1 00:00:00,958 --> 00:00:02,656 - Hello. I'm Lieutenant Colonel Bill Liess. 2 00:00:02,656 --> 00:00:05,947 Commander of the 141st Air Refueling Squadron. 3 00:00:05,947 --> 00:00:08,362 This year marks the Centennial of the 4 00:00:08,362 --> 00:00:10,779 141st Air Refueling Squadron. 5 00:00:11,208 --> 00:00:14,201 It was formed in 1917 during World War One 6 00:00:14,201 --> 00:00:16,451 as the 141st Aero Squadron. 7 00:00:16,697 --> 00:00:19,095 This is a celebration, not just for the Squadron, 8 00:00:19,095 --> 00:00:20,313 but for the Wing. 9 00:00:20,313 --> 00:00:22,901 Of course the Squadron belongs to the Wing, 10 00:00:22,901 --> 00:00:24,922 but the Wing also belongs to the Squadron. 11 00:00:24,922 --> 00:00:27,233 We all know well, that no plane moves a wheel 12 00:00:27,233 --> 00:00:29,555 and no Airman gets in an airplane 13 00:00:29,555 --> 00:00:33,722 without the support of all the other agencies in the wing. 14 00:00:34,444 --> 00:00:36,567 - [Interviewer] ...the next 100 years? 15 00:00:36,567 --> 00:00:40,393 - I like to reflect back on the early Squadron. 16 00:00:40,393 --> 00:00:43,380 The 141st stood up with a bunch of volunteers. 17 00:00:43,380 --> 00:00:46,356 Who volunteered as, with the United States 18 00:00:46,356 --> 00:00:47,472 entering World War One. 19 00:00:47,472 --> 00:00:49,604 To step up and do what the country 20 00:00:49,604 --> 00:00:51,654 needed them to do at that time. 21 00:00:51,654 --> 00:00:53,507 That has never changed. 22 00:00:53,507 --> 00:00:55,844 That has been the case, certainly after 9/11 23 00:00:55,844 --> 00:00:59,927 and as we carry forward in our current operations. 24 00:00:59,927 --> 00:01:01,925 There are a lot of reasons why people join the Guard, 25 00:01:01,925 --> 00:01:05,917 but at the end of the day, it is a volunteer organization 26 00:01:05,917 --> 00:01:07,133 and people like to step forward 27 00:01:07,133 --> 00:01:09,550 and do what needs to be done. 28 00:01:09,887 --> 00:01:11,458 - [Interviewer] When someone retires or leaves the unit, 29 00:01:11,458 --> 00:01:13,033 they never actually leave. - Yeah. 30 00:01:13,033 --> 00:01:13,866 - [Interviewer] Can you elaborate? 31 00:01:13,866 --> 00:01:14,899 What did you mean by that? 32 00:01:14,899 --> 00:01:19,066 - Sure. I've often said at retirements in the past, 33 00:01:19,215 --> 00:01:21,629 that no one ever really leaves the Squadron. 34 00:01:21,629 --> 00:01:24,504 I mean, we're always sad to lose people, 35 00:01:24,504 --> 00:01:26,787 but in a sense you never really do, 36 00:01:26,787 --> 00:01:30,454 because that person has become a part again, 37 00:01:30,456 --> 00:01:32,012 or the fabric of this Squadron. 38 00:01:32,012 --> 00:01:34,845 They are, they have left an impact 39 00:01:35,047 --> 00:01:36,612 on every person they've dealt with, 40 00:01:36,612 --> 00:01:40,044 whether it's a subordinate or a superior or a peer, 41 00:01:40,044 --> 00:01:42,705 and as those people continue on, 42 00:01:42,705 --> 00:01:45,988 they're necessarily influenced by each person that came. 43 00:01:45,988 --> 00:01:48,454 So in a very real sense, no one every really 44 00:01:48,454 --> 00:01:49,958 leaves the Squadron. 45 00:01:49,958 --> 00:01:52,761 I would challenge any member of the 108th 46 00:01:52,761 --> 00:01:56,238 to just consider the mark you want to leave on the unit. 47 00:01:56,238 --> 00:01:59,391 To challenge yourself to be the best person you could be. 48 00:01:59,391 --> 00:02:02,211 Because your legacy is going to be part of the unit 49 00:02:02,211 --> 00:02:04,794 for as long as the unit exists. 50 00:02:06,767 --> 00:02:10,934 So, I would challenge each of you to look at yourselves. 51 00:02:11,784 --> 00:02:12,717 Look at the impact you're leaving 52 00:02:12,717 --> 00:02:14,845 on the people you work with. 53 00:02:14,845 --> 00:02:17,451 Just ask yourself whether that's the kind of impact 54 00:02:17,451 --> 00:02:18,784 you wanna leave. 55 00:02:19,985 --> 00:02:22,053 - [Interviewer] Do you think our ancestors 56 00:02:22,053 --> 00:02:23,970 of the 141st are proud? 57 00:02:25,001 --> 00:02:26,526 - I believe they are proud. 58 00:02:26,526 --> 00:02:28,600 I don't think, you know the technology has changed, 59 00:02:28,600 --> 00:02:30,112 the airplanes have changed, 60 00:02:30,112 --> 00:02:31,672 but people haven't really changed. 61 00:02:31,672 --> 00:02:35,306 I don't think they would feel at all out of place 62 00:02:35,306 --> 00:02:39,221 if they were to come to a Squadron function today. 63 00:02:39,221 --> 00:02:40,655 If they were at the gala, I think they would've 64 00:02:40,655 --> 00:02:42,988 felt perfectly comfortable.