First Lady Michelle Obama:
Hello, everyone! I get to start you all off. I want to begin by thanking
General Anderson for that introduction, but more
importantly for his leadership here at Fort Bragg. I can't tell you what a
pleasure and an honor it is to be back here. I have so many wonderful
memories of this place. A couple of years ago, I came
here on my very first official trip as First Lady. And I spent some -- a great
time with some of the amazing military spouses, and I visited
again this summer to help to put on the finishing touches on an
amazing new home for a veteran and her family. So when I heard that I had the
opportunity to come back and to be a part of welcoming
you all home, to say I was excited
was an understatement. And I have to tell you that
when I look out at this crowd, I am simply overwhelmed. I am overwhelmed and proud,
because I know the level of strength and commitment that you
all display every single day. Whenever this country calls, you
all are the ones who answer, no matter the circumstance,
no matter the danger, no matter the sacrifice. And I know that you do
this not just as soldiers, not just as patriots, but
as fathers and mothers, as brothers and sisters,
as sons and daughters. And I know that while your
children and your spouses and your parents and siblings
might not wear uniforms, they serve right alongside you. Audience:
Hooah! (applause) First Lady Michelle Obama:
I know that your sacrifice
is their sacrifice, too. So when I think of all that you
do and all that your families do, I am so proud
and so grateful. But more importantly,
I'm inspired. But like so many Americans, I
never feel like I can fully convey just how thankful I am,
because words just don't seem to be enough. And that's why I have
been working so hard, along with Jill Biden, on
a campaign that we call Joining Forces. It's a campaign that we
hope goes beyond words. It's a campaign that
is about action. It's about rallying all
Americans to give you the honor, the appreciation and the support
that you have all earned. And I don't have to tell
you that this hasn't been a difficult campaign. We haven't had to do much
convincing because American have been lining up to show their
appreciation for you and your families in very concrete
and meaningful ways. Businesses are hiring tens
of thousands of veterans and military spouses. Schools all across the country
and PTAs are reaching out to our military children. And individuals are serving
their neighbors and their communities all over this
country in your honor. So I want you to know that this
nation's support doesn't end as this war ends. Not by a long shot. We're going to
keep on doing this. We have so much more work to do. We're going to keep finding new
ways to serve all of you as well as you have served us. And the man leading the
way is standing right here. (applause) He is fighting for you and your
families every single day. He's helped more than half a
million veterans and military family members go to
college through the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill. (applause) He's taken unprecedented steps
to improve mental health care. He's cut taxes for businesses
that hire a veteran or a wounded warrior. And he has kept his promise
to responsibly bring you home from Iraq. So please join me in welcoming
someone who's your strongest advocate, someone who shows his
support for our military not only in words, but in deeds,
my husband, our President, and your Commander-in-Chief,
Barack Obama. (applause) The President:
Hello, everybody! (applause) Hello, Fort Bragg! All the way! Audience:
Airborne! The President:
Now, I'm sure you realize
why I don't like following Michelle Obama. (laughter) She's pretty good. And it is true, I am a little
biased, but let me just say it: Michelle, you are a
remarkable First Lady. (cheering) You are a great advocate
for military families. (applause) And you're cute. (laughter) I'm just saying -- gentlemen,
that's your goal: to marry up. (laughter) Punch above your weight. Fort Bragg, we're here to mark a
historic moment in the life of our country and our military. For nearly nine years, our
nation has been at war in Iraq. And you -- the incredible men
and women of Fort Bragg -- have been there every step of
the way, serving with honor, sacrificing greatly, from the
first waves of the invasion to some of the last
troops to come home. So, as your Commander-in-Chief,
and on behalf of a grateful nation, I'm proud to
finally say these two words, and I know your families
agree: Welcome home! (applause) Welcome home. Welcome home. (applause) Welcome home. It is great to be
here at Fort Bragg -- home of the Airborne and
Special Operations Forces. I want to thank General Anderson
and all your outstanding leaders for welcoming us here today,
including General Dave Rodriguez, General
John Mulholland. And I want to give a shout-out
to your outstanding senior enlisted leaders, including
Command Sergeant Major Roger Howard, Darrin Bohn, Parry Baer. And give a big round of applause
to the Ground Forces Band. (applause) We've got a lot of folks
in the house today. We've got the 18th Airborne
Corps -- the Sky Dragons. (applause) We've got the legendary,
All-American 82nd Airborne Division. (applause) We've got America's
quiet professionals -- our Special Operations Forces. (applause) From Pope Field,
we've got Air Force. (applause) And I do believe we've got some
Navy and Marine Corps here, too. Audience Member:
Yes! (laughter) The President:
And though they're not
here with us today, we send our thoughts and
prayers to General Helmick, Sergeant Major Rice and all the
folks from the 18th Airborne and Bragg who are bringing our
troops back from Iraq. (applause) We honor everyone from the 82nd
Airborne and Bragg serving and succeeding in Afghanistan, and
General Votel and those serving around the world. And let me just say, one of the
most humbling moments I've had as President was when I
presented our nation's highest military decoration,
the Medal of Honor, to the parents of one of those
patriots from Fort Bragg who gave his life in Afghanistan
-- Staff Sergeant Robert Miller. I want to salute Ginny
Rodriguez, Miriam Mulholland, Linda Anderson, Melissa Helmick,
Michelle Votel and all the inspiring military
families here today. We honor your service as well. (applause) And finally, I want to
acknowledge your neighbors and friends who help keep your --
this outstanding operation going, all who help to
keep you Army Strong, and that includes
Representatives Mike McIntyre, and Dave Price, and Heath
Shuler, and Governor Bev Perdue. I know Bev is so proud to
have done so much for our military families. So give them a big
round of applause. (applause) Today, I've come to speak to
you about the end of the war in Iraq. Over the last few months, the
final work of leaving Iraq has been done. Dozens of bases with American
names that housed thousands of American troops have been
closed down or turned over to the Iraqis. Thousands of tons of
equipment have been packed up and shipped out. Tomorrow, the colors of
United States Forces-Iraq -- the colors you fought under --
will be formally cased in a ceremony in Baghdad. Then they'll begin their journey
across an ocean, back home. Over the last three years,
nearly 150,000 U.S. troops have left Iraq. And over the next few days, a
small group of American soldiers will begin the final
march out of that country. Some of them are on their
way back to Fort Bragg. As General Helmick said, "They
know that the last tactical road march out of Iraq
will be a symbol, and they're going to
be a part of history." As your Commander-in-Chief, I
can tell you that it will indeed be a part of history. Those last American troops will
move south on desert sands, and then they will cross the
border out of Iraq with their heads held high. One of the most extraordinary
chapters in the history of the American military
will come to an end. Iraq's future will be in
the hands of its people. America's war in
Iraq will be over. Audience:
Hooah! The President:
Now, we knew this
day would come. We've known it for some time. But still, there is something
profound about the end of a war that has lasted so long. Now, nine years ago, American
troops were preparing to deploy to the Persian Gulf and the
possibility that they would be sent to war. Many of you were
in grade school. I was a state senator. Many of the leaders
now governing Iraq -- including the Prime Minister
-- were living in exile. And since then, our efforts
in Iraq have taken many twists and turns. It was a source of great
controversy here at home, with patriots on both
sides of the debate. But there was one constant
-- there was one constant: your patriotism, your commitment
to fulfill your mission, your abiding commitment
to one another. That was constant. That did not change. That did not waiver. It's harder to end a
war than begin one. Indeed, everything that American
troops have done in Iraq -- all the fighting
and all the dying, the bleeding and the building,
and the training and the partnering -- all of it has
led to this moment of success. Now, Iraq is not
a perfect place. It has many challenges ahead. But we're leaving
behind a sovereign, stable and self-reliant Iraq,
with a representative government that was elected by its people. We're building a new partnership
between our nations. And we are ending a war
not with a final battle, but with a final
march toward home. This is an extraordinary
achievement, nearly nine years in the making. And today, we remember
everything that you did to make it possible. We remember the early days --
the American units that streaked across the sands
and skies of Iraq; the battles from
Karbala to Baghdad, American troops breaking the
back of a brutal dictator in less than a month. We remember the grind
of the insurgency -- the roadside bombs, the sniper
fire, the suicide attacks. From the "triangle of death"
to the fight for Ramadi; from Mosul in the north
to Basra in the south -- your will proved stronger than
the terror of those who tried to break it. We remember the specter
of sectarian violence -- al Qaeda's attacks on
mosques and pilgrims, militias that carried out
campaigns of intimidation and campaigns of assassination. And in the face of
ancient divisions, you stood firm to help those
Iraqis who put their faith in the future. We remember the surge and we
remember the Awakening -- when the abyss of chaos
turned toward the promise of reconciliation. By battling and building
block by block in Baghdad, by bringing tribes into the fold
and partnering with the Iraqi army and police, you helped
turn the tide toward peace. And we remember the end of our
combat mission and the emergence of a new dawn -- the precision
of our efforts against al Qaeda in Iraq, the professionalism of
the training of Iraqi security forces, and the steady
drawdown of our forces. In handing over
responsibility to the Iraqis, you preserved the gains of the
last four years and made this day possible. Just last month, some of you --
members of the Falcon Brigade -- Audience:
Hooah! The President:
-- turned over the Anbar
Operations Center to the Iraqis in the type of ceremony that has
become commonplace over these last several months. In an area that was once the
heart of the insurgency, a combination of
fighting and training, politics and partnership
brought the promise of peace. And here's what the local
Iraqi deputy governor said: "This is all because of
the U.S. forces' hard work and sacrifice." That's in the words of an Iraqi. Hard work and sacrifice. Those words only begin to
describe the costs of this war and the courage of the men
and women who fought it. We know too well the
heavy cost of this war. More than 1.5 million Americans
have served in Iraq -- 1.5 million. Over 30,000 Americans
have been wounded, and those are only
the wounds that show. Nearly 4,500 Americans made
the ultimate sacrifice -- including 202 fallen heroes
from here at Fort Bragg -- 202. So today, we pause to say a
prayer for all those families who have lost their loved ones,
for they are part of our broader American family. We grieve with them. We also know that these numbers
don't tell the full story of the Iraq war -- not even close. Our civilians have represented
our country with skill and bravery. Our troops have served
tour after tour of duty, with precious little
dwell time in between. Our Guard and Reserve
units stepped up with unprecedented service. You've endured dangerous foot
patrols and you've endured the pain of seeing your
friends and comrades fall. You've had to be more than
soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen --
you've also had to be diplomats and development workers and
trainers and peacemakers. Through all this, you have shown
why the United States military is the finest fighting force
in the history of the world. Audience:
Hooah! (applause) The President:
As Michelle mentioned, we also
know that the burden of war is borne by your families. In countless base
communities like Bragg, folks have come together in
the absence of a loved one. As the Mayor of
Fayetteville put it, "War is not a
political word here. War is where our friends
and neighbors go." So there have been
missed birthday parties and graduations. There are bills to pay and jobs
that have to be juggled while picking up the kids. For every soldier
that goes on patrol, there are the husbands and the
wives, the mothers, the fathers, the sons, the daughters
praying that they come back. So today, as we mark the end of
the war, let us acknowledge, let us give a heartfelt round
of applause for every military family that has carried that
load over the last nine years. You too have the thanks
of a grateful nation. (applause) Part of ending a war responsibly
is standing by those who fought it. It's not enough to
honor you with words. Words are cheap. We must do it with deeds. You stood up for America;
America needs to stand up for you. Audience:
Hooah! The President:
That's why, as your
Commander-in Chief, I am committed to making sure
that you get the care and the benefits and the opportunities
that you've earned. For those of you who
remain in uniform, we will do whatever it takes to
ensure the health of our force -- including your families. We will keep faith with you. We will help our
wounded warriors heal, and we will stand by those
who've suffered the unseen wounds of war. And make no mistake -- as
we go forward as a nation, we are going to keep America's
armed forces the strongest fighting force the
world has ever seen. That will not stop. Audience:
Hooah! (applause) The President:
That will not stop. But our commitment doesn't end
when you take off the uniform. You're the finest that
our nation has to offer. And after years of
rebuilding Iraq, we want to enlist our
veterans in the work of rebuilding America. That's why we're committed to
doing everything we can to extend more opportunities
to those who have served. That includes the
Post-9/11 G.I. Bill, so that you and your families
can get the education that allows you to live
out your dreams. That includes a national effort
to put our veterans to work. We've worked with Congress
to pass a tax credit so that companies have the
incentive to hire vets. And Michelle has worked with
the private sector to get commitments to create 100,000
jobs for those who've served. Audience:
Hooah! The President:
And by the way, we're doing this
not just because it's the right thing to do by you -- we're
doing it because it's the right thing to do for America. Folks like my grandfather came
back from World War II to form the backbone of this
country's middle class. For our post-9/11 veterans
-- with your skill, with your discipline,
with your leadership, I am confident that the story
of your service to America is just beginning. But there's something
else that we owe you. As Americans, we have a
responsibility to learn from your service. I'm thinking of an example
-- Lieutenant Alvin Shell, who was based here
at Fort Bragg. A few years ago, on a supply
route outside Baghdad, he and his team were engulfed
by flames from an RPG attack. Covered with gasoline, he ran
into the fire to help his fellow soldiers, and then led them two
miles back to Camp Victory where he finally collapsed,
covered with burns. When they told him he was
a hero, Alvin disagreed. "I'm not a hero," he said. "A hero is a sandwich." (laughter) "I'm a paratrooper." Audience:
Hooah! The President:
We could do well to
learn from Alvin. This country needs
to learn from you. Folks in Washington
need to learn from you. Audience:
Hooah! The President:
Policymakers and historians
will continue to analyze the strategic lessons of Iraq
-- that's important to do. Our commanders will incorporate
the hard-won lessons into future military campaigns --
that's important to do. But the most important lesson
that we can take from you is not about military strategy --
it's a lesson about our national character. For all of the challenges
that our nation faces, you remind us that there's
nothing we Americans can't do when we stick together. Audience:
Hooah! The President:
For all the disagreements
that we face, you remind us there's something
bigger than our differences, something that makes us one
nation and one people regardless of color, regardless of creed,
regardless of what part of the country we come from, regardless
of what backgrounds we come out of. You remind us we're one nation. And that's why the United States
military is the most respected institution in our land
because you never forget that. You can't afford to forget it. If you forget it, somebody dies. If you forget it,
a mission fails. So you don't forget it. You have each other's backs. That's why you, the
9/11 Generation, has earned your
place in history. Because of you -- because you
sacrificed so much for a people that you had never met, Iraqis
have a chance to forge their own destiny. That's part of what makes
us special as Americans. Unlike the old empires, we
don't make these sacrifices for territory or for resources. We do it because it's right. There can be no fuller
expression of America's support for self-determination than our
leaving Iraq to its people. That says something
about who we are. Because of you, in Afghanistan
we've broken the momentum of the Taliban. Because of you, we've begun a
transition to the Afghans that will allow us to bring our
troops home from there. And around the globe,
as we draw down in Iraq, we have gone after al Qaeda so
that terrorists who threaten America will have no safe haven,
and Osama bin Laden will never again walk the
face of this Earth. Audience:
Hooah! (applause) The President:
So here's what I
want you to know, and here's what I want all our
men and women in uniform to know: Because of you, we are
ending these wars in a way that will make America stronger
and the world more secure. Because of you. That success was
never guaranteed. And let us never forget the
source of American leadership: our commitment to the values
that are written into our founding documents, and a unique
willingness among nations to pay a great price for the progress
of human freedom and dignity. This is who we are. That's what we do as
Americans, together. The war in Iraq will
soon belong to history. Your service
belongs to the ages. Never forget that you are part
of an unbroken line of heroes spanning two centuries -- from
the colonists who overthrew an empire, to your grandparents and
parents who faced down fascism and communism, to you -- men and
women who fought for the same principles in
Fallujah and Kandahar, and delivered justice to those
who attacked us on 9/11. Looking back on the war
that saved our union, a great American,
Oliver Wendell Holmes, once paid tribute
to those who served. "In our youth," he said, "our
hearts were touched with fire. It was given to us to learn
at the outset that life is a profound and passionate thing." All of you here today have
lived through the fires of war. You will be remembered for it. You will be honored
for it -- always. You have done something
profound with your lives. When this nation went to
war, you signed up to serve. When times were tough,
you kept fighting. When there was no end in sight,
you found light in the darkness. And years from now, your legacy
will endure in the names of your fallen comrades etched on
headstones at Arlington, and the quiet memorials
across our country; in the whispered words of
admiration as you march in parades, and in the freedom
of our children and our grandchildren. And in the quiet of night, you
will recall that your heart was once touched by fire. You will know that you answered
when your country called; you served a cause
greater than yourselves; you helped forge a just and
lasting peace with Iraq, and among all nations. I could not be prouder of
you, and America could not be prouder of you. God bless you all, God
bless your families, and God bless the United
States of America. (applause)
