    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2005, Book II)]
    [October 11, 2005]
    [Pages 1542-1543]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks at the Joint Reserve Base at the U.S. Naval Air Station in New
    Orleans, Louisiana
    October 11, 2005

        Generals, thanks--General Landreneau and General Downer,
    thank you all for greeting me here. I'm proud to be traveling with
    Members of the United States Congress who are with us today. Listen, I'm
    here to thank you all for what has been

    [[Page 1543]]

    an incredible outpouring of talent and skill and compassion to help the
    good folks of this part of the world that have suffered mightily. I'm
    incredibly proud of those who wear our Nation's uniform, and I'm
    incredibly proud of the job you have done. You have brought great credit
    to your units, credit to your family, and credit to our Nation.
        We've got a lot of work to do, and I'll be telling the people that
    I've had an honor to meet, opportunity to meet, that out of this rubble
    is going to come some good, out of the devastation is going to come new
    cities and new hope. And I hope you take great inspiration in being a
    part of the renewal of this important part of the world.
        I want you to, when you talk to your families, to tell them the
    Commander in Chief is proud of them as--I'm equally as proud of them as
    I am proud of you.
        May God bless you all and your work. May God bless your families,
    and may God continue to bless our great country. Thank you very much.

    Note: The President spoke at 12:29 p.m. In his remarks, he referred to
    Maj. Gen. Bennett C. Landreneau, Adjutant General, and Brig. Gen.
    Huntington B. Downer, Jr., Assistant Adjutant General, Louisiana
    National Guard.