[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 212 (Wednesday, November 4, 2009)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 57237-57238]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-26767]


 
 
                         Presidential Documents 
 
 

  Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 212 / Wednesday, November 4, 2009 / 
Presidential Documents  

 ___________________________________________________________________

 Title 3--
 The President

[[Page 57237]]

                Proclamation

                
Veterans Day, 2009 8450

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                We have a sacred trust with those who wear the uniform 
                of the United States of America. From the Minutemen who 
                stood watch over Lexington and Concord to the service 
                members who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, American 
                veterans deserve our deepest appreciation and respect. 
                Our Nation's servicemen and women are our best and 
                brightest, enlisting in times of peace and war, serving 
                with honor under the most difficult circumstances, and 
                making sacrifices that many of us cannot begin to 
                imagine. Today, we reflect upon the invaluable 
                contributions of our country's veterans and reaffirm 
                our commitment to provide them and their families with 
                the essential support they were promised and have 
                earned.

                Caring for our veterans is more than a way of thanking 
                them for their service. It is an obligation to our 
                fellow citizens who have risked their lives to defend 
                our freedom.

                This selflessness binds our fates with theirs, and 
                recognizing those who were willing to give their last 
                full measure of devotion for us is a debt of honor for 
                every American.

                We also pay tribute to all who have worn the uniform 
                and continue to serve their country as civilians. Many 
                veterans act as coaches, teachers, and mentors in their 
                communities, selflessly volunteering their time and 
                expertise. They visit schools to tell our Nation's 
                students of their experiences and help counsel our 
                troops returning from the theater of war. These men and 
                women possess an unwavering belief in the idea of 
                America: no matter where you come from, what you look 
                like, or who your parents are, this is a place where 
                anything is possible. Our veterans continue to stand up 
                for those timeless American ideals of liberty, self-
                determination, and equal opportunity.

                On Veterans Day, we honor the heroes we have lost, and 
                we rededicate ourselves to the next generation of 
                veterans by supporting our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, 
                Marines, and Coast Guardsmen as they return home from 
                duty. Our grateful Nation must keep our solemn promises 
                to these brave men and women and their families. They 
                have given their unwavering devotion to the American 
                people, and we must keep our covenant with them.

                With respect for and in recognition of the 
                contributions our servicemen and women have made to the 
                cause of peace and freedom around the world, the 
                Congress has provided (5 U.S.C. 6103(a)) that November 
                11 of each year shall be set aside as a legal public 
                holiday to honor our Nation's veterans.

                NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the 
                United States of America, do hereby proclaim November 
                11, 2009, as Veterans Day. I encourage all Americans to 
                recognize the valor and sacrifice of our veterans 
                through appropriate public ceremonies and private 
                prayers. I call upon Federal, State, and local 
                officials to display the flag of the United States and 
                to participate in patriotic activities in their 
                communities. I call on all Americans, including civic 
                and fraternal organizations, places of worship,

[[Page 57238]]

                schools, and communities to support this day with 
                commemorative expressions and programs.

                IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 
                thirtieth day of October, in the year of our Lord two 
                thousand nine, and of the Independence of the United 
                States of America the two hundred and thirty-fourth.
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

[FR Doc. E9-26767
Filed 11-3-09; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3195-W9-P