Gen. Rice guest speaker for MLK Jr. Breakfast

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lieutenant Sara Harper
  • 82nd Training Wing Public Affairs
SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  Gen. Edward A. Rice Jr., commander of Air Education and Training Command, was the guest speaker for the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Prayer and Scholarship Breakfast at the Multi-Purpose Events Center downtown Wichita Falls Jan. 21.

Dorothy Roberts-Burns, chairwoman for the event, approached Rice during his last visit to Sheppard Air Force Base and asked if he would be the guest speaker for the breakfast. She explained that a military leader had never been the keynote speaker, and she knew he was a great choice.

Kay Yeager, spokeswoman for the Sheppard Military Affairs Committee, also said that she has been an admirer of Rice since she first met him at the 2011 Commanders Conference last spring.

"Thank you for the support that you give and are continuing to give to our country and Wichita Falls," said Yeager during her introduction at the breakfast.

Yeager read highlights from Rice's biography stating that as the AETC commander, he is in charge of the technical and advancement training for more than 340,000 Airmen. Rice was a distinguished graduate from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1978 and has plenty of experience as a leader during his military career, from commanding Air Force and joint-command operations.

During the breakfast, Rice spoke about potential and opportunities to an audience of more than 600 community leaders, students and Wichita Falls residents.

This year's theme for the breakfast was "Better Than Your Best." Rice passed along three important words that he wanted young people to remember: competence, character and attitude.

"Competence - be good at what you do. There is no substitute for excellence," Rice said.

"Character - the quality of your work is a direct reflection of you. Strive to be known as a person of excellence. It's not who you know, but who knows you," said Rice. "The difference is really important, because people are in positions to make decisions about you."

The last word Rice spoke about was attitude which makes the difference in everything.

"Attitudes are more important than our successes and failures. Life is 10% of what happens to us, and 90% of how we deal with those things. Rise above circumstances. If you think you can't, you can't. If you think you can, you have a fighting chance."

This was the 23rd annual MLK Prayer and Scholarship Breakfast and the first time a military leader was the keynote speaker.