenading mariachi, Lieutenant General Ricardo S. Sanchez entered the United South High School library Wednesday for a private evening reception honoring the Army's highest ranking Hispanic.
Dressed in casual civilian clothes, and making the rounds to warmly greet each of the nearly 100 veterans, teachers, students and community members who turned out to see him, it was hard to imagine that this was the man who headed more than 130,000 American troops and coalition forces in Iraq.
The Rio Grande City native was reassigned last summer to Heidelberg, Germany, where he is now serving as commanding general of the Fifth Corps and 47,000 American soldiers.
Sanchez will spend an extra day in Laredo visiting with the United South High School Honor Society and the 137-cadet Marine JROTC on Thursday morning.
"It's great that our cadets will have an opportunity to meet a real live three-star general," Gunnery Sgt. George Duplessis said. "It's an experience of a lifetime."
Sgt. Maj. Juan Martinez, who heads the JROTC, said Sanchez's visit will serve as "a great inspiration" to the students and cadets.
The nationally-ranked United South Marine JROTC drill team will give a demonstration to Sanchez, who told the audience that he was part of the nationally recognized Kings Rifle Drill Team at Texas A&I-Kingsville.
"I'll be looking at you with a critical eye," Sanchez told some of the cadets, while audience members laughed.
Sanchez's visit to Laredo was made possible through the request of teacher Jesus Garcia and U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo.
"What a wonderful reception," he said, before commenting generally on the U.S. occupation of Iraq and the importance of staying in school and going to college.
"I can't overemphasize the value of an education," he said. "There is no excuse, no excuse, for one of our young people to not go to college. They need to face the challenges that lie ahead and stay in school to assume positions of leadership in America, Laredo and the state of Texas."
Sanchez, who comes from a humble background in Rio Grande City, received a ROTC scholarship to Texas A&I-Kingsville, where he received a Bachelor of Science in math and history in 1973.
He then received a Master of Science degree in operations research and systems analysis engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, Calif., and quickly rose through the ranks to become the ninth Hispanic general in the history of the U.S. Army.
During the Wednesday reception he encouraged young Hispanic men and women to continue serving their country in the Armed Forces, and said the U.S. occupation of Iraq "is not a war that will end anytime soon."
"Don't for a second believe we're not at war because we are," he said. "I come back to the U.S. once or twice a month, and it takes me 30 minutes to realize that America is not mobilized for war."
Sanchez, however, said that is okay since American troops will continue to fight in Iraq to prevent terrorists "from bringing the fight to our shores."
"We can't allow that to happen again," he said, referring to the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.
Under his command of all ground troops in Iraq from the summer of 2003 to the summer of 2004, the U.S.-led occupation force saw one of the most intense insurgent offensives.
Sanchez also shared his concerns with the Pentagon about the lack of combat supplies for his troops, including body armor, tanks and helicopters that lowered their readiness level and ability to execute their missions.
He also became the focus of federal investigations into the Abu Ghraib prison controversy, where the public was shown shocking photos of prisoners held in sexual and stress positions.
Sanchez, who is now being sued by the American Civil Liberties Union, has since been exonerated by the U.S. Army of any criminal wrongdoing in the prisoner abuse scandal. Others more directly involved in the affair have since been charged, sent to jail or faced a reduction in their rank.
After the reception, World War II veteran Pablo Martinez Jr. was one of numerous veterans and teachers, including David Leyendecker, Tommy Rodriguez, Eddie Sanchez Jr. and others, who said they are proud of Sanchez for his accomplishments as a Mexican-American and for "down-to-earthiness."
Magda Sosa, U.S. history teacher at Alexander High School, said she attended the United South event because Sanchez is "a good role model for the kids as a top-ranking Mexican-American general."
"I came to listen to what he has to say," she said.
Ernesto A. Sanchez, a Korean War veteran, said he was proud to receive a visit from Sanchez, a South Texan "who has accomplished so much for us."
Hector Castañeda, also a Korean War veteran, described Sanchez as "down to earth and human."
"Hopefully his visit to the school will encourage young kids to serve and have pride in our country," he said.
(Tricia Cortez may be reached at 728-2568 or by e-mail at tricia@lmtonline.com.)
Si!
Did he recommend closing the border?
Javelina Ping!
Please FReepmail me if you want on or off this South Texas/Mexico ping list.
I would suggest that the comment was an attempt to illustrate exactly what LTG Sanchez said, that is, that America has not placed herself on a war footing.
You don't leave your flanks exposed to the enemy during a time of war. That comment about secure borders has nothing to do with illegal immigration and everything to do with keeping terrorists out of our country.
And if you think they're not coming across the border...well...
Click the pic to see a larger version in a new window...
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