General Petraeus:
Good evening to you all! How about a "hooah?" Soldiers:
Hooah! General Petraeus:
How about an "Air Assault?" Soldiers:
Air Assault! General Petraeus:
Ah, we gotta try that again. How about an "Air Assault?" Soldiers:
Air Assault! General Petraeus:
Anybody out here want
to say "Air Power?" Soldiers:
Air Power! General Petraeus:
And is everybody ready
for the main event? (cheering) You sure about that? (cheering) Okay. Here's the deal. Couple of years ago, my air
assault buddy at the time -- at the time, Command Sergeant
Major of the 101st Airborne Division -- (cheering) -- Command Sergeant
Major Marvin Hill, told me what he looks
for in a commander. He listed all of the usual
qualities that you'd expect -- you know all the ones
-- and then he added: I also want a commander who
is available to our troopers, who is accessible to
our troopers and who is approachable. Now, as I thought about it, I
realized that in addition to all the qualities we
expect in leaders, I also look for those
specific attributes. And this evening, it is my honor
to introduce to you a leader who has demonstrated his
concern for each of you; who's already been to the
hospital to pin Purple Hearts on some of our wounded warriors,
to meet with a platoon that suffered tragic loss; and who
has proven above all that he is available, accessible
and approachable, by flying halfway around the
world to be here with us tonight. Fellow warriors, please join me
in welcoming the leader who made the tough decision to provide us
the resources that have enabled progress here in Afghanistan,
the President of the United States of America, our
Commander-in-Chief, President Barack Obama. (cheering and applause) Okay. But before the President starts,
I think you all know the President was out on the
basketball court a few days ago. Now he'd beaten that
team four times already. He'd just scored on the guy, and
elbows started flying around. Now the only explanation we can
come up with is that they forgot who they were playing with. And so Sergeant Major Hill,
still my air assault buddy, decided we'd give
him a T- shirt. Well, okay, I got it. It's not the biggest, baddest. It's an ISAF T-shirt. It's hooah. But then -- (cheering) Yeah, okay. But then the commander, the 43rd
commander of the 101st Airborne Division -- (cheering) -- came up with a
manly man T-shirt, and no one will mess with you if
you wear this, Mr. President. Hooah! (cheering and applause) The President:
Hello, everybody! (applause) I'm sorry, Bagram,
I can't hear you. (applause) Air Assault! (applause) It is great to be back. Let me first of all thank the
101st Airborne Division Band. Where's the band? Give them a big
round of applause. Thank you. (applause) To Chief Thomas Hager and to
the commander and conductor. I gather we had a couple
of other bands playing, Manifest Destiny and Nuts. I don't know about, you know -- I don't know how they sounded. What did you think? Were they pretty good? Soldiers:
Hooah! The President:
It is great to be back. And I apologize for
keeping you guys up late, coming on such short notice. But I wanted to make sure that
I could spend a little time this holiday with the men and women
of the finest fighting force that the world has ever
known, and that's all of you. (applause) I want to thank
General Petraeus, not only for the introduction
and the T-shirts, but for General Petraeus's
lifetime of service. This is somebody who has helped
change the way we fight wars and win wars in the 21st century. And I am very grateful that he
agreed to take command of our efforts here in Afghanistan. He has been an extraordinary
warrior on behalf of the American people. Thank you, David Petraeus. (applause) I want to thank all your
outstanding leaders who welcomed me here, including
General John Campbell; Admiral Bill McRaven from the
455th Air Expeditionary Wing; Colonel Todd Canterbury. I want to salute your great
senior enlisted leaders, including Command Sergeant
Major Scott Schroeder -- Soldiers:
Hooah! The President:
-- Command Sergeant
Major Chris Farris, and Command Chief Craig Adams. Soldiers:
Hooah! The President:
I also want to acknowledge
the outstanding work that our civilians are doing
each and every day, starting with Karl Eikenberry
all the way through to your senior civilian representative
Thomas Gibbons and all the civilians who are here. They are fighting alongside you. They are putting
themselves at risk. They are away from
their families. And we are very, very
grateful to them as well. So give them a big
round of applause. (applause) I think we've got every
service here tonight. We've got Army. (applause) We've got Navy. (applause) We've got Air Force. (applause) I think we may have a
few Marines around, too. (applause) And a whole lot of folks from
the 101st Airborne Division, The Screaming Eagles. (applause) Here in Afghanistan,
you are all -- Coast Guard, is
that what I heard? (laughter) Here in Afghanistan, all of
you are part of one team, serving together,
succeeding together, except maybe in next
week's Army-Navy game. As your Commander-in-Chief, I've
got to stay neutral on that. (laughter) We also have some ISAF
partners here as well. (laughter) You know, when I was
here in the spring, we had a coalition
of 43 nations. Now we've got a
coalition of 49 nations. And this sends a powerful
message that the coalition of nations that supports
Afghanistan is strong and is growing. Now, I'm not here to
give a long speech. I want to shake as
many hands as I can. Soldiers:
Hooah! The President:
But let me say that
at this time of year, Americans are giving thanks for
all the blessings that we have. And as we begin
this holiday season, there is no place that I'd
rather be than be here with you. I know it's not easy for all
of you to be away from home, especially during the holidays. And I know it's hard
on your families. They've got an empty
seat at the dinner table. Sometimes during the holiday
season that's when you feel the absence of somebody
you love most acutely. But here's what I
want you to know. As President of
the United States, I have no greater responsibility
than keeping the American people secure. I could not meet
that responsibility, we could not protect
the American people, we could not enjoy the blessings
of our liberty without the extraordinary service that each
and every one of you perform each and every day. So on behalf of me,
on behalf of Michelle, on behalf of Malia and Sasha, on
behalf of more than 300 million Americans, we are
here to say thank you. Soldiers:
Hooah! The President:
We are here to say thank you
for everything that you do. Now, I also want to say thank
you to your families back home so that when you talk to
them you know that they know. (applause) They're serving here with
you -- in mind and spirit, if not in body. Millions of Americans give
thanks this holiday season just as generations have before
when they think about our armed services. You're part of an unbroken line
of Americans who have given up your comfort, your ease, your
convenience for America's security. It was on another cold December
more than 200 years ago that a band of patriots helped to found
our nation, defeat an empire -- from that icy river to
the fields of Europe, from the islands in the
Pacific to the hills of Korea, from the jungles of Vietnam
to the deserts of Iraq, those who went before you, they
also found themselves in this season of peace serving in war. They did it for the same
reason that all of you do -- because the freedom and the
liberty that we treasure, that's not simply a birthright. It has to be earned by the
sacrifices of generations -- generations of patriots, men and
women who step forward and say, send me. I know somebody has got to do
it, and I'm willing to serve. Men and women who are willing to
risk all and some who gave all to keep us safe,
to keep us free. In our time, in
this 21st century, when so many other institutions
seem to be shirking their responsibilities, you've
embraced your responsibilities. You've shown why the United
States military remains the most trusted institution in America. That's the legacy that your
generation has forged during this decade of trial in Iraq
and here in Afghanistan. That's the legacy that
you're carrying forward. As General Petraeus mentioned,
one year ago I ordered additional troops to serve
in this country that was the staging ground for
the 9/11 attacks. All of those troops
are now in place. And thanks to your service, we
are making important progress. You are protecting your country. You're achieving
your objectives. You will succeed
in your mission. Soldiers:
Hooah! The President:
We said we were going to
break the Taliban's momentum, and that's what you're doing. You're going on the offense,
tired of playing defense, targeting their leaders, pushing
them out of their strongholds. Today we can be proud that there
are fewer areas under Taliban control and more Afghans have a
chance to build a more hopeful future. We said a year ago that we're
going to build the capacity of the Afghan people. And that's what you're doing,
meeting our recruitment targets, training Afghan forces,
partnering with those Afghans who want to build a stronger and
more stable and more prosperous Afghanistan. I don't need to tell you
this is a tough fight. I just came from the medical
unit and saw our wounded warriors, pinned
some Purple Hearts. I just talked to the platoon
that lost six of their buddies in a senseless act of violence. This is tough business. Progress comes slow. There are going to be
difficult days ahead. Progress comes at a high price. So many of you have stood
before the solemn battle cross, display of boots,
a rifle, a helmet, and said good-bye
to a fallen comrade. This year alone nearly 100
members of 101st have given their last full
measure of devotion. There are few days when I don't
sign a letter to a military family expressing our nation's
gratitude and grief at their profound sacrifice. And this holiday season our
thoughts and prayers are with those who've lost a loved
one -- the father and mother, the son or daughter, the brother or sister or friend who's not coming home. And we know that their memories
will never be forgotten and that their life has added to
the life of our nation. And because of the service of
the men and women of the United States military, because of
the progress you're making, we look forward to a
new phase next year, the beginning of a transition
to Afghan responsibility. As we do, we continue to forge
a partnership with the Afghan people for the long term. And we will never let this
country serve as a safe haven for terrorists who would attack
the United States of America again. That will never happen. Soldiers:
Hooah! The President:
This part of the world is the center of a global effort where we are going to disrupt and
dismantle and defeat al Qaeda and its extremist allies. And that's why you're here. That's why your mission
matters so much. That's why you must succeed -- because this effort is about the safety of our communities back home and the dignity of the Afghan people who don't
want to live in tyranny. Now, even though it is a
hallmark of American democracy that we have our arguments
back home, we have our debates, we have our elections, I can say
without hesitation that there is no division on one thing, no
hesitation on one thing -- and that is the uniform support
of our men and women who are serving in the armed services. Soldiers:
Hooah! The President:
Everybody -- everybody
is behind you. Everybody back
home is behind you. Everybody, from north to
south to east to west, from sea to shining sea, the
American people are united in support of you
and your families. And as your Commander-in-Chief,
I also want you to know that we will do whatever it takes to
make sure that you have the strategy and the resources and
the equipment and the leadership to get this done. You may have noticed that
during these tough budget times, I took the step of freezing
pay for our federal workforce. But because of the
service that you rendered, all who wear the uniform of the
United States of America are exempt from that action. Soldiers:
Hooah! The President:
And we're going to make -- we're going to spare no effort to make sure that your families have the support that they deserve as well. That doesn't just matter to me. It's also a top
priority for Michelle -- to make sure that Americans
understand the sacrifices that your families are making. As she likes to say, 100% of
Americans need to be right -- they are supporting you
and your families -- 100%. Only 1% are fighting these wars,
but 100% of us have to be behind you and your families. Your generation, the generation
of Afghanistan and Iraq, has met every mission
that you've been given. You've served tour after tour. You've earned not
just our admiration; you've earned your place in
American history alongside those greatest generations. And the stories of those who
served in these wars are too numerous to tell. But one of my greatest
privileges as President is to get to know the stories of those
who earn the Medal of Honor. Two months ago, I presented the
Medal to the parents of Staff Sergeant Robert Miller, who gave
his life here in Afghanistan as a member of the Green Berets. His valor, charging toward
some 150 insurgents, saved the lives of nearly
two dozen American and Afghan comrades. Last month, we held
another ceremony. For the first time
in nearly 40 years, the recipient of the Medal of
Honor for an ongoing conflict was actually able to
accept it in person. His name is Staff
Sergeant Salvatore Giunta. And some of you may
have seen his story, but I want to tell it again
tonight because of what it says not just about our armed forces,
but also what it says about the country that we love. So three years ago, Sal and his
platoon were in Korengal Valley. When their patrol was ambushed,
two Americans lay wounded up ahead. That's when Sal and his
men counter-attacked. Again and again and again, they
were being rained down with fire. But they just kept
counter-attacking because they wanted to get their two buddies. And when he saw one of his
teammates wounded and being carried away by insurgents, Sal
rushed in to help his friends -- despite the bullets. Despite the danger, he
kept on pressing forward. It was an incredibly
intense firefight. And by the time it was finished,
every single member of that platoon had shrapnel or a
bullet hole in their gear. Five were wounded, and
two had given their lives. Now, Sal is a pretty humble guy. And so when he came to the
White House he said, "You know, I didn't do anything special." He said he was
just doing his job, that he didn't do anything that
his brothers wouldn't have done for him. "If I'm a hero," he said, "then
every man who stands around me, every woman in the military,
every person who defends this country is also a hero." And he's right. Each of you has your own story. Each of you is writing your own
chapter in the story of America and the story of
American armed forces. Each of you have some losses. Each of you have
made sacrifices. You come from every
conceivable background -- from big cities and small towns,
from every race and faith and station. You've come together to
serve a greater cause, one that matters to the citizens
of your country back home and to strangers who live a world away. So make no mistake,
through your service, you demonstrate the content
of the American character. Sal is right -- every
single one of you is a hero. Some people ask whether
America's best days lie ahead or whether our greatness stretches
back behind us in the stories of those who've gone before. And when I look out at all of
you, I know the answer to that. You give me hope. You give me inspiration. Your resolve shows that
Americans will never succumb to fear. Your selfless service shows who
we are, who we always will be -- united as one people and
united as one nation -- for you embody and stand up for
the values that make us what we are as a people. America is not defined
by our borders. We are defined by
a common creed. In this holiday season, it's
worth remembering that "we hold these truths to be self-evident,
that all men are created equal, that we are endowed by our
Creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are the
right to life and liberty and the pursuit of happiness." And that's what you're fighting
for here in Afghanistan, and that's what you're
protecting back home. And that belief is more
powerful than any adversary. So we may face a tough
enemy in Afghanistan, and we're in a period of
tough challenges back home, but we did not become the nation
that we are because we do what's easy. As Americans we've endured
and we've grown stronger, and we remain the Land of the
Free only because we are also Home of the Brave. And because of you, I know that
once more, we will prevail. So thank you. God bless you, and God bless
the United States of America. Soldiers:
Hooah!
