It is now my pleasure to introduce the
Executive Director Office of Army
National cemeteries and army National
Military cemeteries . Miss Karen Durham
Aguilera stop
good morning on behalf of the dedicated
men and women who serve here . Welcome
to Arlington National Cemetery . I
would like to extend a warm welcome to
the 46th president , United States
President Joe Biden . Thank you mr
President for being here today honoring
our nation's veterans and our first
lady Jill Biden . Welcome the Secretary
Defense , the honorable Lloyd Austin ,
Secretary of Veteran Affairs , the
honorable Denis McDonough and his life
curry , Secretary of the Army , the
honorable Christy Warm up Chief of
staff of the army joe McConville and
his wife Maria . Welcome Mr Alan paley ,
the national commander of the jewish
War veteran , thank you for being the
veteran service organizations host and
for your participation and it's
important national observance and to
all dignitaries and families and
everyone watching from across our great
nation . Thank you for being with us
today . The cemetery is beautiful to
some of you and it is fitting that we
once again recognize our veterans on
these most holograms Today is a
celebration of honor , duty patriotism ,
Our international cemeteries of solid
place surrounded by over 400,000
soldiers , sailors , Marines , airmen
and Coast Guard and their families who
have proudly served our nation in
peacetime and war . While memorial day
is dedicated to remembering those whom
we have lost . Today is a celebration
of all of those who wore the uniform
including and especially those who are
still with . I encourage each and every
one of you to pause for a moment today
and thank you go . Our military for
their service stock today may be solemn .
They can also be joyous as we remember .
Love life . Friend comrades who have
served may still be serving . I'll also
briefly talk about historic event that
concludes today for the last year . We
have held events to commemorate the
centennial , the unknown . So with the
internment of the world , one unknown
100 years ago . Today that service
member completed his final journey from
friends and was laid to rest here in
the heart of our international Cemetery
to represent all services who had lost
their lives and their identities . We
did so to provide comfort . Close the
family that we were never given the
opportunity to lay to rest their child
customer father . More of the history
of the tomb of the unknown soldier can
be found in our commemorative
educational programs online . I
encourage everyone to learn more about
this iconic site . Stories of the
service and sacrifice we celebrate
today are etched in marble all around
us . From the inscriptions on
gravestones to the tomb of the unknown
soldier . Most important are the
patriotism , valor and fidelity etched
in the hearts and souls of our service
members past , present and future .
They are the vanguard of our freedom
and our liberty . Today is for the past
157 years . Our international cemetery
is honored to serve our veterans and
their families and our nation's will
sacred show no place in our
international cemetery can be purchased .
Each must be earned through audible
service to everyone here today . I'm
proud to say we are great people
honoring service and sacrifice to a
grateful nation . So thank you to all
of our veterans and families and once
again welcome to our international
cemetery . I will be followed by the
national commander of the jewish war
veterans . Mr Allen . Thank you .
Yeah , yeah .
President biden , Secretary McDonough
Director a galera , Major General Pepin ,
distinguished guests . My fellow
veterans , ladies and gentlemen . On
Veterans Day at the 11th hour . On the
11th day of the 11th month , we pause
for a few brief moments to both honor
and pay tribute to the men and women
who served in the defense of our
country and then returned home . We owe
you our thanks , our respect and our
freedom . George Washington spoke about
the country's obligation to care for
its veterans and their families . He
said the willingness with which our
young people are likely to serve in any
way shall be directly proportional to
how they perceive . The veterans of
earlier wars were treated and
appreciated by their nation . Let us
remember treated and appreciate ,
engraved on a granite wall of the
korean war memorial . A short distance
from here is a simple but powerful
phrase . Freedom is not free . The
freedoms we enjoy today were made
possible by the more than 19 million
living veterans and countless others
who served in the defense of our
country . The symbols of America and
freedom are interlocked and they are
present here today . The flags flying ,
the white grave markers and all of us ,
the veterans and service members who
protected our nation . It is you that
we celebrate and honor today . Our
work continues as citizens in
supporting America's veterans and
service members . J . W . V . And V . S .
O . S must continue to fight for
adequate funding for V . A . Services
and assure that issues facing veterans
from all errors remain at the forefront .
I call on each of you to take action
and make your voice heard on issues we
continue to face including ending
homelessness , increasing access to
health care , delivering mental health ,
reducing claims , processing time
deploying , integrated electronic
health records and addressing toxic
exposure concerns in a comprehensive
way . Seated throughout the
amphitheater this morning are the
leaders of many veterans service
organizations . Every VSO was created
with the purpose to advocate for the
unique needs of the veteran community ,
the S . O . S . Understand and work
tirelessly to maintain and improve the
benefits we earn . There is strength in
numbers and veterans must continue to
be strong advocates and have our voices
heard When the Jewish War Veterans
celebrated its 100th anniversary . Our
national commander roberts . Lyman also
addressed this gathered His closing
remarks that day . Are just as powerful
today as they were in 1996 , he said ,
and I quote , never should . Our
government presumed that by setting
aside but one day they have met their
obligations to the survivors of
yesterday's wars in today's and
tomorrow's conflict . We welcome your
thoughts that this is not merely a
singular day of honor , but indeed a
public recognition of obligation to
service . And we welcome your concerns
that such obligation must be answered
with compassion and with resolve . End
quote . I stand before you as a veteran
myself as we honor , celebrate and
share thanks . We must remain vigilant
and continue to ensure that the
freedoms benefits and services we enjoy
today remain with us for centuries to
come . They got blessed those who have
earned the title of Veterans and God
bless the United States of America .
Thank you .
Yeah , it gives me great
pleasure to introduce the 11th
Secretary of Veterans Affairs , the
honorable Denis McDonough Before coming
to be a secretary . McDonough served as
the 26th White House Chief of Staff ,
working across the cabinet to develop
and execute critical U . S . Priorities
and national Security and domestic
policy . Before his tenure as Chief of
Staff . He served as Principal Deputy
National Security Advisor , Chief of
Staff of the National Security Staff ,
Deputy National Security Advisor for
Strategic Communications and Chair of
the National Security Council's
Deputies Committee and all of those
roles . He helped lead the
administration's work on behalf of
Veterans and military family . He
believes deeply as he testified to
Congress that there is no more sacred
obligation nor noble undertaking than
to uphold our promises to our veterans
whether they came home decades ago ,
four days ago , join me and welcomed
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs ,
Denis McDonough .
Yeah . Mhm .
Thanks Alan for that . Very generous
introduction for your service to our
country and for leading today's
fantastic post organization , jewish
work .
Mhm . My deepest thanks to you and the
first lady for being here . We are
forever grateful for your leadership
for your unwavering support of our
nation's veterans , their families ,
Caregivers and survive . Let me also
acknowledge that distinguished leaders
from the Cabinet , Congress V . A .
Veteran Service organizations , veteran
family and caregiver advocacy
organization and our Veterans Day , a
National Committee . It's great to be
here . Most of all thanks to the
veterans . There's families ,
caregivers and survivors with us this
morning . This day is your day
and it's an honor to spend it with Each
year . America pauses on November 11 to
remember and recognize those men and
women who fought our nation's wars and
defended us during periods of restless
piece from the beginning of our fight
for independence at Lexington and
concord to the end of the longest war
in american history in Afghanistan ,
millions of veterans have risked their
lives to preserve the democratic ideals .
This great nation . We live in peace
and prosperity today because of them .
Because of you . On this day . We
must not only appreciate those great
blessings and the vets who delivered
them . We must also remember the
terrible cost which they came .
Veterans have told us of the costs of
war throughout history . Letters Home
from World War II . Captain George
Montgomery of the 82nd Airborne
Division described his experience on D
Day writing , Never
my wildest dreams . There's such terror
drip your grip , your very soul .
Senator max Cleland individual ,
indefatigable patriot , hero of the war
in Vietnam , Father of the modern era ,
who passed away earlier this week .
I thought that sentence writing war is
as close to hell on earth as
anything ever could be .
Sentiments like these have been
expressed by veterans of every kind .
Those who board the bloody battles of
the american civil war , hellish
trenches of the First World War frozen
mountains of Korea , jungles of Vietnam
cities , desserts , mountains of
Iraq and Afghanistan . Many service
members gave their last full measure of
devotion . During those wars ,
someone's home down , rest on the
hollowed ground of the cemetery or in
the tomb of the unknown soldier , which
as of today has stood 100 years ,
other brave service members come home
is better for those veterans . Those
wars did not end when the final bullet
was fired , nor when the final service
member came home scandals . Wars live
on in their minds and their bodies
scars visible and this sometimes
for years time forever .
This day , veterans Day is our day to
honor the vets who made those
sacrifices a day to remember what
they've done for us a day to recognize
that when those veterans who served and
sacrificed so do their families , their
caregivers , they're survivors . But
critically that can say is also a call
to action . A reminder that it's our
sacred responsibility as americans to
serve those who have served our country
that called Action Gates all the way
back . President Lincoln's second
inaugural be charged a wounded nation
to care for those who shall have borne
the battle for their families ,
survivors and caregivers . And that
same call echoes today , President
Biden reminds us that our nation's most
sacred obligation is to prepare and
equip troops , we send into harm's way
to care for them and their families
when they return via , that means we're
providing veterans of world class
healthcare with benefits they've earned
and so rightly deserved . Where the
lasting resting place , that's a
tribute , their service
and with President biden's leadership
to is doing exactly that providing more
care , more benefits to more veterans
than at any time in our nation's system
this day reminds us that it's not just
the job of being a to serve veterans ,
their families , survivors and
caregivers . The job of every because
whenever someone signs up to honor our
country in the military , our nation
makes them a simple take care of us .
We'll take care of you , you fight for
us , we'll fight for you if you serve
us , will serve you when you come home .
The thing is our nation as a whole
makes that
but it's on all of us , every single
one of us to keep that
promise . There are many ways to do
that . From reaching out to the
veterans in your life to lending a hand
when a veteran needs help doing your
small part uphold the principles of
democracy for which veterans have
fought bled to defend
whatever the method serve veterans
served them well remember their
sacrifices , recognize their service
and recommit and renew your pledge
to them because that is our most sacred
responsibility as America on this
veterans day and every
I know of no one who keeps that promise
better and President Obama
as a senator as vice president and now
as president and as the surviving
father of an Iraq war veteran ,
President biden has dedicated so much
of his life to serving those who have
served us veterans , their
families , survivors and caregivers
could not ask for a stronger at
so without further I do . He's my great
personal and professional honor to
present to you our Commander in chief ,
the President of the United States jump
thank you .
Thank you Mr . Secretary folks are
big President United States or
afforded many
opportunities try to express
love . Yeah admiration
american people and I
must say to you that
single greatest honor have been sworn
in distress . Stand before
so many of you . Medal of honor .
Talk about
want to welcome all the cabinet members
and honored guests join us , including
the father of our Secretary of State ,
served in the Army Air Corps during
World War two . Ambassador Donald
Blinken whose birthday is today ?
Yeah , thank you for your service to
our country and I just want to tell you ,
I know you're only younger than I am .
But you know I've adopted
attitude of the great grow at the time .
Picture of the leagues income . Great
picture pro Major
league Baseball protect . Mhm Name is
satchel paige and satchel paige on his
47th birthday pitch to win
against Chicago . Mhm And all the press
went in and said satch , it's amazing .
47 years old . No one's ever ever
pitched to win at age 47 . How do you
feel about being 47 ? He said boys .
That's not hard to look at . How do you
look at it statues and I look at it
this way . How old would you be if you
know how old you were ? I'm 50 years
old . An ambassador is 47
but all kidding aside . Mr . Ambassador ,
thank you for your service during World
War two as well as your service . The .
Thank you for raising such a fine man
Tony Blinken . Our Secretary of State ,
all our veterans past and present ,
Thank you . We honor you remember
always what you've done for . I'd like
to recognize one of our national heroes
who is here today . Medal of honor
recipient . Mr Bryant fact
during the Vietnam war . Then First
Lieutenant Hagar put the safety of his
fellow troops above his own providing
cover fire against an attacking enemy
and even calling in artillery fire his
own position . So our forces had a
better chance to withdraw wounded ,
unable to leave the area . He evaded
capture for eight days . Finally ,
Federal Friendly Forces , we took the
position . Yours is a remarkable
story , never be forgotten
also , never forget the stories of
american leaders , an icon we've lost
recently who shaped our nation of ways .
You're hard to measure lost like many
of you , three Good friends last month ,
General Colin Powell , child of
immigrants . I grew up
be Joint Chairman of Joint Chiefs of
Staff , the Secretary of State , man
who is a friend but who earned
universal respect of americans and
people for his leadership in uniform
and out guy who became good friends and
many times I was in and out of Iraq as
Vice president and Senator General Ray
Odierno about multiple times in Iraq
who did so much to help to get us where
we are today . Always put the truth
Inspections 1st . It was an honor that
my son Major biden served under his
command and my friend and colleague was
mentioned already , United States
senator max Cleveland . There's a
triple amputee through the cost of war
as well as anyone could ever know . It
went on to champion of dignity , care
of americans wounded veterans
throughout his life . We lost all three
of these incredible veterans in the
last several weeks . Hearts go out to
their families . These are stories
inspired generation after generation of
americans to step forward defend our
nation . Today we pay homage the
unrelenting Arabian dedication and this
things although earn the title
american direction . It's an honor .
Not only a small percentage of
americans from claims and one that
marks those who are able to claim it as
brothers and sisters . It's a badge of
curry that unites across all ages
regardless of background . Because to
be a veteran , they have endured and
survived challenges . Most americans
will never know come through the trials
and tests , brave dangers and
deprivations face down tragic realities
of war and death .
Done it for America
to protect our country and our
constitution against all enemies . To
lay a stronger , more secure foundation .
Almost future generations can continue
to build more perfect union .
Each of our veterans , there's a link
in a proud chain of patriots . It has
stood in the defense of our country
from bunker hill , Belleau Woods ,
Gettysburg , Hiroshima , chosen
reservoir , Konar valley . Each
each understood the price of freedom
and each shoulder that burden on our
behalf . Our veterans represent the
best of America . You are the very
spine of America . Not just the back
one . You're the spine in this country
and all of us , all of us . Oh yeah .
So in victor's day and every day we
honor that great debt recommit
ourselves to keeping our sacred
obligation as a nation honor
what you've done . We have many
obligations to our Children , to our
elderly . Those truly in need .
I've gotten in trouble way back when I
was a young standard for saying we only
have one truly sacred obligation . We
have many obligations . one truly
sacred obligation . Probably
prepare those and equip those who we
send into harm's way care for them and
their families . They're both deployed
and when they returned home this is a
lifetime sacred commitment . It
never expires me and for Jill and
for the entire biden family is personal
beau was deployed to Iraq after
spending six months in Kosovo
as an assistant U . S . Attorney trying
to help trying to set up a criminal
justice is I got a call from a one day
I said dad , what are you doing friday ?
I said what do you need ? Uh when he
said I'd like you to pin my bars , I
said what in the heck have you done ?
He said , someone's got to finish it
for that true story .
So I learned what meant to pray
every day . The safe return of someone
you love so many of you have done it .
Our grandkids learned what it meant to
have their dad overseas in the war zone
instead of back at home for a year
tucking him into bed and reading that
story . Thousands of mirrors , tens
of them had that experience
the english poet john miller . They
also serve only stand and wait
all the mothers and fathers , sons and
daughters , spouses
although stand alongside our veterans
and their families . Caregivers
survival , you are the solid steel
spine that bears up under every bird .
Courageous heart rises every challenge .
You've asked so much of you for so long
and our nation is grateful for two
decades . The lives of our service
members and their families and veterans
have been shaped by the conflicts in
Iraq Afghanistan . Since 9 11 ,
hundreds of thousands of americans have
served . So many are still serving
today in harm's worry . We cannot
forget american people are forever
grateful and all of what you've
accomplished . But in fulfilling their
mission . So many veterans and their
families and caregivers . I've been
through hell . So I'm facing
deployment after deployment , spending
months and years away from their
families , missing birthdays ,
anniversaries and collections . I
remember one of the last times I flew
into Iraq , the so called silver bullet .
Remember walking up to cockpit
recruit masters along on the pilots are
up there and I said , how many of you ?
Is this your first Sure No one raised
their five people . Second tour .
No one raised third George to raise
their hands . Fourth tour to raise
three 50 one reason
folks veterans day we have to always
remember there's nothing lower risk of
low cost about war . The women and men
who fight . I carry with me in my
pocket every single day . I have my
chaps check with the Defense Department
the back of my schedule . I have
us daily troops in Afghanistan killed
and wounded us . Daily troops in Iraq
killed and wounded 52,000
300 23 . Not roughly
53,000 every one of these
individuals family
unit at home . 53,000
323 American servicemen and women
wounded in the conflicts of Iraq and
against 7074 gave them live
last full measure of devotion
untold thousands more returned home .
Our secretary can tell you unseen
psychological wounds of war
during grief or our Gold star family .
These are the cost of war they'll carry .
It will carry the nation decades to
come . All that service members of
families . Caregivers survival . I want
you to know our administration is going
to meet the sacred obligation that we
owed , going to work with congress ,
republicans and democrats together to
make sure veterans received the world
class benefit . Okay . Beat the sacred
the specific care specific needs
that each individual we need . That
means expanding presumptive conditions ,
toxic exposure particular matter
including agent orange and burn kits .
We're going to keep pushing on this
front to be more nimble and responsive
reviewing all the data and evidence to
determine additional presumptive
conditions that make sure our veterans
don't have to wait . Get the care they
need . It also means prioritizing
mental health care . It's necessary to
treat invisible wounds and so many of
our veterans carry , including pursuing
our newly released comprehensive public
health strategy to reduce military and
veteran suicide . I want to say clearly
to all our veterans . If you're
struggling , you're so used to never
asking for anything . If you're
struggling to reach out , call the
veterans crisis line . Having
trouble thinking
about . It's no different than if you
had wound in your arm .
Make is also making sure growing
population of women and L . G B
T . Q plus veterans receive appropriate
services and support as we continue our
efforts to defeat the pandemic and
build back better . It means keeping
the needs of veterans front and center .
American rescue plan included $17
billion dollars To support via as
COVID-19 get vaccination , vaccine ,
shots and arms as fast as possible and
the fund programs that provide rapid
retraining assistance for veterans .
You may have lost their jobs in the
pandemic housing assistance , debt
forgiveness , to invest in improving
create facilities and the living
conditions , vulnerable venture true
Jill's work of joining forces are also
working to support our veterans and
military families , survivors and
caregivers so they're going to have
what they need to thrive . He deserved .
Secretary McDonough noted this veterans .
They also marks the centennial of one
of the most hallowed american monuments ,
the tomb of the unknown 100 years ago
today . An american soldier the First
World War As the two says known but
to God and have completed the voyage .
Mhm unidentified battlefield in France
over the rough atlantic sea here to
Arlington national Cemetery . He lay in
state The Capitol Rotunda for two days .
The same length that held the body of
length As 90,000 Americans came to pay
respects . On the final leg of his
journey , he was escorted from the
capital by the President of the United
States , the Chief justice of the
Supreme Court Members of Congress .
General cursi chiefs of Staff , Medal
of Honor recipients . All walking as
the Washington post said processing
without parallel
give honor due to american service
Minister american services Not just the
anonymous sold today in two gleaming
marble but the generation of americans
dared all bristol gable . The cause of
freedom commemorate
warm . Remember the words of a member
of congress would propose the
legislation creating american warrior
quote . This is the code typifies
soul . America
veteran soul .
America's soul acquire
veterans have always fought always
willing to put themselves in the line .
First unknown lies now with his brother
unnamed Morris Later fellow patriots
who picked up the mantle of honor ,
made it their burden
today . 100 years later .
Keep sacred watch over their graves .
Generation . Well , it's seven taking
the post pledging their eternal
visually well a wreath . We renew our
oath . We stand in solemn all such
fidelity because for us to keep faith
with american veterans , we must never
forget exactly what was given .
But each of them is willing to put on
the line for you must never forget .
That is the mighty arm of the american
warrior . Never been never breaking .
Never yielding generation after
generation secured for us . The
blessings of the nation still stands
today as a beacon of liberty ,
democracy and justice around the world .
God bless you all . God bless all
american venture . Those probably
earn that . Oh my God ,
protect our troops .
Ladies and gentlemen . And now the
United States Coast Guard Band will
play and the armed forces chorus will
sing . God bless America .
Right ,
who are the storm ? The clothes ?
Oh
oh
on the mound .
Yeah .
Okay . Okay .
Yeah , mm hmm .
Please be seated for the departure of
the President of the United States and
the official party . Thank you for
joining us today as we celebrate and
honor all who serve .
Mhm .