    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1993, Book II)]
    [November 11, 1993]
    [Pages 1956-1957]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    [[Page 1956]]

    Remarks at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Martinsburg,
    West Virginia
    November 11, 1993

        Thank you very much. I want to say a special word of thanks to Tom
    Weaver and to all the people on the staff here at this wonderful,
    wonderful health facility for making me feel so welcome today and for
    taking me around at least one of the floors and giving me a feel for the
    kind of care that's provided. I really thank them.
        I'd also like to thank Senator Rockefeller for flying down here with
    me today on the helicopter--I hope the helicopter didn't bother you too
    much when it landed--and my good friend Congressman Wise and Governor
    Caperton. All three of them in different ways have worked hard to try to
    provide quality health care for the veterans of our country and for all
    Americans. And as I'm sure all of you know, that's a big struggle that
    we're involved in now in Washington, and it's nice to have three allies
    from West Virginia.
        I told Jay Rockefeller today that we wouldn't be up there fighting
    for national health care if it hadn't been for him fighting for it a
    long time before someone could run and win a Presidential race on that
    issue, and I thank Jay for that. I also want to encourage you, Governor
    Caperton; this health care is a complicated issue. You just have to keep
    fighting. It's like pushing a rock up a hill, but eventually we get to
    the top, don't we?
        I want to also say to all of you here in West Virginia, I'm
    especially glad to be here on Veterans Day. This whole area of the
    country has the look and feel of my home State of Arkansas. And one of
    the men I met today when touring the hospital, a man named Overman, was
    actually born in Arkansas. So I sat on his bed and looked out the window
    and thought I was home. He didn't have an accent. [Laughter]
        We're here today to honor all the Americans who have worn our
    Nation's uniform, those who have contributed in war and those who have
    stood in peace, people who have protected our security and people for
    whom we now have a moral obligation to protect their security. I wanted
    to come here to this hospital today to drive that point home. I know we
    can never fully repay the debt that we owe as a country to our veterans.
    But we can honor that debt and partially repay it by making sure that we
    have quality, secure, and comprehensive health care for all the veterans
    of the United States.
        This morning I had the honor of hosting a breakfast at the White
    House for the leaders of our veterans groups and for several of the
    brave young soldiers who have been serving our country in Somalia and
    who were involved in the ferocious firefight on October the 3d. And this
    morning I was also pleased to sign into law a bill, which Senator
    Rockefeller was the leading sponsor, which increases the cost of living
    allowance to our disabled veterans, which goes into effect on December
    1st. Even though this is late in the year, thanks to the leadership of
    Senator Rockefeller who's the chairman of the Senate Veterans' Affairs
    committee and his counterpart in the House, my neighbor, Sonny
    Montgomery from Mississippi, this will be paid on time beginning in
    January of 1994.
        Again, let me say how much I appreciate the leadership that Senator
    Rockefeller has exhibited, not only on the issue of health care for all
    Americans but on the special needs of our Nation's veterans. We stand
    together, along with Congressman Wise, in our determination to make sure
    that we do something about the health care issue to provide real and
    genuine and comprehensive security to all the people of this country
    before the Congress goes home next year. We have to do that.
        The Veterans Administration today operates the Nation's largest
    health care system. And as I said today, I saw a health care facility
    here that any American, any American, would be proud to be a part of, to
    work in or to be a patient in. Under the leadership of Secretary of
    Veterans Affairs Jesse Brown and the Deputy Secretary, Hershel Gober,
    who's here with me today somewhere--Hershel where are you? He's not up
    here on this stage because he's heard this speech before, he said. We're
    going to continue to work for that.
        When I was out in the crowd outside shaking hands, I was pleased to
    see that one lady had already purchased a paperback copy of the
    administration's proposed health plan that was put together by the group
    that the First Lady head-

    [[Page 1957]]

    ed. One of the things that I want to encourage all of you to do is to
    get a copy of that plan and read it. I'm very proud of the fact that the
    health care reform plan proposed by our administration is the only one
    that embraces the VA as a real resource for high-quality, affordable
    health care for our people. Under our plan, all veterans would be
    eligible to receive their comprehensive national health care benefit
    package through the VA system. Veterans with service-connected
    disabilities and low-income veterans who choose VA would receive this
    care with no copayments or deductibles. And no veteran in need of health
    care would ever be turned away from a VA hospital if our plan became
    law.
        This Veterans Day is a special one. It marks the 75th anniversary of
    the armistice which ended World War I. And as all of you know, that was
    the occasion for commemorating Veterans Day. We are fortunate today that
    there are about 31,000 living veterans from World War I, and four of
    them are with us. I want to acknowledge them today and to tell you that
    today we'll be giving them this medal commemorating their service in
    World War I and a certificate. The medal says: 75th Anniversary, World
    War I. And then on the back, it has two great slogans: A grateful Nation
    remembers, and They came on wings of eagles.
        Now, let me introduce them to you: Mr. Benjamin Valentine. Where are
    you? There's Mr. Valentine. He's right there. I want to tell you a
    little bit about him. He served in the Army from May 1918 through May
    1919. He was assigned to the Quartermaster Corps and embarkation depot
    at Charleston, South Carolina. In his civilian life he worked in a
    brickyard, and his favorite leisure activities were hunting and fishing.
        The next honoree is Mr. Ernest Deetjen. Where is he? Mr. Deetjen.
    Let me tell you a little about him. He served in the Army as a cook with
    the 331st Supply Company. He enlisted in June 1918 and served in France
    from October of 1918 until October of 1919. In his civilian life, he
    opened the first A&P in Hagerstown, Maryland--good for him--and later
    opened his own store. And since we're here in this outstanding health
    facility, I should also mention that his uncle helped discover the X-ray
    process and brought the procedure to the Johns Hopkins Hospital in
    Baltimore. I also learned today that this fine gentleman actually once
    met President Woodrow Wilson. I think in France, I believe, in
    Versailles in France, he met President Wilson. Now, let me tell you why
    that's important. Not only was President Wilson a member of the same
    political party as I am, but every year there's a new President, a
    famous American shoe company, Johnson and Murphy from Nashville,
    Tennessee, writes the President a letter and offers the President a pair
    of shoes and tells you what every other President's ordered since 1856.
    So when I got my shoes, they said, ``Dear Mr. President, you have the
    biggest feet in the White House since Woodrow Wilson.'' [Laughter] So,
    Mr. Deetjen, we're glad to see you.
        Mr. Robert Hannah. Where is he? Let's recognize him. Here he is. Mr.
    Hannah served as a courier in the 317th Infantry from September of 1917
    through June of 1919. He worked as a logger. He helped to build the Cass
    Railroad in West Virginia. He worked in an aircraft plant. His last job
    was with Bethlehem Steel in Sparrows Point, Maryland. He's certainly
    earned his way through life. Let's give him a hand. [Applause]
        And our last honoree is Mr. Milton Garland from Waynesboro,
    Pennsylvania. Stand up, Mr. Garland. This man has an amazing story. He
    served in the first division of the Navy from July of 1918 through
    September of 1921. At the age of 98, he is still known as ``Mr.
    Refrigeration'' because, at his age, he still teaches refrigeration
    classes in Waynesboro for the Frick Refrigeration Company. He has
    designed ice rinks, food refrigeration units, and petrochemical
    controls, and he's still working at his chosen profession. Let's give
    him a hand. [Applause]
        I close by asking you to remember that the service that these fine
    people rendered is being replicated today all around the world by the
    men and women who wear our uniforms. Today they are the best-trained,
    best-equipped, ablest people who have ever worn the uniform of the
    United States of America. They would not be able to do that today, had
    it not been for the contributions of people like these four men we
    honor. So I ask you to remember what this says: A grateful Nation
    remembers. Thank you all very much.

    Note: The President spoke at 2:04 p.m. in the Domiciliary. In his
    remarks, he referred to Thomas Weaver, director of the Veterans Medical
    Center.