Part II
Not every veteran has seen combat, of course. But even in peacetime, they face dangers that most other Americans never know. Hazardous night-time training missions in high-speed aircraft, rescuing crewmembers from downed aircraft, or providing relief supplies after a natural disaster all come with elements of risk. But they have important jobs to do, and thank goodness we have always had young men and women ready to do them.
Our veterans are living examples of what it means to be good citizens. They have given us a lifetime of service, and the country has been enriched by their contributions, both in and out of uniform. And speaking of "citizen-soldiers," we are increasingly calling on the members of our Guard and Reserve to serve on the front lines of the War on Terrorism. We simply could not accomplish our mission without the help of the Reserve Component.
General Omar Bradley said, "In war, there is no prize for the runner-up." Never was that more true than in the War on Terrorism. The possibility that terrorists may possess deadly chemical, biological or even nuclear weapons is truly a horrific thought. We must confront shadowy terrorist networks in more than 60 countries around the world, before they confront us here on Main Street. The stakes are unimaginably high, as we learned 14 years ago, when hijackers turned our own commercial airliners into weapons of mass destruction, killing 3,000 innocent civilians.
Today, people throughout the country will gather together to remember, to honor, and to pay gratitude to those who have served our country. Our gathering is just one small spark in the flame of pride that burns across the nation today and every day. It's not a lot, but its one small way we can honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice so that we can live in freedom.
Your presence here today and that of the people gathering all across America is a tribute to those lost troops, everyone who has served and to their Families. It is a way to say we remember. From the Soldiers who shivered and starved through the winter at Valley Forge to the doughboys crouched in the muddy trenches of France to the platoon who patrolled the hazy jungles of Vietnam and the young man or woman patrolling the mountains of Afghanistan, we remember and honor them all.
Thank you for attending today. God bless you and your families, God bless our troops and God bless America.
Not every veteran has seen combat, of course. But even in peacetime, they face dangers that most other Americans never know. Hazardous night-time training missions in high-speed aircraft, rescuing crewmembers from downed aircraft, or providing relief supplies after a natural disaster all come with elements of risk. But they have important jobs to do, and thank goodness we have always had young men and women ready to do them.
Our veterans are living examples of what it means to be good citizens. They have given us a lifetime of service, and the country has been enriched by their contributions, both in and out of uniform. And speaking of "citizen-soldiers," we are increasingly calling on the members of our Guard and Reserve to serve on the front lines of the War on Terrorism. We simply could not accomplish our mission without the help of the Reserve Component.
General Omar Bradley said, "In war, there is no prize for the runner-up." Never was that more true than in the War on Terrorism. The possibility that terrorists may possess deadly chemical, biological or even nuclear weapons is truly a horrific thought. We must confront shadowy terrorist networks in more than 60 countries around the world, before they confront us here on Main Street. The stakes are unimaginably high, as we learned 14 years ago, when hijackers turned our own commercial airliners into weapons of mass destruction, killing 3,000 innocent civilians.
Today, people throughout the country will gather together to remember, to honor, and to pay gratitude to those who have served our country. Our gathering is just one small spark in the flame of pride that burns across the nation today and every day. It's not a lot, but its one small way we can honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice so that we can live in freedom.
Your presence here today and that of the people gathering all across America is a tribute to those lost troops, everyone who has served and to their Families. It is a way to say we remember. From the Soldiers who shivered and starved through the winter at Valley Forge to the doughboys crouched in the muddy trenches of France to the platoon who patrolled the hazy jungles of Vietnam and the young man or woman patrolling the mountains of Afghanistan, we remember and honor them all.
Thank you for attending today. God bless you and your families, God bless our troops and God bless America.
