President Obama honored America’s veterans this Veterans’ Day at Arlington National Cemetery, laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and giving brief remarks before veterans and others. The President praised the nations of past wars, but also emphasized the generation of veterans of the recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, praising their commitment and service in the wake of the attacks on Sept. 11th:
"This generation, the 9/11 generation has met every mission we have asked of them and today we can say because of their service, the core of al Qaeda is on the path of defeat, our nation is more secure, and our homeland is safer."
The President stressed the need for a robust and well-equipped Department of Veterans’ Affairs to adequately support veterans when they return from active duty:
"As a nation, we make sure we have the best led, best trained, best equipped military in the world. We have to devote just as much energy and passion to make sure we have the best cared for and treated and respected veterans in the world.
So when we talk about fulfilling our promises to our veterans, we don't just mean for a few years. We mean now, tomorrow and forever. And not just for generations past, but for this generation of veterans and all who will follow."
The President also honored US Army veteran Richard Overton, a Second World War veteran who was present at Monday’s ceremony and, at 107 years old, is believed to be the oldest living American veteran.
"This is the life of one American veteran living proud and strong in the land he helped keep free. And earlier this year, the great folks at Honor Flight Austin brought Richard to Washington, D.C. for the first time. And he and his fellow veterans paid their respects to the World War II memorial. And then they visited the memorial to Martin Luther King Jr. As Richard sat in a wheelchair beneath that great marble statute, he wept. And the crowd who gathered around him wept too. Richard Overton, this American veteran, is 107 years old. And we are honored that he is here with us today."