- [Reporter] The Armed Forces Honor Guard
and United States Army Band are formed and waiting
as the Vice President moves to the Tomb of the Unknown
to place the wreath.
(The Star Spangled Banner plays)
The wreath is being placed by Vice President Pence.
The Vice President is observing a moment of silence.
The wreath ceremony is complete.
The Veteran's Day program will begin in 10 minutes.
Please move to your seats.
(orchestral music)
♫ Oh beautiful for spacious skies
♫ For amber waves of grain
♫ For purple mountain majesty
♫ Above the fruited plain
♫ America, America
♫ God shed his grace on thee
♫ And crown thy good with brotherhood
♫ From sea to shining sea
♫ Oh beautiful for patriot's dream
♫ That sees beyond the years
♫ Thine alabaster cities gleam
♫ Undimmed by human tears
♫ America, America
♫ God shed his grace on thee
♫ And crowned thy good with brotherhood
♫ From sea to shining sea
♫ And crowned thy good with brotherhood
♫ From sea to shining sea
(applause)
- [Announcer] Ladies and gentlemen,
please welcome Major General Michael L. Howard,
military district of Washington.
(applause)
Miss Karen Durham-Aguilera, executive director
Army National Military Cemeteries.
(applause)
Mr. Thomas Stevens, Korean War Veterans Association,
United States of America.
(applause)
and the Honorable David J. Shulkin,
Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
(applause)
(orchestral fanfare)
Ladies and Gentlemen, the Vice President
of the United States.
(Orchestra plays Hail Columbia)
- Ladies and gentlemen, please remain standing
for the procession of our nation's colors
and those of our Veterans service organizations.
As we march on the colors,
the United States Air Force band will play
the National Emblem March.
Please put your hand over your heart
or render a hand salute.
(Orchestra plays National Emblem March)
Please remain standing for the prayer for all veterans,
delivered by chaplain Michael McCoy, Sr.,
director, Chaplain's Service National Chaplain Center.
- Let us pray.
Eternal God of nations and veterans,
you are so awesome in so many ways.
We invite your presence in this most sacred garden
where many of our veterans and families have gathered
and many of our nation's heroes rest.
We give you thanks on this Veterans Day
for the courage, devotion, and sacrifice
of all those who have worn our nation's uniforms
and offered military service for this country
that we could enjoy such freedoms.
God, we ask that you bless our nation's veterans
in courage and bring healing to those who are suffering
from both visible and invisible wounds of war.
God, hold safely in your hands all military members,
veterans, their families,
and all who live in this great nation.
God, remove evil acts from our midst,
and grant us peace at home and abroad.
Give to us grateful hearts and a united will
to honor our veterans.
May we always hold them in our love, in our prayers,
until your world is perfected in peace
and all wars cease.
God, give us all a joyous spirit
as we honor our nation's veterans.
Let your presence be evident in the celebration
of their service.
In the name of God who challenged us to care, amen.
- [Crowd] Amen.
- Now I'd like to invite Mr. Thomas Stevens,
National President, Korean War Veterans Association,
to lead us in our Pledge of Allegiance.
- I pledge allegiance to the flag
of the United States of America
and to the republic for which it stands.
One nation under God, indivisible,
with liberty and justice for all.
- Please be seated.
It is now my distinct privilege to introduce
the members of the Veterans Day National Committee.
The committee was formed by presidential order in 1954
to plan this annual observance
in honor of America's veterans
and to support Veterans Day observances
throughout the nation.
Please hold your applause until I've introduced
these special guests.
If you're able, please stand when your name is called.
Thomas Stevens, National President, Korean War
Veterans Association.
Angel Zuniga, National Commander, American G.I. Forum.
Frank Kowalski, National Commander, Catholic War
Veterans of the USA.
Joe Parker, National President,
Blinded Veterans Association.
John Rowan, President, Vietnam Veterans of America.
Keith Harmon, Commander-in-Chief, Veterans of Foreign
Wars of the United States.
William Starkey, National President,
Fleet Reserve Association.
David Zurfluh, National President, Paralyzed Veterans
of America.
Marion Polk, National Commander, American Veterans
and Vets.
Raoul Helwig, National Commander, Army and Navy Union.
Jon Ostrowski, Executive Director, Non Commissioned
Officers' Association.
Larry (mumbles), National Commander, the American Legion.
Cornelius Van Ness, National Commander, Military Order
of the Purple Heart.
Wendell Webb, National Commandant, Marine Corps League.
Lyman Smith, Executive Director,
Military Chaplains' Association.
Jerry Walden, National Commander, Legion of Valor
of the USA.
David Gibson, Commander-in-Chief, Military Order
of the World Wars.
John Adams, National President, the Retired
Enlisted Association.
Brian Thacker, Washington, D.C. agent,
Congressional Medal of Honor Society of the USA.
Gary Augustine, Executive Director, Disabled
American Veterans.
Dana Atkins, President, Military Officers' Association
of America.
Jeff Ledoux, President, Air Force Sergeants' Association.
Dean Coppola, Board Chair, Commissioned Officers'
Association of the United States Public Health Service.
Mr. Robert Swan, National Commander, Polish Legion
of American Veterans USA.
Not with us today is Paul Warner,
National Commander from the Jewish War Veterans,
as they do not attend the cemetery on the Shabbat.
They will celebrate Veterans Day at the Vietnam Wall
and World War II memorial.
The associate members of the committee are located
in the boxes to my left.
I'd like to ask the presidents and national commanders
that comprise our associate membership
to stand and be recognized.
Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in recognizing
our Veterans national leadership with your applause.
(applause)
It is now my pleasure to introduce
our Veterans service organization host for 2017.
The Korean War Veterans Association of the USA.
The Korean War Veterans Association
of the United States of America, or KWVA,
is honored to serve as the host organization
for the 2017 Veterans Day national commemoration
at Arlington National Cemetery.
KWVA is incorporated as a non-profit corporation
that meets the requirements for a Veterans service
organization under section 501C-19
of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986
and that is organized under the laws
of the state of New York.
The KWVA mission is to defend the nation,
care for veterans, perpetuate their legacy,
remember all missing and fallen,
maintain their memorial,
and support a free Korea.
If you have ever honorably served in Korea
as a member of the US Armed Forces
from September 3, 1945, to the present
or served outside of Korea June 25, 1950,
to January 31, 1955, you qualify for membership.
The Korean War Veterans Association
is represented today by their National President.
Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Mr. Thomas Stevens.
(applause)
- Thank you.
Vice President Pence, Secretary Shulkin,
distinguished guests,
and my fellow veterans and their families,
good morning and happy Veterans Day.
My name is Tom Stevens.
I'm the National President of the Korean War
Veterans Association of the United States of America.
The Korean War Veterans Association
has the distinct honor and privilege
of co-hosting this year's National Veterans Day
Commemorations here in Washington, D.C.
Often referred to as the forgotten war,
the Korean War began on June 25, 1950,
when some 75,000 soldiers from the North Korean
People's Army poured across the 38th parallel,
the boundary between the Soviet-backed
Democratic People's Republic of Korea to the north
and the pro-western Republic of Korea to the south.
The Korean peninsula is still divided today.
Today I would like to pay special tribute
to all who have served on the Korean peninsula,
from the start of the war to the present.
Your service and dedication to ensure
the stability and freedom of the Republic of Korea
will be remembered for years to come.
We honor and thank you for your service to our country
and to the Republic of Korea.
On this Veterans Day and all such days
when we pause to remember,
there are essential lessons for the young
and indeed for all the rest of us, as well.
Appreciate the blessings of freedom,
recognize the power and virtue of sacrifice,
and respect those who gave everything
on behalf of the common good.
Veterans Day reminds us of what we can achieve
when we pull together as one nation,
respecting each other with all of our myriad differences,
but coming together, we can fight any battle
and face any challenge.
May God bless the United States of America
and all the American heroes we honor today,
and may God bless also those who still stand
at the ready, and may he give us the wisdom
to do what is right for tomorrow.
Thank you.
We're honored to be the host Veterans service organization.
Thank you very much.
(applause)
- Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome
the Honorable David J. Shulkin,
Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
(applause)
- It's great to see all of you on this
wonderful Veterans Day.
Mr. Vice President, Mrs. Pence,
Medal of Honor recipient Brian Thacker,
Secretary Mnuchin, Secretary Mattis,
Secretary Zinke, Acting Secretary Hagin,
Deputy Secretary Bowman, Deputy Secretary Shanahan,
Secretary Wilson, General Dunford,
General Selva, former VA Secretary Jim Peake,
Tom Stevens from the Korean War Veterans Association,
and all the representatives of our Veterans service
organizations, assembled veterans,
members of our Armed Forces, VA colleagues,
other distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
I don't think I left anybody out.
The Department of Veteran Affairs
has two main missions, to honor the dead
and care for the living in accordance with the
solemn promise made by President Abraham Lincoln
in his second inaugural address in 1865.
We at VA keep that promise 365 days a year.
And this past year, we've made great progress
towards also keeping President Trump's
promise to veterans, strengthening our ability
to provide timely, high quality care and benefits
while also improving outcomes and experience
for veterans.
But twice a year we invite the nation
to join us in keeping Lincoln's promise
by honoring the dead on Memorial Day
and honoring the living on Veterans Day.
There was a time when more Americans understood
the importance of honoring the living.
Many more Americans had connections with the military.
In the 1950s, nearly half of all Americans, 45%,
had either served in the military
or had an immediate family member
who had served in the military.
Today, that number is just 16%.
So I've invited one veteran from each of our recent
major conflicts to be here today
to remind us why we honor veterans.
First, to my left in box 40,
is Jessica Halton of Kalamazoo, Michigan.
Jessica, would you stand?
Great.
(applause)
Jess ran out of money for college,
so she enlisted in the Navy in 2010.
Trained as an aircraft mechanic,
she served with an E2C Hawkeye Squadron
at (mumbles), Japan, completing three six-month cruises
with the squadron aboard the USS George Washington.
Then after four years on active duty,
she used the G.I. Bill to finish her bachelor's degree
and earn a master's degree in national security policy
which she will finish in May.
Congratulations, Jess, and thank you for your service.
(applause)
Next, in box 40, Jeff Roper.
Jeff, would you stand?
Jeff-
(applause)
Jeff was born Fayetteville, North Carolina,
raised in Richmond, Virginia.
Jeff was a sergeant in the Gulf War
with the second of the 327th Infantry,
101st Airborne Division.
He was encamped with his squad in Saudi Arabia
when an anti-tank round went through the camp.
The round struck the tent next to Jeff's and exploded,
peppering Jeff's back with shrapnel.
Thankfully, Jeff was not seriously injured
and was able to remain with his unit.
He retired from the Army in 2006
with 20 years of service,
and now he works in my office
at the Department of Veteran Affairs.
He's here today representing both Gulf War veterans
and VA employees, one-third of whom are veterans.
Thank you, Jeff.
(applause)
Next, down here in front is Tom Devlin
from Newtown, Pennsylvania.
Tom, where are you?
Okay.
Tom enlisted in the Marines in 1966.
Two years later, he was a rifleman in Vietnam
when a booby trap sent him flying through the air.
He spent the 1968 Tet Offensive in the hospital
in Da Nang.
After Vietnam, Tom served nine years
in the Marine Corps Reserves
before switching services and joining
the Air National Guard as a medic.
He's retired now after 27 years of active service.
Tom credits the vet center in Silver Spring, Maryland,
with saving his life.
He showed up there one day at his wit's end
thinking of suicide,
but the vet center staff brought him back from the brink.
Tom, to you and all other Vietnam veterans,
welcome home.
(applause)
Next, in box 40 in the back is Bill Scott
of Marlow, Oklahoma.
Bill, would you stand?
Okay, coming up there. Great.
True to his roots as a proud member
of the Chickasaw Nation, Bill fudged his birthdate
to enlist in the National Guard when he was just 16.
When the Korean War broke out,
he could've used his young age to get out of going,
but he didn't.
He deployed to Korea with the 45th Infantry Division
in 1951.
Despite his age, Bill was made a squad leader
and was promoted to staff sergeant.
He served nine months in combat before returning home
and going back to high school for his senior year,
then he used the G.I. Bill to go to college,
and he's had a very good life ever since.
He's been a patient at VA facilities in two states.
He's bought two houses using VA home loans,
and he lives in one of them now with Linda,
his wife of 52 years.
Congratulations to both of you.
(applause)
Finally, also in box 40, is Carmel Wetzel
who grew up on a farm in West Virginia.
Carmel, nice to see you.
(applause)
Carmel was drafted in 1942 and deployed to France
with the 26th Infantry Division one month after D-Day.
First he drove a truck for the famed Red Ball Express,
and endless convoy that moved food, fuel,
and ammunition from the English Channel
to Patton's Third Army.
Later he saw combat with the heavy weapons company
until November 1, 1944, when amid fierce fighting
he was captured by the Germans.
He spent the rest of the war as a POW,
mostly at Stalag 2A north of Berlin.
Breakfast was a cup of tea,
lunch was two rutabagas,
dinner was one sixth of a loaf of bread.
Carmel escaped once with two other men
by sneaking out the front door of the barracks
during a nighttime bed check.
They remained at large for 15 days
before they were recaptured
and were only not shot because several Americans
who had escaped just before them had been shot.
After the war, Carmel went back to driving a truck,
but for two years in his spare time
and without any pay,
he built apartments in Baltimore for other veterans
returning home from the war.
Amazing stories, and there's hardly a veteran alive
who doesn't have one.
Our guest speaker-
(applause)
Our guest speaker today also has a story to tell,
not of his own service, but of his family's.
The Vice President's father,
Second Lieutenant Edward J. Pence,
also served in the 45th Infantry Division in Korea
not long after Bill Scott, our teenage Chickasaw sergeant.
In the war's last months, Ed Pence was awarded
the Bronze Star for his actions
as a rifle platoon leader in combat near Pork Chop Hill.
That's not all.
In 1983, the Vice President's older brother,
First Lieutenant Greg Pence also served
with the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment
in Beirut, Lebanon, just before the infamous
barrack bombings that killed 241 American service members
and 58 French paratroopers.
And now, currently serving, is the Vice President's son,
Marine 1st Lieutenant Michael Pence,
who's now in flight school flying jet trainers.
That's quite a service record for one family,
and what it tells me is that when it comes to caring
for the men and women who have served our country,
the Vice President is a man we know will always
do the right thing.
Ladies and gentlemen, it is my great personal pleasure
and professional honor to present to you
the Vice President of the United States, Mike Pence.
(applause)
- Thank you, Secretary Shulkin.
Secretary Mattis, Secretary Zinke,
all the members of the cabinet, Secretary Wilson,
General Dunford, General Selva, General McConville,
Admiral Caldwell, and Admiral (mumbles),
to Director Durham-Aguilera,
to distinguished members of Congress
and all our honored guests, but most of all
to the men and women of the Armed Forces
of the United States of America and to all our veterans
who have worn the uniform of this great nation,
happy Veterans Day.
(applause)
There is a day in the spring when we remember those
who served and did not come home.
But today, Veterans Day, is the day when all across America
in gatherings large and small,
we pause to remember those who served and did come home.
For nearly a century since the guns of
the first World War fell silent,
in the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month,
the American people have observed this day,
first as Armistice Day, and now as Veterans Day.
And I thank you all who are here,
and all that are gathered around this nation
for continuing this great tradition.
And to our heroes near and far,
I bring Veterans Day greetings from a great champion
for the men and women who've worn the uniform
of our Armed Forces, the 45th President
of the United States of America, President Donald Trump.
(applause)
At this very moment, our President is halfway
around the world, but I know his heart his here
in this hallowed place,
and at every Veterans Day service across the country.
President Trump asked us to be here
at this National Veterans Day Ceremony to, in his words,
honor all Americans who served in the Army,
Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard,
in times of war and peace and to pay due respect,
due respect to those Americans
who have passed the torch of liberty
from one generation to the next, for they surely have.
And so I say to each and every one of you veterans
gathered here, and all of those that might be looking on,
we are grateful for your service.
We're grateful for your sacrifice,
and I'll make you a promise.
Just as you fought for us, we will always fight for you.
(applause)
The Bible tells us if you owe debts, pay debts.
If honor, then honor.
If respect, then respect.
And the debt our nation owes those who have worn
the uniform is a debt we will never be able
to fully repay.
From the hour of our nation's birth,
our best and bravest have stepped forward
to defend our freedom.
The unbroken cord of their service
stretches back into the mists of American history.
From Bunker Hill to Belleau Wood,
from San Juan Hill to Saipan,
from the Coral Reef to Kandahar,
nearly 50 million men and women
have donned the uniform of the United States,
and nearly 20 million still walk among us today.
And as we speak, a new generation of American veterans
is being forged across the wider world.
As I look out today, it's a humbling sight.
I see heroes from the second World War, Korea,
Vietnam, and more recently from Iraq and Afghanistan,
and many more who've watched in times of peace.
Yesterday, in Da Nang, Vietnam, our President commemorated
the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War
and met with some of the heroes who fought that war
on the very soil where they fought.
As the President said yesterday,
we salute our brave Vietnam veterans
and recall the sacrifices they made for our freedom
and for our nation's strength.
Some nine million Americans served in those jungles,
and more than 58,000 fell in defense of freedom,
their names now enshrined on a black granite wall
not far from here.
So to all our Vietnam veterans who are gathered here
in the midst of this 50th anniversary,
I say thank you, and welcome home.
(applause)
And I'm told one of those veterans has come to this ceremony
almost every year, and is almost always introduced
as he was today, but I don't think his story
has ever been told,
and I hope he won't mind too much if I tell it today.
36 years ago this March, a first lieutenant
in the United States Army, 1st Battalion, 97th Artillery,
awoke at dawn to a massive north Vietnamese attack
on a hilltop out post.
He and his brothers were heavily outnumbered.
It took just minutes for the enemy
to break through their defenses,
and the fighting very quickly became hand-to-hand.
History records in that moment that, that young
first lieutenant rallied his brothers to stand their ground.
He ordered air and artillery strikes
from a dangerously exposed position for four straight hours.
As the situation worsened,
he personally directed the withdrawal
and provided cover fire,
and to ensure his brothers' safety
and to inflict maximum damage on the enemy,
he actually called in an artillery strike
on his own position.
Wounded and unable to escape himself,
he managed to evade detection for eight long days
until he was rescued when American forces
retook the outpost.
For his conspicuous gallantry,
at the risk of his own life above and beyond
the call of duty, he received, of course,
the Medal of Honor.
So would you join me today in thanking a true
American hero, Medal of Honor recipient,
First Lieutenant Brian Thacker.
(applause)
Our nation owes a debt to our veterans,
and as I said, it's a debt we can never fully repay.
But on this Veterans Day, we rededicate ourselves
to accomplishing just that.
And I can assure you since the outset of this administration
President Trump has fought tirelessly
to fulfill the words of our nation's 16th President,
to care for him who shall have borne the battle.
Working with Secretary Shulkin,
we've made the Department of Veterans' Affairs
already more efficient, effective, and accountable.
Let me be clear.
Veterans' benefits are not entitlements.
They are earned.
They are the ongoing compensation
for services rendered in the uniform
of the United States of America.
(applause)
And under President Donald Trump,
we're keeping the promises that we've made
to men and women who've served in our Armed Forces.
This President has already expanded the
Veterans Choice Program by more than $2 billion
to give our heroes access to real time,
high quality healthcare.
And because not all wounds of war are visible,
we've improved veterans' access to
urgent mental healthcare services
and given greater access to telemedicine
for our veterans.
President Trump has signed the VA Accountability
and Whistleblower Protection Act to ensure
that our veterans receive the highest level of service,
and this President has taken decisive action
to end a pattern of neglect and mistreatment at the VA.
We've already fired or suspended over 1500
VA employees for negligent behavior.
(applause)
I want to assure you, as the President has said,
we will not rest or relent until all America's
great veterans receive the care they so richly deserve.
(applause)
Beyond healthcare, President Trump has also
signed legislation to expand the post-911 GI Bill
and eliminate the 15 year limit on benefits
for new veterans so they can pursue an education
of their choosing.
And I'm glad to report veteran unemployment
has already fallen by nearly 40%
since President Trump was elected.
It's lower today than any point
since the year 2000, and we're just getting started.
(applause)
You know, today our veterans continue to serve
our nation in careers ranging from business to education,
from law enforcement to public service,
and it seems wherever they go,
their lives are characterized by that same
sense of duty, and the courage and selflessness
forged during their years in our Armed Forces.
You know, earlier this week,
I heard the remarkable story of one such veteran,
and I thought I'd share it with you today.
On Wednesday, Karen and I traveled
to Sutherland Springs, Texas, to meet the families
and the victims of the worst attack on a place of worship
in American history.
At Brook Army Medical Center, we stood at the bedside
of a retired U.S. Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant
named Juan Macias.
We spoke to his family as he lay before us,
recovering from his injuries.
But it was from another member of the church
that we learned of that veteran's extraordinary courage
last Sunday.
Julie Workman, a registered nurse,
was also wounded at the First Baptist Church that day.
No sooner had the attacker left
that she began to treat the wounded.
Seeing what lay before her, though,
Julie told me she was momentarily overcome.
And that's when Gunney stepped in.
Despite having five bullet wounds,
she told me that Gunney sat up, looked her in the eye,
and said, "You were born for this.
Keep your wits about you.
Do your job."
She said that's all she needed to hear.
Heroism outlives the uniform,
and her actions and his courage undoubtedly
saved lives that day.
That's an American veteran.
(applause)
This Veterans Day, we honor those who served
with tributes and promises kept,
but as our veterans understand better than most,
we also honor their service by ensuring
that the men and women served in our Armed Forces today
have the resources and support they need
to defend this nation in this day.
Our veterans will be glad to know
that President Trump has already taken decisive action
to make the strongest military in the history
of the world stronger still.
This President has already signed the largest
increase in military spending in nearly a decade,
and before this year is out, we'll enact the largest
investment in our national defense since the days
of Ronald Reagan.
(applause)
And under President Donald Trump,
I'll make you a promise.
We're gonna rebuild our military.
We're gonna restores the arsenal of democracy,
and we will once again give our soldiers, sailors,
airmen, Marines, and Cost Guardsmen the resources
and training they need to accomplish their mission
and come home safe.
That's our promise to all of you.
(applause)
As I close, let me say again how deeply humbling
it is for me to stand before so many heroes.
For you see, I'm, as Secretary Shulkin told you,
I'm the son of a soldier,
and I'm the proud father of a United States Marine,
but my life never took me into the uniform
of the United States.
I've never experienced the cost of war on the battlefield
or had to endure the hardship of time away from home
and family that can come with service, even in peace time.
But I've seen enough to know the burden our veterans bear
is often times a burden that lives far beyond
your time in uniform.
64 years ago, my dad served in combat in Korea.
Second Lieutenant Edward J. Pence was in the U.S. Army,
45th Infantry.
He fought in the battle of Old Baldy and Pork Chop Hill,
and he earned a Bronze Star for his courage under fire.
The truth is, I learned most of that after I grew up,
because Dad never talked about the war.
And that medal stayed in his dresser drawer.
A few years after he died, I was visiting a cousin
that he grew up with on the streets of Chicago.
And he told me that the war had changed my dad.
When I asked him how, he said, "You know, before the war,
your dad was the most happy-go-lucky guy I ever met."
But he said after he came back, he was different.
And then he said words I'll never forget.
He said, and I quote, "I don't think your dad
ever got over the guilt of coming home."
I don't think your dad ever
got over the guilt of coming home.
You know, in those words, in an instant,
I understood every unfinished sentence,
every far away look on my father's face,
whenever the war came up.
If he talked about it at all,
he talked about the guys he served with,
guys who didn't get to come home to marry their sweetheart,
raise a house full of kids,
live their dreams and see their children's children.
That's when I understood the quiet cost of freedom
and the burden so many of our veterans bear in their hearts.
So to all are our veterans looking on, know this.
We are with you.
You do not carry that burden alone.
As a nation, we stand ready to help you shoulder that load
with the compassion, support, and prayers
of the American people.
You were there for us; now we are here for you.
President Trump said this morning, in his words,
America's veterans are this country's greatest
national treasure.
He said your the best role models for our youngest citizens,
a constant reminder of all that's good, decent, and brave.
And to you I say, no truer words were spoken.
This is the land of the free,
because it's still the home of the brave,
and you, our veterans, are our brave.
(applause)
You stepped forward.
You counted our lives more important than yours,
and we thank God, who as the psalmist says,
trained your hands for war,
gave you the strength to advance against a troop,
but also brought you home safe to your loved ones
and a grateful nation.
In his proclamation for this Veterans Day,
President Trump called upon every American
to recognize the fortitude and sacrifice
of our veterans, but let me, let me add one challenge,
especially to my fellow countrymen who did not serve
in the Armed Forces of the United States.
Before this day is out, at home or at work,
on a street corner, or over a backyard fence,
whether they came home in the last week
or in the last century, find a veteran.
Extend your hand, and say those words they never asked
to hear, but deserve to hear every day.
To my fellow Americans, I say find a veteran today,
and say thank you for your service.
Thank them for their courage.
Thank them for your freedom,
and thank them for doing their part
to preserve this last, best hope of earth,
for ourselves and our posterity.
To our veterans, on behalf of the President of
the United States and a grateful nation,
I say thank you for your service.
May God bless you and your families.
May God bless all those who this day wear the uniform
and stand ready, and may God continue to bless
the United States of America.
(applause)
- Ladies and Gentlemen, please rise and join
the United States Air Force Band in singing
God Bless America.
(orchestral fanfare)
♫ God bless America
♫ Land that I love
♫ Stand beside her and guide her
♫ Through the night with a light from above
♫ From the mountains to the prairies
♫ To the oceans white with foam
♫ God bless America, my home sweet home
♫ God bless America, my home sweet home
♫ God bless America
♫ Land that I love
♫ Stand beside her and guide her
♫ Through the night with a light from above
♫ From the mountains to the prairies
♫ To the oceans white with foam
♫ God bless America, my home sweet home
♫ God bless America, my home sweet home
(applause)
- Ladies and gentlemen, please remain standing
as we retire the colors.
Retire the colors!
(upbeat march)
This concludes the 2017 National Veterans Day observance.
Please be seated for the departure
of the Vice President of the United States
and the official party.
Thank you for joining us today as we celebrate
and honor all who served.
(upbeat march)
(indistinct conversations)
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