There were a few differences between the audiences Glenn Webster spoke to Monday and Tuesday morning. His message, though, remained constant.
Webster, the former commander of the 3rd Infantry Division who later led the Third Army in the Middle East and retired as a lieutenant general, spoke to students at Joseph Martin Elementary School on Monday — and a gathering of fellow veterans Tuesday at VFW Post 6602.
In speaking to the school kids Monday, Webster urged them to thank veterans they come across.
There were six teachers at the school who were veterans, he added.
“I talked to them about what our veterans have done for them,” he said, “buying for them, with their lives, if necessary, defending our way of life so those kids could go to school in freedom and grow up to be great Americans. I had a great time with the students.”
Webster said it was easy to talk with the kids about service to others because of the examples the children already knew about. He also said there are values from the school system that align with the traits the armed services seek.
“They call these the three Rs — be ready, be responsible and be respectful,” he said. “It filled me with a lot of enthusiasm and a good feeling about our school system.”
Webster told the kids the veterans live by the same ideas, and stressed that being ready means showing up on time and having their iPads charged and they’re in the right uniform. He said being responsible means reading what’s being assigned for homework, not having excuses and doing what is right, especially when no one is looking. Being respectful, he added, means using manners when speaking with the teachers, helping their fellow students and not being a bully toward other students.
“We are prime examples for those kids to follow,” Webster told his fellow vets, “the way we treat each other, the way we respect the flag and the nation, the way we respect these young JROTC cadets.”
Webster said it was hard to tell who was nodding in agreement more with his speech at the school, the teachers, the students or the parents. Webster also told the veterans they should continue to talk with the younger generation about their values and what’s important.
“Otherwise, this great nation is in decline,” he said. “I have great faith it is not going to end. But the average time for an empire — we don’t call it that, but it is — is 250 years. We’re there. One of the things we can do is to encourage those young children.”
The nation’s armed services have had trouble hitting its recruiting goals over the last few years, though it has gotten better lately, Webster said.
“That is a great thing,” he said. “We had to adjust a little bit, because people have changed. More kids are starting to ask questions about service to the nation.”
The Army has started the Future Soldier Preparatory Course at Fort Jackson, S.C., one of its largest basic training installations. There, potential future soldiers who might not meet recruiting standards get three weeks of physical fitness and instruction to get them ready for the rigors of Army basic training.
“It’s pre-basic training basic training,” Webster said. “They put them through the education and training they need to be prepared to be successful at basic.”
As a result, the number of people passing basic has gone “way up,” Webster added. Nearly 80% of young people, between the ages of 17-24, are failing to meet the standards of entering the armed forces, leading to the creation of the course.
Many of the young men and women making up the potential recruiting pool had obesity problems and couldn’t make the physical fitness requirements. Others had problems passing the ASVAB, or Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery.
“Something drastic had to be done,” he said. “It is what is right and good for the country at this time.”
Webster was deputy commander of the Coalition Forces Land Component Command during the 2003 invasion of Iraq and later led the 3rd ID in its Operation Iraqi Freedom III deployment.
Webster was assigned to Fort Stewart out of the U.S. Army’s Command and General Staff College and later returned as an assistant division commander before taking the 3rd ID’s reins in 2003. He was tasked with reorganizing the division and preparing for it another combat deployment.
“He is a tremendous leader,” said Maj. (ret.) P.J. Schneider said. “He is a very good man.”
Webster offered his gratitude for the contributions veterans make that help across the community.
“I just want to say thank you for all this post and you as veterans do for our nation by helping those who are close to us,” he said, “helping our neighbors, doing the good things that you know how to do.”