Some 233 years ago, the signers of the Declaration of Independence declared, “all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.”    

Throughout the course of American history, courageous men and women have taken up arms to secure, defend and maintain these core principles upon which our nation’s freedoms depend.

America was founded on the principles of liberty, opportunity, and justice for all, and on Veterans Day we recognize the men and women of our Armed Forces who have valiantly defended these values throughout our nation’s history.

These remarkable individuals have helped to make our nation secure and to advance the cause of freedom worldwide. By answering the call of duty and risking their lives to protect their fellow countrymen, these patriots have inspired our nation with their courage, compassion and dedication.

Today, there are more than 25 million living veterans who served our nation in times of peace and war. Many of them willingly entered harm’s way to fight for our freedoms. These veterans have diverse religious beliefs and come from varying backgrounds and ethnicities.

By their service, they kept America strong, and they have protected our way of life from tyranny’s grip for more than two centuries. At this moment, men and women of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard are serving around the world.

They represent our resolute dedication to achieving a lasting peace out of the new challenges and threats of the 21st century.

Our troops are now fighting overseas to defeat terrorism, and, in that effort, they follow in the footsteps of the 48 million men and women who, since our nation’s founding, have stepped forward to defend our land.

Today let us pause to reflect on the sacrifices of all of those who have put on the uniform to serve in the United States military. Let us honor our veterans, who proved their heroism and love of country time and again, from Yorktown and Gettysburg to Iwo Jima and the Persian Gulf.

They consistently defended our ideals across the globe; and they continue to inspire those who defend America today, half a world away.

More than a million have died in service to America; and more than a million and a half have been wounded. Some now live with disabilities. Our nation will always be grateful for the noble sacrifices made by these veterans.

We can never adequately repay them. But we can honor and respect them for their service.

On this Veterans Day, we ask all Americans to express their appreciation to our nation’s veterans.

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