Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan
10:14 P.M. AFT
THE PRESIDENT: Hello, Bagram! (Applause.)
Well, I know it's a little late, but I was in the neighborhood and
thought I'd stop by. (Applause.) First of all, I want everybody to
give a huge round of applause to your commander, General
Joe Dunford. Please give him an outstanding, rousing acknowledgement.
(Applause.) I am grateful to him for his leadership of our coalition
here in Afghanistan, and for his lifetime of distinguished service -- to
the Marine Corps and to America.
And can everybody please
give it up to Brad Paisley? (Applause.) Now, I want to say this about
Brad. First of all, he’s a great supporter of our troops, a great
supporter of your families. Two years ago we had
him at the White House to perform for troops and military families
during the Fourth of July celebration. Him coming here today was not
easy. He had just started a tour and he had to juggle a lot of stuff
and had to try to figure out how to explain it to
people without explaining it to people, and his wife and two young
sons, and promoters and agents -- and without going into details, this
was a big sacrifice for him. And he did it because he cares so deeply
about you. So I'm so grateful to him.
I want to make clear, though, I will not be singing so --
AUDIENCE: Awwww --
THE PRESIDENT: Oh, you
really want me to sing? (Applause.) No, but I do want to just say to
Brad, thank you so much for doing this.
I want to acknowledge our
outstanding Ambassador, Jim Cunningham, who’s here, with his lovely
wife. And Jim leads an incredible team of civilians -- at our embassy
and across this country. They are also making
sacrifices, also away from their families, oftentimes themselves at
risk as they serve. I know those of you in uniform couldn’t do your
jobs without these Americans as your partners. So we salute the
dedicated service of all the civilians who are here, led
by Jim Cunningham. Give them a big round of applause. (Applause.)
Now, I guess I also should
mention that we've got a few folks here as part of the 10th Mountain
Division -- (applause) -- “Climb To Glory.” (Applause.) We got the
455th Airwing in the house. (Applause.) Task
Force Muleskinner -- (applause) -- Task Force Thunder -- (applause --
Task Force Rugged -- (applause.)
To all of you, I’m here on
a single mission, and that is to thank you for your extraordinary
service. (Applause.) I thank you as your Commander-in-Chief because
you inspire me. Your willingness to serve, to step
forward at a time of war, and say “send me,” is the reason the United
States stays strong and free. Of all the honors that I have serving as
President, nothing matches serving as your Commander-in-Chief.
(Applause.)
But I’m also here
representing 300 million Americans who want to say thank you as well.
(Applause.) I know sometimes when you're over here, away from home,
away from family, you may not truly absorb how much the
folks back home are thinking about you. So I just want you to know
when it comes to supporting you and your families, the American people
stand united. We support you. We are proud of you. We stand in awe of
your service.
And you can see it in
American actions every single day. You see it in the kids across
America who send you all those care packages -- and all those Girl Scout
cookies. (Applause.) Those are pretty popular, huh?
(Applause.) You like those cookies, huh? (Applause.) All right.
I'll bet you’ll get some more now. (Applause.)
You see it in the
neighbors and the coworkers who volunteer to help your moms and dads,
and wives and husbands, and sons and daughters at school and on their
sports teams. You see it at the airport when you return
stateside -- all the folks standing up, applauding, lining up to shake
your hand and welcoming you home.
We see it when entire
stadiums get to their feet to salute our troops and our veterans. Just
the other day, I welcomed the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks --
(Applause and boos.) Listen, I'm a Bears’ fan,
but I -- (applause) -- but the one thing I saw and I've seen in every
sports team that comes to the White House is the work that they do,
visiting Walter Reed, Bethesda, doing work with military families. In
fact, to help announce their draft picks this month,
the Seattle Seahawks selected Jeff Baker, who’s a Seahawks fan but also
a veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan and a proud sergeant in the U.S.
Army, to make that draft pick. (Applause.) Because they wanted to send
a signal that we love our sports and we love
our football -- that's fun and games, but this is the competition that
counts and these are the real heroes. (Applause.)
You see America’s
gratitude every time I present a veteran of Afghanistan with our
nation’s highest military decoration, the Medal of Honor. We bestow
that medal on an individual. But every time -- every time
that we bestow that medal, whoever is the recipient says he accepts it
on behalf of the whole team and everybody who wears the uniform of the
American Armed Forces. And when those citations are read, Americans all
across the country stop and they listen --
and they’re stirred by the sacrifices you render for each other, and
for all of us.
So I'm here to say thank
you and I'm here to say how proud I am of you. (Applause.) And I'm
here to say how proud I am of your families -- (applause) -- because in
some ways, in ways large and small, they’re sacrificing
just like you are.
But I’m also here because
after more than a decade of war, we’re at a pivotal moment. Last year
marked a major milestone -- for the first time, Afghan forces took the
lead to secure their own country. And today,
you’re in a support role -- helping to train and assist Afghan forces.
For many of you, this will be your last tour in Afghanistan.
(Applause.) And by the end of this year, the transition will be
complete and Afghans will take full responsibility for their
security, and our combat mission will be over. America’s war in
Afghanistan will come to a responsible end. (Applause.)
Now, that progress is
because of you and the more than half a million Americans -- military
and civilian -- who’ve served here in Afghanistan. And I don’t want you
to ever forget why you are here or how vital your
mission is to our national security.
Some of you may know,
recently, I was in New York City, and we were there to dedicate the new
9/11 Museum. I had time to spend with the survivors, and with families
who lost loved ones, and with the first responders
who had rushed to the scene -- and had a chance to ponder the portraits
and the biographies of the thousands who were killed that day, and to
think about those who were killed in Pennsylvania and at the Pentagon.
And once again, we resolved to never forget
what happened on that September day
-- and to do everything in our power to prevent
something like that from ever happening again. That’s why you’re here.
That's why you're here.
And I notice -- some of you don't remember --
because as I was getting a briefing while Brad was singing, I saw a
picture of the Twin Towers in the Operation Room nearby, so I know you
don't forget.
And four years ago, on my
first visit to Bagram as President, I laid out our mission. And General
Dunford and Ambassador Cunningham just gave me a briefing on your
progress. And today, every single one of you,
everybody who has served here, and all the members of our coalition can
be proud because you are completing our mission. You're completing the
mission.
We said that we were going
to deny al Qaeda safe haven. And since then, we have decimated the al
Qaeda leadership in the tribal regions, and our troops here at Bagram
played a central role in supporting our counterterrorism
operations -- including the one that delivered justice to Osama bin
Laden. (Applause.) So, along with our intelligence personnel, you’ve
helped prevent attacks and save American lives back home. Al Qaeda is
on its heels in this part of the world, and that’s
because of you.
We said that we were going
to reverse the Taliban’s momentum. And so you went on the offensive,
driving the Taliban out of its strongholds. Look, everybody knows
Afghanistan is still a very dangerous place. Insurgents
still launch cowardly attacks against innocent civilians. But just
look at the progress that you’ve made possible -- Afghans reclaiming
their communities, and more girls returning to school, dramatic
improvements in public health and life expectancy and literacy.
That's your legacy. That's what you did. Even with all the
challenges, more Afghans have hope for their future. And so much of
that is because of you.
We said that we were going
to strengthen the capacity of Afghan forces so they could take more
responsibility for their own security. So you’ve been training Afghan
forces and building Afghan forces up. And we
know they’ve still got a long way to go. But for nearly a year,
Afghans have been in the lead, and they’re making enormous sacrifices.
You look at the casualties they’re taking on. They are willing to
fight. Afghan forces are growing stronger. Afghans
are proud to be defending their own country -- and, again, so much of
that is because of you.
Think about last month’s
election. Despite all the threats from the Taliban, the Afghan people
refused to be terrorized. They registered to vote. Afghan security
forces secured thousands of polling places. Then
millions of Afghans lined up to cast their ballot. And next month’s
runoff will be another step toward the first democratic transfer of
power in the history of this nation. That’s a tribute to the courage
and determination of the people of Afghanistan.
But it is also a tribute to you and the sacrifices of so many Americans
and our coalition partners -- everything that you’ve done over the
years.
We know that this progress has come at a heavy price. Tomorrow
is Memorial Day. At bases here in Afghanistan and towns across
America, we will pause and we'll pay tribute to all those who’ve laid
down their lives
for our freedom. And that includes nearly 2,200 American patriots who
made the ultimate sacrifice, that last, full measure of devotion, right
here in Afghanistan. I know you’ve stood in front of those battle
crosses. I know many of you carry the memories
of your fallen comrades in your heart today. We will honor every
single one of them -- not just tomorrow, but forever.
I want you to know our
gratitude is shared by the Afghan people. One of them -- one of
Afghanistan’s leading women, a member of parliament -- recently wrote an
open letter. I don't know if many of you had a chance
to see it. She described all the changes that have taken place here,
including millions of girls going to school and pursuing their dreams.
And she wrote this -- I want you to listen to this -- she wrote: “It’s
been a difficult journey, marked by blood
and violence, but we have made significant gains and achievements,
which would not have been possible without
the
generous support of the international community, especially the
American people.” Especially the American people. She’s talking about
all of you. She’s talking about your families. She’s talking about
those
who we've lost. That’s the difference -- and the legacy -- that you
can be proud of.
Now, even as our combat
mission ends later this year, I want everybody to know, in this country
and across the region, America’s commitment to the people of Afghanistan
will endure. With our strategic partnership,
we’ll continue to stand with Afghans as they strengthen their
institutions, as they build their economy, as they improve their lives
-- men and women, and boys and girls.
I’ve made it clear that
we’re prepared to continue cooperating with our Afghan partners on two
security missions -- training and equipping Afghan forces and targeting
-- counterterrorism targets against al Qaeda.
And once Afghanistan has sworn in its new president, I’m hopeful we’ll
sign a bilateral security agreement that lets us move forward. And with
that bilateral security agreement, assuming it is signed, we can plan
for a limited military presence in Afghanistan
beyond 2014. Because after all the sacrifices we’ve made, we want to
preserve the gains that you have helped to win. And we’re going to make
sure that Afghanistan can never again, ever, be used again to launch an
attack against our country.
So our combat mission here
will come to an end. But our obligations to you and your families have
only just begun. The al Qaeda leadership may be on the ropes, but in
other regions of the world al Qaeda affiliates
are evolving and pose a serious threat. We’re going to have to stay
strong and we're going to have to stay vigilant. And fortunately, we’ve
got the best-led, best-trained, best-equipped military in human
history. (Applause.) And as Commander-in Chief,
I’m going to keep it that way. (Applause.)
We’re going to stay strong
by taking care of your families back home. First Lady Michelle and
Vice President Joe Biden’s wife Jill have made this their mission --
because your families serve, too. They’re heroes
on the home front. And so we’re going to keep Joining Forces to make
sure more Americans are stepping up to support and honor those
extraordinary families.
We’re going to stay strong
by taking care of our wounded warriors and our veterans. (Applause.)
Because helping our wounded warriors and veterans heal isn’t just a
promise, it’s a sacred obligation. As you come
home, some of you will return to civilian life, and we want to make
sure you can enjoy the American Dream that you helped to defend. So
with the transition assistance to help you begin the next chapter of
your life -- that's going to keep America strong.
The credentials and licenses to help you find a job worthy of your
incredible skills -- that will keep America strong. Making sure the
Post-9/11 GI Bill is in place and delivering for you the kind of
education that you have earned -- that will keep America
strong. (Applause.)
And I keep on saying to
every company back home -- if you want somebody who knows how to get the
job done, hire a vet. (Applause.) Hire a vet. Hire a vet.
(Applause.) Because like generations before you, we
need you to help us write the next great chapter in the American story,
and I know you’ll do that because I’ve seen the character of your
service, and I know the strength of our country.
Going back to New York and
thinking about that tragedy 12 years ago, in those awful moments after
the Twin Towers fell, as the wreckage was still burning, those at the
scene were desperately looking for survivors
-- one of those searching was a detective with the NYPD. And as he
climbed through the debris, he spotted something in the rubble -- it was
a flag. It was torn up. Parts of it were burned, but it was still
intact.
And today, that flag is at
the 9/11 Museum. It’s dusty. And it's torn, and you can see the burn
marks from the fires. That flag has been through a lot. But the thing
you notice is its broad stripes and bright
stars still shine. (Applause.) Its red, white and blue still
inspire. After all it’s been through, after all America has been
through, our flag is still there. (Applause.)
And our flag is still
there because when our nation was attacked, a generation -- this
generation, the 9/11 Generation -- stepped up and said “send me.” Our
flag is still there because you’ve served with honor
in dusty villages and city streets, and in rugged bases and remote
outposts, in Helmand and Kandahar, and Khost and Kunar and Paktika and
Nuristan. Our flag is still there because through this long war you
never wavered in your belief that people deserve
to live free from fear -- over here and back home. Our flag will
always be there, because the freedom and liberty it represents to the
world will always be defended by patriots like you. (Applause.)
So I'm here to say thank
you. I'm here to say I'm proud of you. The American people are proud
of you. God bless you. God bless the United States Armed Forces. And
God Bless our United States of America. (Applause.)
Thank you very much, everybody. (Applause.)
END 10:35 P.M. AFT
According to a release, Competitive Resources Inc. of Wallingford will donate $25 to Operation Fuel each
time a customer of Connecticut Light and Power Company or
The United Illuminating Co. has
a home energy assessment done by CRI on behalf of the statewide energy
assistance program. 
