    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1994, Book II)]
    [November 11, 1994]
    [Pages 2063-2064]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks at a Veterans Day Ceremony in Arlington, Virginia
    November 11, 1994

        Thank you very much. Thank you. Commander Sioss, distinguished
    leaders of our veterans organizations, Secretary Brown, Secretary Perry,
    General Shalikashvili, officials of the Veterans Administration, to our
    men and women in uniform and their families, our veterans, my fellow
    Americans, I am proud to share this Veterans Day with you in this
    magnificent place of rest and reverence.
        Today we honor all those who gave their lives and all those who have
    risked their lives so that our Nation might remain free. And we honor,
    of course, all those who at this very moment are standing watch for
    freedom and security, from our bases across the United States to our
    mission around the world. To each and every American who has worn the
    uniform of the United States Armed Forces, we say simply, from the
    bottom of our hearts, thank you.
        Over the past few months at home and abroad, I have had the
    privilege of saying that thank-you in person to men and women who are
    keeping our Nation's commitment. Today we say a special word of thanks
    to our troops who are helping the Haitian people turn from fear and
    repression to hope and democracy and a special word of thanks to our
    troops in the Persian Gulf who are insuring that Iraq does not again
    threaten its neighbors or the stability of the vital Gulf region. All
    over the world our military is providing that kind of support to freedom
    and proving that when America makes a promise, we will keep it.
        A few hours from now I leave for the Far East, where we will
    celebrate the keeping of another historic promise, General MacArthur's
    vow to return to the Philippines to help its people restore their
    freedom. In the 50 years since, we have forged remarkable partnerships
    for peace and prosperity in Asia, but we know that these blessings are
    the fruit of our veterans' sacrifice 50 years ago. And we know they
    endure to the present day because of the vigilance of thousands of
    Americans who are still in uniform and still there to help maintain the
    security, the peace, and the freedom in Asia.
        This morning I was honored to start the day with veterans of that
    Pacific campaign and, I might add, a remarkable, jaunty group of
    parachuters who jumped into Normandy in 1944 and then jumped in again in
    1994. There they are back there. To all of them and to all of you here
    assembled who have worn our Nation's uniform, you must know that America
    will never forget the service you have rendered.

    [[Page 2064]]

        And America will never forget those who did not return from our
    battlefields. Today we renew the commitment of this administration to
    obtain the fullest possible accounting for their fate.
        For all of you who have helped America live up to its promises, your
    Nation has a special obligation to keep its commitments to you. That
    means, in the beginning, making sure that our military remains the best
    equipped, the best trained, and the best prepared in the world. We are
    keeping that commitment.
        I'd like to say two things about that this morning. The first is
    that the success of the operations in Haiti and in the Gulf are due in
    no small measure to the advances which have been made just in the last
    couple of years in preparation, in pre-positioning, in mobility, in
    training--fresh evidence that we can never again afford to erode the
    confidence, the strength, and the ever-growing capacity of our military.
        The second point that I'd like to make is that maintaining the best
    trained and prepared military in the world also has its very high human
    price. And every year, men and now women we may not know as battlefield
    heroes give their lives so that we can continue to do the kind of
    training that makes it less necessary for us to have to fight in battle.
    And I ask especially that we remember them, for their training and their
    sacrifice and their lives helped to make us so strong that we did not
    have to fight again in the Gulf and that we were able to enter Haiti
    without military incident. We thank them as well for their sacrifices,
    and their families.
        I'd like to say a personal word of thanks to Secretary Brown, to
    Secretary Perry, to General Shalikashvili, and the other military
    leaders, without whom I could not carry out my duties and from whom I
    draw strength, wisdom, and advice to try to make the right decisions to
    keep our commitments to all of you.
        Our obligation also includes, as Commander Sioss said and as
    Secretary Brown said, continuing the service this country owes our
    veterans after your service in uniform ends. That is why it has given me
    particular pleasure in recent weeks to address concerns that are
    important to thousands upon thousands of our veterans. I was pleased to
    sign into law a bill that authorizes compensation to Gulf war veterans
    suffering from undiagnosed illnesses possibly incurred during their
    service there. Sometimes even the most sophisticated tools don't enable
    us to diagnose certain illnesses. The lack of a diagnosis must not stop
    us from responding both quickly and compassionately to veterans' needs.
    Now it will not.
        At the same time, we've required the VA to evaluate the health of
    the families of Gulf war veterans. We know that the spouses and children
    of our troops may not wear the uniform, but they, too, bear the burden
    of defending our Nation. And today we say thank you to the children and
    the spouses and the families as well.
        Finally, we extended the VA's authority to provide care to veterans
    of the Gulf war, Vietnam, and World War II for disabilities they may
    have incurred through exposure to toxic substances. We set aside nearly
    $400 million for the VA to build, lease, and repair major medical
    facilities around this country.
        I know these actions--indeed, no actions can ever fully repay the
    service and the sacrifice of those of you who are here and those who
    never returned whom you represent. There are no words equal to the task
    of expressing just what your devotion and your sacrifice have meant to
    our Nation. But let me say at least we have this beautiful day God has
    given us which belongs entirely to you, to your commitment to our
    freedom, our prosperity, and our security. A grateful nation thanks you
    with this day and with all our hearts for what you have done and what
    you continue to do.
        God bless you all, and God bless America.

    Note: The President spoke at 11:35 a.m. at Arlington National Cemetery.
    In his remarks, he referred to Donald A. Sioss, national commander,
    Disabled American Veterans.