[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 56 (Thursday, March 22, 2012)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 16905-16906]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-7161]



[[Page 16903]]

Vol. 77

Thursday,

No. 56

March 22, 2012

Part III





The President





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Proclamation 8785--National Day of Honor
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  Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 56 / Thursday, March 22, 2012 / 
Presidential Documents  

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 Title 3--
 The President

[[Page 16905]]

                Proclamation 8785 of March 19, 2012

                
National Day of Honor

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                Nine years ago, members of the United States Armed 
                Forces crossed the sands of the Iraq-Kuwait border and 
                began one of the most challenging missions our military 
                has ever known. They left the comforts of home and 
                family, volunteering in service to a cause greater than 
                themselves. They braved insurgency and sectarian 
                strife, knowing too well the danger of combat and the 
                cost of conflict. Yet, through the dust and din and the 
                fog of war, they never lost their resolve. 
                Demonstrating unshakable fortitude and unwavering 
                commitment to duty, our men and women in uniform served 
                tour after tour, fighting block by block to help the 
                Iraqi people seize the chance for a better future. And 
                on December 18, 2011, their mission came to an end.

                 Today, we honor their success, their service, and 
                their sacrifice. In one of our Nation's longest wars, 
                veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New 
                Dawn wrote one of the most extraordinary chapters in 
                American military history. When highways became mine 
                fields and uncertainty waited behind every corner, 
                service members rose to meet the task at hand with 
                unmatched courage and determination. They learned 
                languages and cultures, taking on new roles as 
                diplomats and development experts to improve the 
                communities where they served. Their strength toppled a 
                tyrant, and their valor helped build opportunity in 
                oppression's place. Across nearly 9 years of conflict, 
                the glory of their service--as well as the 
                contributions of other members of the U.S. Government 
                and our coalition partners--always shone through.

                 The war left wounds not always seen, but forever felt. 
                The burden of distance and the pain of loss weighed 
                heavily on the hearts of millions at home and overseas. 
                Behind every member of our military stood a parent, a 
                spouse, or a son or daughter who proudly served their 
                community and prayed for their loved one's safe return. 
                For wounded warriors, coming home marked the end of one 
                battle and the beginning of another--to stand, to walk, 
                to recover, and to serve again. And, in war's most 
                profound cost, there were those who never came home. 
                Separated by time and space but united by their love of 
                country, nearly 4,500 men and women are eternally 
                bound; though we have laid them to rest, they will live 
                on in the soul of our Nation now and forever. To them, 
                to their families, and to all who served, we owe a debt 
                that can never be fully repaid.

                 When we returned the colors of United States Forces-
                Iraq and the last of our troops set foot on American 
                soil, we reflected on the extraordinary service and 
                sacrifice of those who answered our country's call. 
                Their example embodied that fundamental American faith 
                that tells us no mission is too hard, no challenge is 
                too great, and that through tests and through trials, 
                we will always emerge stronger than before. Now, our 
                Nation reaffirms our commitment to serve veterans of 
                Iraq as well as they served us--to uphold the sacred 
                trust we share with all who have worn the uniform. Our 
                future is brighter for their service, and today, we 
                express our gratitude by saying once more: Welcome 
                home.

[[Page 16906]]

                 NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the 
                United States of America, by virtue of the authority 
                vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the 
                United States, do hereby proclaim March 19, 2012, as a 
                National Day of Honor. I call upon all Americans to 
                observe this day with appropriate programs, ceremonies, 
                and activities that commemorate the return of the 
                United States Armed Forces from Iraq.

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

[FR Doc. 2012-7161
Filed 3-21-12; 11:15 am]
Billing code 3295-F2-P