>>> THE UPCOMING PROGRAM WAS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED.

THE VIEWS EXPRESSED ON THIS PROGRAM ARE NOT NECESSARILY THOSE OF WTJX, IT´S BOARD, STAFF OR UNDERWRITERS.

♫♫ ♫♫ ♫♫ ♫♫ ♫♫ >>> GOOD DAY.

WELCOME TO "THE WASHINGTON REPORT."

I´M CONGRESSWOMAN STATY PLATKITS.

"THE WASHINGTON REPORT" WAS CREATED TO INFORM ISLANDERS ON CURRENT FEDERAL ISSUES THAT DIRECTLY AFFECT OUR COMMUNITIES.

THIS SHOW IS ALL ABOUT GETTING INFORMATION FOR YOU.

THEREFORE, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO E-MAIL YOUR QUESTIONS, IDEAS, THOUGHTS, TO ASK STACY@MAIL.HOUSE.GOV TO HAVE THEM ADDRESSED ON FUTURE SHOWS.

NOW THIS GUEST IS A PLEASURE, AND I WANT ALL VIRGIN ISLANDERS TO STAIR THE SHOW TO THAT YOU CAN LEARN ABOUT MY GUEST TODAY.

LT. GENERAL SAMUEL EVERSON, RETIRED THREE STAIRS UNITED STATES GENERALITY.

GENERAL WAS BORN ON ST. CROIX, U.S. VIRGIN ISLAND, BUT MOVED TO THE MAINLAND UNITED STATES, SETTLING IN NEW YORK CITY, AND ATTENDED CCNY, OBTAINED A BACHELOR OF SCIENCE DEGREE IN 1961.

WHILE AT THE UNIVERSITY, HE ENROLLED IN THE ROTC PROGRAM.

AFTER GRADUATION RECEIVED HIS MILITARY COMMISSION AS A SECOND LIEUTENANT.

DURING HIS MILITARY CAREER, GENERAL EVER SON SERVED IN SOUTH VIETNAM DURING THE BUILDUP OF THE VIETNAM WAR AS A MILITARY ADVISER.

HE WAS PROMOTED TO COLONEL, AND FROM 1983 TO 1958 WAS 101st AIRBORNE DIVISION AIR ASSAULT AT CAMPBELL, KENTUCKY, FROM 1986 TO 1988, CHIEF OF STAT AT FORT LEWIS IN WASHINGTON STATE.

HE SERVED AS THE COMMANDING GENERAL AT FORT GILHAM, THEN PROMOTED TO BRIGADIER GENERAL ON JANUARY 1st WITH THE RANK OF LT. GENERAL IN MARCH OF 1993.

ONE YEAR LATER, IN 1994, HE RECEIVED HIS LAST MILITARY ASSIGNMENT AND BECAME THE DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF DEFENSE FOR MILITARY PERSONNEL POLICY AND STATIONED AT THE PENTAGON IN WASHINGTON, D.C., THE GENERAL RETIRED FROM MILITARY SERVICE IN JANUARY OF 1997 AT THE RANK OF LIEUTENANT GENERAL.

GENERAL WAS, OF COURSE, HIGHLY DECORATED FOR HIS SIFTS RECEIVING THE LEGION OF MERIT, THE BRONZE STAR MEDAL, AND OTHER COMMENDATIONS.

HE ALWAYS -- ALSO SERVED FOUR PRESIDENTS ON THE OVERSEAS PRIVATE INVESTMENT CORPORATION.

SO, GENERAL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR MAKING TIME TO BE WITH US ON THE SHOW AND SHARE YOUR LIFE STORY EVERYBODY.

>> I´M DELIGHTED TO BE HERE, ALMOST LIKE BEING AT HOME.

>> SPEAKING MUCH HOME AND THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS, CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR CHILDHOOD?

>> I GROUP UP IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT WAS VERY NURTURING RESPECT WAS IMPORTANT FOR ALL GROWNUPS, YES, SIR, NO, MA´AM, NOT THE LOCAL DIALOGUE OF THE DAY.

IT WAS A CULTURE, AND IT WAS A VERY NURTURING ENVIRONMENT.

WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO OUT AND EXPERIMENT, TO REACH OUT, RIDE OR BICYCLES, AND I HAD THE RESPONSIBILITY TO BE HOME AT A CERTAIN TIME.

EDUCATION WAS IMPORTANT.

I ALWAYS KNEW I WAS GOING TO GO TO COLLEGE.

THEY EXPECTED ME TO DO THAT.

>> YES.

>> THEY SAID THAT TO ME TIME AND TIME AND TIME AGAIN.

SO IT WAS INGRAINED IN THE EDUCATION PART OF MY UPBRINGING, JUST LIKE THE REST OF MY FRIENDS IN THOSE DAYS.

>> NOW, DID YOU GROW UP IN MID ISLAND?

COUNTRY?

>> I WAS A HILL STREET BOY OUT OF GOOD OLD CHRISTIANSTEAD, ST. CROIX, UP ON THE HILL.

>> GOT IT.

WHEN YOU COME TO NEW YORK YOU FINISH HIGH SCHOOL IN NEW YORK CITY, AND THEN YOU ENROLL IN COLLEGE.

AS YOU SAID, THAT WAS THE EXPECTATION.

WHY ROTC DURING YOUR COLLEGE DAYS?

>> WELL, A LOT OF MY FRIENDS, ESTONIANS AND LATVIANS, WHO I PLAYED SOCCER WITH, THEY WERE ENROLLED AT CITY COLLEGE AND ENROLLED IN ROTC AS WELL, AS MEMBERS OF THE VIRGIN RIFLE, WHICH IS MILITARY FRATERNITY.

I STARTED HANGING OUT WITH THOSE GUYS.

BUT THE INSTITUTIONS TO WHICH I BELONGED WERE PRETTY WELL RESPECTED, VERY WELL RUN IN THOSE DAYS.

SO I MEANDERED TO IT.

THEN I RAN INTO A GUY WHO WAS A LEADER IN BOTH THOSE ORGANIZATIONS, HAD TALKED ME INTO JOINING ROTC FOR $27 A MONTH, WHICH WAS A LOT OF MONEY IN THOSE DAYS, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY IT WAS THE CODE THAT ROTC PROVIDED ALL THEIR STUDENTS, WHICH WAS A CAMELHAIR 3/4-STYLE COAT, WHICH WAS THE HIT IN THOSE DAYS.

THAT´S WHAT I WANTED.

[ LAUGHTER ] >> IT LOOKED GOOD.

NEW YORK DURING THAT TIME PERIOD MUST HAVE BEEN SOMETHING ELSE.

>> WEST VILLAGE WAS IN VOGUE IN THOSE DAYS.

THAT´S WHERE I USED TO KIND OF HANG OUT.

>> DID YOU RUN INTO A LOT OF CARIBBEAN PEOPLE DURING THAT TIME?

>> MY FAMILY, JUST LIKE WE DID IN THE ISLANDS, WE HAD PARTIES, FUNCTIONS, ALL FAMILY MEMBERS.

>> SO WE KIND OF GREW UP WITH THE WESTERN CONSULT TIRR IN NEW YORK CITY AS WELL.

>> WHERE DID PEOPLE MEET?

WHERE WOULD YOU GO?

>> EVERY DANCE THEY HAD WEST INDIAN DANCE IN SOME BALLROOM, THEY WERE AT THE RENAISSANCE, THE PALLADIUM.

THOSE ARE THE PLACES WHERE THEY WENT TO PARTY.

>> NICE.

>> MOSTLY THE PARTYING WAS DONE IN SOMEBODY´S HOUSE.

>> IT´S HARD TO SEE YOU, GENERAL, AS A PARTYING PERSON.

>> I USED TO BE.

[ LAUGHTER ] >> THEN I FINALLY GOT -- WISED UP THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO STUDY.

SO I WAS MAJORING IN LOUNGE AT ONE POINT IN TIME.

A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE, BECAUSE OF OUR WEST INDIAN CULTURE, GOT US TOGETHER, COLIN POWELL, KIND OF POINTED ME TO THE STRAIGHT AND NARROW.

HE WOULD COME BY AND SAY, HEY, DON´T YOU HAVE AN EXAM COMING UP TOMORROW?

GO STUDY IN THE LIBRARY.

>> HE WAS A BIT OLDER?

>> YEAH, THREE YEARS AHEAD OF ME, BOTH IN TERMS OF COLLEGE STATUS AND AGE.

>> UM-HMM.

TELL ME ABOUT YOUR FRIENDSHIP WITH THEM?

>> OUR WEST INDIAN CULTURE KIND OF GREW US TOGETHER, COMING FROM THE SAME BACKGROUND.

HE´SY JAMAICAN BACKGROUND, I FROM THE VIRGIN ISLANDS.

AND THEY´RE ALL SIMILAR CULTURES.

>> YEAH.

YEAH.

HE KIND OF TALKED ME INTO JOINING ROTC.

OF COURSE, I HAD A BIT OF PUSH, TOO, ALONG THE WAY FROM MY BUDDIES WHO WERE IN THE PROGRAM AS WELL.

>> RIGHT.

>> SO I HAD A RELATIONSHIP THAT KIND OF GREW.

WE BONDED OVER THE YEARS.

>> NOW, YOU KNOW, MANY VIRGIN ISLANDERS MAY NOT BE AWARE THAT, WHEN GENERAL POWELL -- SECRETARY POWELL RECENTLY PASSED, HE HAD A VERY PRIVATE -- NOT THE KIND OF POMP AND CIRCUMSTANCE FUNERAL THAT MOST PEOPLE WOULD THINK SOMEONE OF HIS STATURE WOULD HAVE.

YOU WERE ASKED TO SPEAK AT HIS FUNERAL, WHICH SAYS THAT YOU GUYS WERE PRETTY CLOSE TO ONE ANOTHER.

WHAT WAS THAT RELATIONSHIP LIKE?

>> WELL, I´VE GOT TO TELL YOU, IF IT WASN´T FOR COLIN, I WOULDN´T HAVE GRADUATED FROM SCHOOL.

HE KEPT ME ON THE STRAIGHT AND NARROW.

I WOULDN´T HAVE HAD AN ARMY CAREER, BECAUSE HE TALKED ME INTO JOINING ROTC.

MY SON, CHRISTOPHER, WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN BAPTIZED.

I ASKED HIM AS PAYBACK TO SEE THE GODFATHER OF MY SON.

I KEPT PUTTING IT OFF, AND ONE SUNDAY MORNING I GOT A CALL ABOUT 9:00 THAT SAID, SAM, GET LILY AND CHRISTOPHER READY, I HAVE MADE ARRANGEMENTS TO BAPTIZE CHRISTOPHER THIS MORNING IN THE WOODBRIDGE LUTHERAN CHURCH.

I´M COMING TO PICK YOU UP IN AN HOUR.

>> AND THAT WAS IT.

>> THAT´S HOW CLOSE WE BECAME.

THE ISLAND CULTURE, I WAS UNCLE AND LILLIAN, MY WIFE, WAS AUNTIE.

>> TO HIS CHILDREN?

>> TO HIS KIDS.

THE SAME RELATIONSHIP DEVELOPED WITH OURS.

ALMA, UNCLE COLIN.

>> BUT THE UNIQUENESS ABOUT COLIN, THE THING THAT I ADMIRED OVER THE YEARS WAS HIS CONSISTENCY OF THE FUNDAMENTAL UNDERPINNINGS OF HIS VALUES, PRINCIPLES.

HE WAS LARGE IN CHARACTERS, GREAT IN ETHICS, HE WAS LOYAL TO THE NTH DEGREE.

HE BELIEVED IN HARD WORK, AND HE HAD A SENSE -- A PRESENCE ABOUT HIM, AND PEOPLE I NEVER COULD MATCH THAT SAME.

HE WALKED INTO A ROOM.

ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE FOCUS OF THAT WHOLE AREA TURNED TO HIM.

THAT´S THE KIND OF STATURE HE HAD.

HE BELIEVED IN THE PROMISE OF AMERICA, THE PROMISE THAT SAID THERE´S OPPORTUNITIES HERE, BUT YOU´VE GOT TO PUT YOURSELF TO THE GRINDSTONE TO TAKE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES.

EDUCATION, PREPARATION, PRESENCE, PERSISTENCE, ALL THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT DRIVE YOU TO BE SUCCESSFUL.

HE WAS THE SAME THE DAY I MET HIM UNTIL THE DAY HE PASSED AWAY.

NEVER CHANGED.

>>> WELL, GENERAL, YOU KNOW, COLIN POWELL IS ONE OF MY HEROES, AND I RECALL THE FIRST TIME I RAN INTO HIM, I WAS -- WORKED AT THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT WITH LARRY THOMPSON.

WE WERE GOING TO A STATE DEPARTMENT MEETING WHILE HE WAS SECRETARY OF STATE.

WE WENT UP TO THE EXECUTIVE FLOOR, AND HE WAS SECRETARY POWELL WAS BENT OVER A XEROX MACHINE, TRYING TO UNJAM PAPER, AND WORKING ON THE XEROX MACHINE.

YOU KNOW, HE DID WHATEVER WAS NECESSARY.

BUT WE´RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT YOU, BECAUSE YOU ARE A GIANT IN YOUR OWN RIGHT AS WELL.

I KNOW THAT SECRETARY POWELL MUST HAVE SEEN THAT IN YOU, WHY HE WAS SO PERSISTENT ABOUT YOU FINISHING SCHOOL AND HAVING A MILITARY CAREER, AND BIG HIS FRIEND, AND ALLOWING HIS FAMILY THAT HE CARED FOR SO MUCH TO BE -- FOR YOU TO BE SO CLOSE TO THEM.

YOU HAVE HAD AN ILLICITRYIUS MILITARY CAREER.

CAN YOU TELL US SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THAT CAREER WERE TO YOU?

>> THE BIGGEST THING WHEN I REFLECT BACK ON THE THINGS THAT I ENJOYED IN THE MILITARY WAS WORKING WITH THE YOUNGSTERS.

WATCHING THEM GROW.

I THINK IT WAS HELPING PEOPLE.

WHAT I DIDN´T LIKE ABOUT THE MILITARY WAS HAVING TO WRITE LETTERS, MAKE THE CALLS THAT YOUR SON OR YOUR DAUGHTER, OUR YOUR FATHER, OR BROTHER OR SPOUSE GOT INJURED TODAY OR DIED TODAY.

THAT BROKE MY HEART EVERY SINGLE TIME.

WHEN I THINK ABOUT THOSE TIMES, IT REALLY MAKES ME SAD, STILL TODAY.

OTHER THAN THAT, THE MILITARY WAS A GREAT INSTITUTION AND IT REMAINS A GREAT INSTITUTION TODAY.

ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT I WAS -- FEEL PRETTY GOOD ABOUT WAS THE YEARS I SPENT WORKING WITH THE CONGRESS ON BEHALF OF THE U.S. ARMY.

>> YOU DEALT WITH SOME INTERESTING CONGRESSIONAL CHARACTERS AS WELL.

>> I WORKED WITH ALL WHAT THEY CALL THE OLD HENS.

WHEN THE HANDSHAKE WAS AS GOOD AS THE WORD THAT YOU PUT IN WRITING.

>> YOU TOLD ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT BEING IN ALASKA FOR SOME SENATOR TED STEVENS, RIGHT?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

I HAD FOUR YEARS IN ALASKA, AND STEVENS WANTED ME TO GO TO THE COMMAND IN ALASKA WHEN I WAS -- I SPENT FOUR YEARS EXPERIENCING THAT COLD WEATHER UP THERE.

BUT THE GREATEST TRAINING AREA IN THE WORLD.

>> WELL, COMING FROM THE VIRGIN ISLANDS TO A PLACE WITH -- WHAT´S SOME OF THE COLDEST WEATHER YOU EXPERIENCED THERE?

>> WELL, MY FIRST WINTER UP THERE, AMBIENT WENT DOWN TO 95 BELOW AND I HAD A DIVISION OUT IN THE FIELD.

>> YOU HAD THEM OUTSIDE?

>> IN THE FIELD.

>> IN NEGATIVE 95?

>> NEGATIVE 95.

>> I REMEMBER THE GREAT DAYS -- MY WIFE WOULD RUN WITH THE TROOPS.

SHE WOULD JOIN THEM.

WATCHING HER WITH ICICLES COMING OUT OF HER NOSE WHEN SHE CAME BACK FROM RUNNING WITH THEM, BUT IT WAS A GREAT ENVIRONMENT TO ME, AND I ENJOYED IT, EVERY MINUTE OF THE TIME UP THERE.

I DON´T EVER WANT TO EXPERIENCE ANY SNOWSTORMS EVER AGAIN, BUT THAT´S ANOTHER STORY.

>> FAIR ENOUGH.

FAIR ENOUGH.

YOU´VE BEEN STATIONED SO MANY PLACES.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE PLACES THAT REALLY STAND OUT TO YOU, AND WHY ARE THEY SOME OF YOUR FAVORITES?

>> WELL, I GUESS MY FAVORITE PLACE OF ALL, I THINK, WAS BEING HERE IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

MOST PEOPLE TELL YOU THAT´S A TERRIBLE TOUR, BUT IT´S A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN DO THING TO MAKE THE ARMY BETTER EVERY DAY THAT YOU CAME TO WORK.

WORKING WITH THE CONGRESS, EXPLAINING THE ARMY´S NEEDS AND GETTING SOME OF THOSE NEEDS MET, BUILDING A RELATIONSHIP, CONFIDENCE BETWEEN THE ARMY AND THE -- BETWEEN THE ARMY AND THE CONGRESS WAS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.

HEAD BEEN UP THE RESCUE OPERATION AFTER HURRICANE ANDREW, WHERE OUT OF THAT CAME THE RESTRUCTURING OF FEMA.

WHEN THE SENATE TOOK IT ON THEMSELVES TO DIG INTO FEMA´S BACKGROUND AND CHANGE IT TO WHAT IT IS, IT AFFECTED THE ORGANIZATION TODAY.

THAT CAME FROM THE EXPERIENCE AND THE PROCESSES WE DEVELOPED IN HURRICANE ANDREW.

>> HOW DID YOU GET ASSIGNED TO HEAD UP THE COMMAND FOR THE RELIEF EFFORT.

>> I WAS ON THE GOLF COURSE, GETTING READY TO CELEBRATE MY WIFE´S BIRTHDAY.

I GOT A CALL, MY AIDE SAID, YOU´RE GOING TO FLORIDA, WE HAVE TO LEAVE IN TWO HOURS.

IT WAS MY ANI LANDING ON THE GROUND IN FLORIDA, THAT WAS MY STAFF, MY AIDE AND I.

PEOPLE TO RUN THE OPERATION.

>> WOW.

HOW LONG DID YOU GUYS STAY THERE?

>> WE STAYED UNTIL THE BEGINNING OF DECEMBER.

>> FROM THE SEPTEMBER -- AUGUST BEFORE.

AMAZING.

AMAZING.

THAT DID LEAVE -- ANDREW WAS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR RECOGNIZING THE NEED FOR CHANGES.

>> IT WAS ONE OF THE FEW CATEGORY 5 HURRICANES TO EVER HIT THE NATION.

IT WAS DEVASTATING.

>> UM-HMM.

YOU KNOW, YOU TALK ABOUT BEING IN WASHINGTON AS A MILITARY ADVISER TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, TO CONGRESS, AND LETTING THEM KNOW WHAT THE MILITARY NEEDS ARE.

YOU TALKED ABOUT TROOP READINESS IN ALASKA.

YOU SERVED IN VIETNAM, HURRICANE ANDREW.

THAT´S SUCH A TREMENDOUS RANGE OF EXPERIENCES AND OPPORTUNITIES.

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU GIVE TO A YOUNG PERSON WHO IS THINKING ABOUT A MILITARY CAREER?

HOW DO YOU NAVIGATE THAT TO HAVE THE KIND OF CAREER THAT YOU HAVE?

>> I THINK THE FIRST THING IS, I WOULD SAY, WHATEVER YOU DO, GIVE IT YOUR BEST.

SECONDLY, REMEMBER THAT EDUCATION IS IMPORTANT.

YOU NEVER STOP LEARNING, SO KEEP ON LEARNING.

THE THIRD PIECE WOULD BE KNOW YOURSELF, YOUR STRENGTHS, YOUR WEAKNESSES.

DON´T BE AFRAID TO FAIL.

YOU LEARN BY FAILURE.

DON´T LET EMOTION DICTATE HOW YOU MAKE DECISIONS.

LOOK AT ALL THE ALTERNATIVES -- >> NOT EVEN A LITTLE EMOTION?

>> WELL, I LIKE TO SAY -- AS COLIN USED TO SAY, GET MAD, BUT MOVE ON.

YOU NEED TO GET MAD ONCE IN A WHILE.

IT LEVELS THE PLAYING FIELD, BUT THEN DON´T LET THE EMOTION DICTATE HOW YOU´RE GOING TO RESPOND.

>> GOT YOU.

>> MORE IMPORTANTLY, TAKE CARE OF YOUR PEOPLE.

REMEMBER TO SAY THANKS.

GIVE CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE.

BE OPTIMISTIC.

OPTIMISM BUILDS CONFIDENCE, NOT ONLY YOUR OWN, BUT IT BUILDS CONFIDENCE IN THE PEOPLE THAT WORK WITH YOU AND FOR YOU.

>>> EXCELLENT.

YOU TALKED A BIT ABOUT YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH COLIN POWELL.

WOULD YOU SAY THAT HE WAS THE MOST INFLUENTIAL PERSON IN YOUR LIFE?

OR IS THERE SOMEONE ELSE?

>> BESIDES MY WIFE LILLIAN -- >> NOW, HOW DID YOU MEET YOUR WIFE?

>> WE MET IN CITY COLLEGE, IN THE LOUNGE, BY THE WAY.

>> AND YOUR WIFE IS FROM THE NEIGHBORING ISLAND?

>> NO, SHE´S FROM PUERTO RICO.

THEY BECAME BRONXITES.

SHE WAS BORN IN NEW YORK CITY, AND THEN MOVED TO THE BRONX.

>> ASIDE YOUR WIFE, COLIN POWELL?

>> I ADMIRED HIM FOR WHAT HE WAS, HIS SENSE OF UNDERSTANDING OF VALUES AND CHARACTER, HIS LOYALTY, AND THE WAY HE WENT ABOUT DEVELOPING HIS -- THE WAY HE LIVED.

ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO UNDERSTAND COLIN POWELL, OR HOW TO BE A GOOD LEADER AND MANAGER, READ HIS 13 RULES AND STUDY IT AND DEVELOP YOUR OWN THAT LEADS YOU DOWN LIFE´S PATH.

I WOULDN´T HAVE HAD THE CAREER I HAD IN THE MILITARY, HAD HE NOT INTRODUCED ME INTO ROTC, AND THEN WAS SORT OF MY COMRADE IN ARMS THROUGHOUT MY MILITARY CAREER.

WE NEVER WORKED TOGETHER DIRECTLY IN UNITS, BUT WE WERE TOGETHER IN SPIRIT ALL THE TIME.

HE WAS MY MENTOR.

>> YOU KNOW, YOU´VE BEEN A MENTOR TO A LOT OF PEOPLE VERY QUIETLY, SUPPORTED A LOT OF VIRGIN ISLANDERS, A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE, YOU WERE SOMEONE WE COULD CALL ON FOR ADVICE.

I KNOW YOU WORK WITH YOUNG VIRGIN ISLANDERS -- NOT YOUNG ANYMORE, I GUESS THEY´RE MY AGE, SO THEY´RE NOT THAT YOUNG.

>> I WOULDN´T TOUGH THAT WITH A TEN-FOOT POLE.

>> YOU SUPPORT US IN BUSINESS, YOUR THOUGHTS, YOUR IDEAS AS AN ADVISER.

DO YOU THINK THAT ENGAGEMENT WITH YOUNG PEOPLE K50E7S YOU LOOKING AT GOOD AS YOU ARE RIGHT NOW?

>> THANK YOU FOR THAT.

I NEEDED THAT.

I WOULD SAY THAT DEVELOPING YOUNGSTERS TO BE BETTER CITIZENS, LEADERS OF TOMORROW, IS A CRITICAL ASPECT OF ONCE GIVING BACK TO WHERE YOU CAME FROM.

>> SURE.

>> I´M INVOLVED WITH COLIN POWELL´S SCHOOL AT CITY COLLEGE IN NEW YORK.

ONE OF THE THINGS WE DO THERE IS FIND A WAY TO GIVE FIRST-GENERATION AMERICANS AN OPPORTUNITY THAT THE CITY COLLEGE HAS ALWAYS GIVEN TO IMMIGRANTS, FOR YEARS AND YEARS.

I´VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH YOUNGSTERS AT WILLIAM & MARY, AND STILL STAY INVOLVED IN THOSE ACTIVITIES.

BUILDING FOR TOMORROW STARTS WITH THE YOUNGSTERS.

AMERICA´S PROMISE DEALS WITH YOUNGSTERS.

WE WERE OBLIGATED TO DO THAT.

WE DON´T HAVE A CHOICE, IF WE WANT TOMORROW TO GO BETTER.

>> THAT´S RIGHT.

>> FOR THE GENERATIONS TO COME.

>>> VERY, VERY TRUE.

>> THAT´S WHY EDUCATION IS SO IMPORTANT.

THAT´S WHY I THINK WHAT YOU´RE DOING TO HELP BUILD THE ISLANDS EASE EDUCATION SYSTEM IS CRITICAL.

>> WELL, THANK YOU.

I WANTED TO BRING YOU ON HERE, BECAUSE YOU´RE AN ELDER THAT IS AN UNSUNG PERSON.

MANY OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE VIRGIN ISLANDS DON´T KNOW WHO YOU ARE.

YOU LEAD A VERY RESPECTFUL, YOU´RE NOT A SHOWY PERSON, YOU GO ABOUT QUIETLY IN A DIGNIFIED MANNER DOING YOUR DUTY TO YOUR COUNTRY, TO YOUR FAMILY.

>> I LEARNED THAT IN THE ISLANDS IN ST. CROIX.

>> I´M SURE YOU DID, BUT IT´S IMPORTANT WE LET PEOPLE KNOW WHO YOU ARE, FOR YOU TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE A VOICE TO WHAT YOU´VE LEARNED, SO THAT YOUNG PEOPLE CAN HEAR ABOUT IT.

THE VIRGIN ISLANDERS CAN HAVE A SENSE OF PRIDE AND RECOGNIZE WHAT IS AVAILABLE TO THEM, RIGHT?

YOUR LIFE IS AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED.

JUST TREMENDOUS, SIR, ABSOLUTELY TREMENDOUS.

I´M SO GRATEFUL THAT YOU HAVE TAKEN THE TIME TO SPEND TIME WITH ME, AND TO SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS AND WHAT YOU´VE DONE THUS FAR, BECAUSE I KNOW YOU THINK YOU´RE RETIRED, BUT THERE´S MUCH MORE FOR YOU TO DO.

AND KNOW THAT MY -- IF I CALL PLEASE ANSWER.

IF YOU NEED MY, I´M HERE.

>> I´M GLAD WHERE YOU´RE AT.

YOU´RE DOING GREAT THINGS FOR THE ISLANDS, AND THE COUNTRY AS A WHOLE.

>> THANK YOU.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>>> I WANT TO HANG YOU ALL FOR BEING WITH US.

THIS IS AN IMPORTANT TIME FOR US TO MEET AN IMPORTANT VIRGIN ISLANDER, AN IMPORTANT AMERICAN, AMERICAN HERO, GENERAL SAM EVERSON.

THANK YOU ALL.

GOOD BLESS.

AND PEACE TO ALL FOR THE NEW YEAR.