CONCRETELOOP.COM

On Friday (November 11), President Barack Obama, assisted by Sgt.1st Class Chad Eric Wayne Stackpole, 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment Sergeant of the Guard, commemorated Veterans Day by visiting Arlington National Cemetery and placing a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington, Virginia, before paying tribute to the men and women defending our country, many of whom will be coming home in the coming weeks.

“Because of their incredible efforts, we can stand here today and say with confidence the tide of war is receding. In just a few weeks, the long war in Iraq will finally come to an end. Our transition in Afghanistan is moving forward. And my fellow Americans, our troops are coming home.”

President Obama mentioned that while the war in Iraq may be winding down, “the nation we now need to build is our own“. In a video dedication to veterans, he mentioned that the country “has a sacred trust with our veterans — to guarantee you the care and benefits you’ve earned, and the chance to share in the opportunity you defend”. As a result of this, the post-9/11 GI Bill will be fully-funded and other initiatives have been announced to “help our returning heroes”. In his Veterans Day remarks, the president commented that “just as our greatest generation left a country recovering from depression and returned home to build the largest middle class in history, so now will the 9/11 generation play a pivotal role in rebuilding America’s opportunity and prosperity in the 21st century“. View President Obama’s full address below.