This 4th of July weekend, several senior Army leaders converged on the city of New Orleans to interact and engage the community at the 2011 Essence Music Festival.

Yesterday I had an amazing opportunity to tour the Southeast Louisiana War Veteran’s Home and enjoy lunch with around 300 veterans and their Families with a few of those leaders - Brig. Gen. Roberts, Recruiting Command's Deputy Commanding General; Lt. Col. Torres, Baton Rouge Battalion Commander; Command Sergeant Major Daniels, my Brigade Command Sergeant Major (2nd Recruiting Brigade); and Command Sergeant Major Mathis, Baton Rouge Battalion Command Sergeant Major.

The Veteran's Home is the state's newest vet's facility, and is home to about 150 war veterans, mostly from World War II. I was truly impressed by the care these war heroes receive and by the facility overall. But more importantly, I was overwhelmed to meet these amazing men and women (7 women overall in the facility out of the 150 vets) - members of the original greatest generation - who served our country so valiantly so many years ago.

In the seven years I've served in Recruiting Command, I've met countless Future Soldiers and I'm always humbled and proud of the decision they make, during wartime, to volunteer to join our Army. And of course, the recruiters and Soldiers I work with everyday never cease to amaze me. As I walked around the Veterans Home, my experiences were really rounded out. Now when I use the words - past, present and future of our Army - I'll go back to seeing their faces and hearing the stories they tell so proudly, and I'll know that I'm part of a history that spans 236 years of the greatest profession in the world - the Profession of Arms - the U.S. Army!

Happy 235th Birthday, America! Army Strong!