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Let us pray. Almighty God, author of every good gift, we come before you with grateful hearts for the life and the people service of Lieutenant Colonel Terry. We give thanks for those who placed alongside him, his family who bore this calling with him, the mentors who shaped him, the fellow soldiers who stood with him, and the friends who sustained him. No one arrives at such a moment alone. Your word teaches us, "Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required." And from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand more.
We are mindful, Lord, that this promotion is not a grant of privilege, but a charge of accountability and stewardship. With the rank of Colonel comes a sacred responsibility, the care of America's sons and daughters entrusted to his leadership. Grant him wisdom to lead with integrity, courage to decide with clarity, and humility to remember that those you command are precious in your sight. Watch over his wife, Toby, and his children gathered in grace. We ask this in your holy name. Amen.
It's a great pleasure to be here today. We welcome you to today's for the central We send our warmest regards to our distinguished guests, family and friends that are with us here today. Ladies and gentlemen, it is with great pleasure that I introduce the host and presiding officer of today's ceremony, Lieutenant General Kevin D. Adorno, Major General of the 31st Fighter Wing. Who here got a little lift in this morning? Well, good afternoon everyone and welcome to our promotion ceremony today. Despite Ruben's best efforts the garage, this is a big deal. All right, I most of our colonels are a bios
and each year the army commissions about 5,000 lieutenants. One or two will be selected for this rank. One or two will make it to colonel and then where he's got to go is senior service college and then eight command next year. About one in 10. And so this is a huge deal for those who are proud of what you've accomplished in this world of service. And when I also extend a warm welcome to you and your family, you are the foundation of his success and the heart of today's ceremony. Courtney was Ruben's steadfast partner and by all accounts his greatest supporter. Courtney, thank you for your unwavering encouragement, your sense of humor, for being willing to guide and teach and parachute in the living room. You said
Ruben could practice jump master school back in You kept the home run cookout running, kept the family laughing, kept the refrigerator stocked with Squirt. And served as Ruben's personal PR officer making sure the extended family knows he's still alive despite the fact he's living in DC. All this while working full-time, navigating the army's life cycle, and raising two boys. Ruben said "They don't act less like children, more like little wild animals in certain situations." Your support is ever constant and we are grateful. Big round of applause for you. And then there's Gavin Grace. Let's give him a big round of applause.
Gavin, the soft-spoken sportsman and embracing the all go no slow, no slow animal lover. You and Zane as army kids are a testament to your proud and strong family strength. Five moves in eight years and you're still greeting dad at the door with your five year old enthusiasm and excitement every day. You make friends quickly and take every new adventure in stride. And dad is most proud of the love for your family and your ability to thrive on change. Big round of applause for you. good.
A special welcome to Ruben's father, Ricardo, who traveled from Puerto Rico. Ricardo was my classmate in high school. He used to serve at the Great Place back in the '80s. He was out at the Great Place the other day and said it hasn't changed much. Uh and so he I guess he serves here. Ricardo's an example of great hard work and high expectations shaping Ruben's character. Ruben's mom, Mrs. Otero, would be here to help the family make their move to Carolina. Ruben credits everything good about his character to his parents. He said the rest is his to invest in himself. Mr.
Otero, thank you for instilling in Ruben the values of toughness, love, and understanding that shiny accomplishments mean nothing if you lose your family or can't give yourself any mirror knowing you gave your best. Ruben's brother, Richie, is here along with his sister-in-law, Elaine, who traveled from Lakeland, Florida. Thank you for being here for the tight-knit family and support that has carried Ruben through his career. Ruben was born into the army in Frankfurt, West Germany, and raised across Germany, Miami, Fort Stewart, and Sarasota, Florida. Commissioned in 2002 through the Marion Military Institute's early commissioning program.
He later earned a master's degree in homeland security, which is ironic. Okay, the army's always been a family business, but 9/11 gave him the drive to serve. Over 24 years, Ruben has completed 12 moves, three combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, and three remote tours in Turkey, Alaska, and Germany. Ruben's career has been marked by commitment to service, resilience, and a love for being a soldier. He's commanded both a troop and a squadron, experiences he calls his most impactful. Like many, he faced moments of doubt with each assignment igniting his passion and sense of purpose. And his always holding him there to remind him
you are really gaining. You love it too much to achieve greatness. Ruben's family XO for really years. If you don't know what an XO does, he's a kind of intermediary. He's a fixer. He's a hatch man. Right? He's kind of a gatekeeper. He's everything to me. So, next to me, there's no one I spent more time with growing up in my duties than the XO. So, he's somebody I have to trust. Last year at the board, we had an XO. There was some issues trying to find somebody to replace Brad. So, one day, a good friend of mine, Brad Sullivan, called me and said, "Hey, do you have a job for the best armor officer that I
know?" I said, "Of course, well, I'm the best armor officer." Why don't you have a job? He said, "Well, you know, he's a armor guy. And I already hired an armor guy for my team. I think we're team three. I said, "Okay, well, he can come down here and be my XO." And I'll tell you, the decision was the right decision. He's made a humongous impact here on the group more and in the community. So, Ruben, thank you very much. Uh also, speaking of Ruben, this is true. By the way, I didn't even know him. Never met him until he came down here and we had a $20 small talk or something like that. And he was like, "Okay, and what's the job?" So, he's done a great job.
So, I will tell you, he's one of the most exceptional officers I've served with in three decades. I look forward to seeing what he's going to go through here. As Ruben prepares for the next chapter, attending the Army War College and taking command of the Apostle A 48 Infantry Division next year, he does so with the full support of his family, the lessons of his parents, and the admiration of his seniors, peers, and subordinates. The Army gains a colonel who leads with humility, humor, and heart. When you hear the second word talk about warrior ethos, that phrase accurately describes as he exudes that ethos.
I reached out to a few folks who know Ruben well, and they provided some insights. The first was General retired uh John Nicholson, who he used to be the 82nd Airborne commander. He said, "Ruben was the terror was the best captain in the 82nd Airborne division. He was much more than the best aid I ever had. He demonstrated his potential for senior leadership early on. He was always a trusted advisor to me as the CG of the 82nd. However, I always wondered how he ended up becoming such an outstanding officer when he had never actually been on a plane from first lieutenant to major."
My best story is when he had just finished a great visit to the Spanish speaking countries around the world. Ruben is a sky diver. Everyone knew about his freefall chute. Ruben, his deputy chief of staff, Knowles, and I were going through airport security and Ruben set off the alarms. When they discovered a small explosive charge, they deployed the chute in an emergency. They got a little bit excited. Fortunately, his explanation and his fluency in Spanish allowed him to make it back to Bragg with no problems.
He's an awesome husband and father. Despite of his grinding schedule, he morning always made the time for me and every single other family. So, please extend my gratitude to you too, Laura. She's awesome. Her amazing support of Ruben and their family and his two personal families sets the standard. Thank you. The former Forces commander, Command Sergeant Major Mike Garrett, said, "There are several things that stand out about the officer we are promoting today.
We had a high-level meeting at the Pentagon with senior leaders all wrestling with a complex problem. Looking for fresh insight, I turned and asked Ruben for his perspective. Ruben looked back at me a little bit surprised as if to say, 'Sir, you're asking me?' Afterward, I pulled him aside and provided a leadership lesson. I told Ruben that he wasn't just a good lieutenant, but that his perspective was deeply valued. Ruben was one of his favorite one of his favorite captains. Smart, fantastic, sharp, exceptionally gifted with people. I join you all in spirit today expressing immense pride not just in the talent our officer has put into his
being done, but in the devoted husband and devoted father he is. we all go forward as taking our positions in the army as a promotion. And his former battalion commander told me that he did this the right way. Congratulations there. He said Ruben was our squad leader in S3 in 140 cab airborne from here and then he became the S3 for the brigade 425 in Alaska 32nd infantry. And he was the Earl Diven as a scout. And he said he is successful because of his leadership. During Operation Spartan Pegasus in February 2017 where 200 troopers jumped into the Arctic Circle of the Diven in Alaska where exit temperatures were altitude of minus 103 and by minus 53 degrees Fahrenheit Ruben personally established the Spartan
CP on the trail edge of the DC enable us to establish CTU they complete the missions security of the down satellite for adversary's equipment. He's a fearless motivator helping me bring the squad a lot of airborne object becoming the light so my intent became under together and a source of inspiration. He drove the operations process of the BCT at squad level and then made time to personally ensure two commanders understood and were prepared to execute.
I don't know if this space he does keep space in his field tab box with hair product. And he showed he does have hair. I would go to war for Ruben in a heartbeat. I would kill and fight to serve him and for him. He continues to watch over me and Mary love for Ruben this day is a testament to the years of hard work and dedication. It's well deserved. Congratulations to you and your family and we all look forward to seeing you rise to the next level. Congratulations to his family. I just want to let everyone know that his family is here. Ladies and gentlemen, it is my privilege to introduce to you Colonel Ruben A.
Ojeda. Yeah. Colonel Ojeda will now present replica M1A2 Abrams models to his sons, the African Americans. It's not my first tank, sir. And to his wife, Courtney, for their love and support. Hey, good morning everyone. General Alston, Major General Cox, Colonel Bennett, and uh General Officer Sergeant Major and friends and family. My family and I are sincerely appreciative of all of you being here today to celebrate with us.
Thanks to my family who traveled from San Antonio, Florida, Georgia, wherever you go. Colonel Gibson who traveled from Leavenworth. It really does mean so much to Courtney and I that you guys are here with us today. So, thanks so much for coming. Let me start off by saying that if you've ever been to one of my promotions, you probably haven't cuz in 24 years serving this Army you all know I really invited anyone to a promotion it was my commissioning. So, the last time I advanced salute me was then.
Probably the last time ever. Let's move on from that. But, like most in this room, I'm I'm not really one to celebrate myself. And frankly, if it weren't for the boss borderline bullying me, you see I get we're good. Refusing to let me refusing to quietly let me swap out the rank in my rank in some dark room somewhere while people wouldn't even know it. So, sir, I truly want to thank you for not letting me off the hook on this one. More importantly, thank you for hosting this ceremony. Your kind yet embellished words of my actual capabilities, but especially for the many developmental fireside chats that we have had over the last year, whether we're in the office late at night or
boxing at NTC, traveling to Europe, or just walking down the stairs in the mornings for PT, those conversations and my observations of how you command this corps have given me a lot to think about over the next year as we move to War College with 18th Airborne Corps. I truly appreciate what I call your rooftop uh basement carpet approach to leadership. I mean, Chief knows that inside joke. We know you know. Uh the boss sees everything, understands the details, and never loses sight of people who make it all work. Sir, I've I've learned so much from you over the last year. But standing here today and looking around uh the crowd here,
uh I've come to fully learn and understand what you were doing by not letting me simply just let this moment pass by unnoticed. Uh this ceremony is not about me as an individual. It's about the people who made this promotion And that brings me to kind of what this promotion feels like for me personally. It's It's a bit of a mix between a lifetime achievement award and you win in the lottery. Uh but maybe not necessarily in the way that you may think. Uh the lifetime achievement award uh isn't mine. It belongs to my family.
I was uh I was raised by the best parents you could ever have. Father was a tough, hard-nosed NCO and a mother who always had a way of maximizing time when we were all together. Uh Dad taught me the value of hard work and discipline, and most importantly, that standards matter. No matter what you're doing, whether it's how you lead soldiers, how you compete in sports, how you treat people with dignity and respect and courtesy, how you handle the smallest, most basic tasks from day-to-day life, uh standards always mattered in our household. So, as an '80s and '90s NCO and as an '80s and '90s, uh the old man was gone.
All right? So, back in those days, 60-70 uh field problems like the Forger, um Eastern Flank of Europe, fall back on my foot, reset, and back at it again. It was just kind of part of life. Uh and like many other Army families, uh that meant my mom was a constant at the house. And so, she held everything together at home with two rabid boys doing everything we could to destroy that home. Uh and it's fun It's funny how life comes back at you full circle. Two We got two little terrorists of my own. I'm starting to realize just how much patience and frankly probably much caffeine it took to raise us.
My brother and I were about as typical as it gets. We fought a lot growing up and I mean like a lot. And I like to think it was just second child thing but the truth is while I could usually handle myself Richie was always there when it mattered. So whether that meant backing me up in a fist fight, digging me out of some other kind of trouble I definitely did not start. I started it but that's family, right? So to my parents, my brother, thank you for everything you've done to set me on the right path. So when I say this promotion is a lifetime achievement award it's it's theirs. I wouldn't be here. So thank you
very much for everything. So the second part of the lottery. Now I didn't win the lottery today or you all know we would not be here if that were the case. But I've been winning it slowly over the last 24 years. So along the way I've had the privilege of serving with incredible leaders, not just bosses but mentors. A lot of them sitting in this front row right here and the second row right there. Officers and NCOs who taught me what right looks like, peers who pushed me, and soldiers who whether they realize it or not provided me some of the most valuable lessons over through what we would call now reverse mentorship.
From combat deployments and European tours, CTC rotations, from the field to the garrison environment, every assignment, every formation, every team, I absolutely hit the lotto. So my parents built that foundation of who I am and the men and women I've served alongside built the strong or built the leader standing before you today. And last but certainly not least to my wife Courtney, and I'm going to keep this part short because nobody came here to watch a grown man get overly emotional. But I didn't think this far ahead. Maybe one or two. I didn't hit the lotto with Courtney. I hit the absolute jackpot with Courtney. thank you so much for your strength, um, your patience, and your support throughout this journey.
Uh, as everybody in the room can attest, this Army life isn't easy. And let's be honest, putting up with me is not a cakewalk, either. So, you've carried more than your fair share of it quietly, often behind the scenes, but always with grace and when I needed a swift kick in the butt, uh, when it required that. None of this is possible without you, my two girls. Uh, so thank you so much, uh, for everything. I love you guys so much. Okay. So, what's as I reflect on, uh, to what's driven me over the last 2 and 1/2 decades, it's always come back to something simple.
Uh, for me personally, captains and corporals. Not necessarily those ranks in particular, uh, but what they represent. Uh, they represent our young war fighters, the ones who have proven themselves and who make a deliberate choice to keep stepping forward and to keep fighting to lead the way. Now, they choose this path because they choose continued responsibility. They choose to uphold and raise the standards around them. They choose to be the example. The ones who make things happen, the ones who lead from the front, the ones who take care of soldiers when no one else is watching, and who fight off the recap objective. And in many ways, they're the standard which we should all strive to live up to
every day. And so, because in a world that's increasingly unpredictable, where threats continue to evolve, and the future of warfare is uncertain, one thing will never change: our responsibility to lead America's sons and daughters. That responsibility is sacred. And while And that's why while I'm incredibly grateful and honored to be selected for this promotion, I'm even more humbled, uh, by the trust placed in me to prepare me and care for those sons and daughters who live in harm's way. And so, as I close, I want to come back to where I started. I didn't plan to celebrate this moment, but I'm grateful that we are. Because this isn't about one person.
It's about the lifetime of people, sacrifices, lessons, and leadership that make this day possible. So, this may look like my promotion, but in reality, it's your achievement. It proves that I've been winning the lottery all along. So, thank you everyone for coming and sharing this moment with us. Once again, this one is for my family. Please rise and stand for playing and singing of the Stand Up for Your March On, you all.
[bell] March along, sing your song. We're the army of the free. Count the brave, count the true, who have fought to victory. We're the army and proud of our name. We're the army and proudly proclaim that we fight for the right and to build the nation's might, and the army goes rolling along.
Proud of all we have done, fighting till the battle's won, and the Army goes rolling along. And it's hard, day, the Army's on its way. Count off your cadence loud and strong. For wherever we go, you will always know that the Army goes rolling along. I see you stay standing, please come up and congratulate Colonel Matera and his family on this accomplishment. Everyone is welcome to remain for the reception here in the West Point Club. Thank you for attending this ceremony and have a great day.
Hooah! Thanks. They'll take your picture. Hooah! This is Captain Johnson. That's good. Good job, buddy. Good job. Thank you so much. Congratulations. Thank you. Hurry up. What do you want? Which one is better? Good job. 25
