 When I was a young cadet at West Point, my plan was to serve for five years in the Army and then get out and go to law school. But I quickly learned that I loved being a soldier and I loved serving my country. Service means focusing on something bigger than yourself and giving back to your community, giving back to your country. It's what makes our country great and we need the talent of everyone in the community, young and old. So instead of spending five years in uniform, I spent 41. And I'm grateful that I can continue to serve now as a Secretary of Defense. And every day, I'm amazed at what our team can achieve to defend our country, to advance the cause of freedom, and to make the world safer for future generations.