Secretary of Defense James Mattis gave an off-the-cuff speech to a group of deployed soldiers giving them some advice and thanking them for their service while on his trip abroad.

In a Facebook video published Thursday, a group of soldiers gathered around Mattis to listen to the retired general praise the soldiers for their sacrifices as well as giving them some motivation and advice.

“Thanks for being out here, okay,” Mattis said. “I know it’s kind of you wonder if any of us know and you get promoted after awhile and you’re so remote that you get out touch with those of you that matter. But believe me I know you’re far from home everyone of ya. I know you could all be going to college, you young people or you could be back on the block.”

Mattis brought up the attacks on the United States during 9/11, saying the U.S. never gets scared.

“Just grateful, the only way this great big experiment you and I call America is going to survive is we got tough hombres like you,” he said. “Some of you are too young, Cpl. Walton, but on 9/11 we were up against an enemy that thought he he could hurts us he could scare us, but we don’t fricken scare.”

Mattis told the soliders to continue to hold the line until our country gets back to respecting one another, reminding the soldiers how lucky Americans are. (RELATED: Mattis To Sailors: You’re Not P*****S Sitting On The Sidelines)

“Just hold the line,” Mattis said. “Just hold the line until our country gets back to understanding and respecting each other and showing it of being friendly to one another, you know, that Americans owe to one other. We’re so doggone lucky to be Americans.”

WATCH:

Mattis departed on his trip abroad Saturday to the Middle East as well as Europe to “reaffirm the enduring U.S. commitment to strategic partnerships” with Jordan, Turkey and Ukraine, according to the Pentagon.

“The only reason why I came back off, I flunked retirement, okay, the only reason why I came back was to serve alongside young people like you who are so selfless and frankly so rambunctious. It’s a pleasure to be around you all.”

Mattis ended saying, “You take care of each other out here.”

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