President Obama marked Veterans Day today with a speech at Arlington National Cemetary.
The President laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns and then gave a speech to members of the military and their families at the amphitheater.
Obama said:
“On behalf of the American people, I say to you that the memory of your loved one carries on not just in your hearts, but in ours as well. And I assure you that their sacrifice will never be forgotten … For it is in that sacrifice that we see the enduring spirit of America. Since even before our founding, we have been blessed with an unbroken chain of patriots who have always come forward to serve.”
Obama highlighted the fact that today was the first time in a decade that American troops were not fighting in Iraq during Veterans Day.
Obama said:
“This is the first Veterans Day in a decade in which there are no American troops fighting and dying in Iraq … Thirty-three thousand of our troops have now returned from Afghanistan and the transition is now under way. After a decade of war our heroes are now coming home.”
The President also said that America has a responsibility to its veterans. During the 2012 campaign Obama said that he wanted to make sure that veterans were able to get jobs when they returned home from service.
“They will be veterans … As they come home, it falls to us, their fellow citizens, to be there for them and their families. Not just now but always. Not just for the first few years but for as long as they walk this earth … No veteran should have to wait months or years for the benefits you’ve earned. That’s what we do in America, we take care of our own. We take care of our veterans.”
Here’s a video of President Obama’s Veterans Day speech.
