[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2007, Book I)]
[May 11, 2007]
[Pages 572-575]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Remarks on the Observance of Military Spouse Day and Presentation of the 
President's Volunteer Service Awards
May 11, 2007

    Thank you all. Please be seated. Welcome to the White House. 
Jeanine, thank you very much for kicking 
off with an important event here in the White House. Today we honor six 
outstanding Americans who represent the very best of what volunteering 
means, and we honor the achievements of military spouses all across the 
Nation. You cannot be a nation with a volunteer army unless you honor 
the military families, and that's what we're doing today.
    I like to tell people that the strength of this Nation is not our 
military, although we intend to keep it strong. The strength of the 
Nation is the fact that we've got compassionate, decent, honorable 
citizens who hear a call to love a neighbor like you'd like to be loved 
yourself. And that's what we're here to honor.
    Each of you is part of a legacy of service that harkens back to our 
country's earliest days. When Martha Washington, the husband of the 
first George W.--[laughter]--organized sick wards for wounded soldiers 
and made visits to battlefields to boost the morale of the troops, she 
volunteered for a cause bigger than herself.
    Through many conflicts, America's war fighters have counted on their 
spouses for love and support. Our communities have depended on your 
energy and your leadership. Our Nation has benefited from our--the 
sacrifices of our military families. Today I've asked you to come so I 
can thank you on behalf of all the military families

[[Page 573]]

for your noble and needed service to the United States of America.
    Not only am I saying it, but we've got some pretty distinguished 
group of folks who want to say the same thing. I will speak on their 
behalf--you'll be happy to hear: Secretary Bob Gates, Secretary of the Defense; Senator John Warner, Senator Craig Thomas, and 
Senator Mike Enzi; Congressman Chet Edwards--who happens to be President George W. Bush's 
Congressman from Central Texas--and Congressman Bob Filner have joined us to pay tribute to our military spouses. 
And I'm honored you all are here.
    I also appreciate our military leadership who have joined us today. 
I can't think, by the way, of many times here in the East Room of the 
White House that the Joint Chiefs have come to pay tribute; I really 
can't. We have met before--we meet quite often, as a matter of fact--but 
never in a setting where we're paying tribute to people such as 
yourself.
    Before I begin with our military leadership, I do want to thank Pete 
Geren, Acting Secretary of the Army, hopefully, 
permanent Secretary of the Army as soon as the Senate moves his 
nomination. Pete, thank you for coming.
    But anyway, I do want to introduce General Pete Pace, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and his wife 
Lynne; Admiral Mike Mullen, Chief of Naval Operations, and his wife Deborah; General Jim Conway, 
Commandant of the United States Marine Corps, and his wife 
Annette; General George Casey, Chief of Staff of the United States Army, and his wife 
Sheila. We appreciate you all coming.
    I'm also proud that Mary Jo Meyers, the 
wife of General Richard Meyers, retired, 
United States Air Force, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, is with 
us. And I appreciate Suzy Nicholson--Suzanne Nicholson--wife of Secretary Jim Nicholson, who is the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. Thank you all 
for joining us. You honor us with your presence.
    Pretty soon, we'll hear more about the President's Volunteer Service 
Award recipients. But I do want to thank your families for joining us. I 
thank members of the Armed Forces who have joined us today. I can't 
think of a more noble cause than for people to volunteer to protect our 
country in the face of grave danger. And it is a--I marvel at how 
fantastic our military is. And the reason why it's good is not only 
because we're modern and well trained, but we've got such wonderful 
people who wear the uniform. And we thank you for serving, and I 
appreciate your families who have joined us as well.
    You know better than anyone that military service is a family 
commitment. As one wife in this audience recently noted: Military 
spouses do not raise their right hands and take an oath of enlistment. 
Yet their service begins as soon as they say two words: ``I do.'' 
[Laughter]
    Military spouses enter into a life filled with uncommon challenges. 
One of the award recipients, Linda Port, has been 
a military spouse for nearly 21 years. Over that period, she has moved 
into and out of 17 different houses; she has enrolled her children in 
nine different school districts. I see some heads that are nodding in 
recognition of what that means. This kind of life makes it hard to lay 
down roots, which is why it's so important that military families find 
strength and stability in each other.
    Several of the spouses we honor today have made it their mission to 
build those needed networks of support. Linda 
worked as an advocate for 1,200 sailors and their spouses, so they could 
stay in contact during deployments. Michele Langford runs an association that works to unite Coast Guard 
spouses in her community. Cindy Bjerke cochairs 
the Patriot Family Readiness Group, which provides information and 
resources to approximately 500 military families. These initiatives are 
making a difference. They are improving lives. And we're all here to 
thank you for the care

[[Page 574]]

and commitment you have shown for others.
    Many military spouses have the added difficulty of spending long 
periods raising their children alone. Being a parent is hard work under 
any circumstances; just ask my mother. [Laughter] Yet military spouses 
tend to have to go an extra mile. They raise their own families, and 
they find ways to help others as well. Michael Winton has been the primary caregiver for his daughter while 
his wife serves in the Air Force. Yet he 
also found time to coach sports teams, work with Habitat for Humanity 
and Fisher Nightingale Houses, visit veteran centers, and volunteer for 
a program that helps kids develop a love of reading.
    Denise Rampolla is another example of 
the kind of person that we're honoring today. She appears to have worked 
with every civic organization in Cheyenne, Wyoming. [Laughter] Listen to 
the list: the Greater Cheyenne Chamber of Commerce, the Cheyenne Parks 
and Recreation Community, the VFW Ladies Auxiliary, the Laramie County 
Emergency Response Team, and Cub Scout Pack 112. [Laughter] She's what 
we like to call a hard charger; she gets things done. Maybe we could use 
a little more of you in Washington. [Laughter]
    Other military spouses have tackled personal adversity and used 
their experience to help others. Shannon Maxwell took on the role of caregiver when her husband 
Tim returned from Iraq with a severe head 
injury. Shannon took what she learned, got together with other military 
wives, and formed a support group to help our wounded warriors. They've 
raised over $400,000 to help injured servicemembers adjust to new lives 
and new challenges. And we thank you for what you're doing, Shannon. And 
we also appreciate Tim for his service in Iraq, glad you're here.
    This is just a sampling of the good and important work performed 
every day by military spouses all across the country. I want you all to 
know that your work is noticed, your work is appreciated, and your work 
inspires our country.
    Some of my most moving experiences as President have come during my 
visits with military families. Laura and I have 
had the privilege of meeting troops and their loved ones at bases all 
across the world. We've sat beside the bedsides of those who have been 
wounded in battle. We've met with wives and husbands who have received a 
folded flag. We have hugged the parents of soldiers lost in combat. In 
these meetings, I have found that what motivates our servicemembers most 
is their love for their families. Oh, they love our country, but they 
really love their families. You're in their prayers every morning, their 
thoughts every day, and their dreams every night.
    Some time ago, a naval aviator about to deploy to war wrote a letter 
to his fiance. This letter may remind you of some of the letters you've 
received. His words back then were these: ``For a long time I had 
anxiously looked forward to the day when we would go abroad and set to 
sea, but you have changed all that. I do want to go because it is my 
part, but now leaving presents itself not as an adventure but as a 
job.''
    That letter was mailed more than 60 years ago, addressed to my 
mother from my father. Millions of similar letters have been written 
since that war. And most of you likely have one that is special to you 
that you keep close to your heart.
    I know that nothing can compensate for the sacrifices you endure 
while your spouse is away. And so do a lot of people in Washington 
understand that. But you also got to know that our entire country stands 
with you, we love you, and we respect you. America has seen and survived 
many wars over many generations. What has remained constant is the love 
we have for each other, the nobility of duty, and the strength that our 
men and women in uniform find in their heroes who serve here at home.
    And so we honor you today, whether you're in this room or around the 
United

[[Page 575]]

States of America. We thank you for your sacrifices. We thank you for 
supporting the Armed Forces. And we ask for God's blessings on you and 
your family.
    And now I ask Lieutenant Colonel Floyd to 
please read the citations.

 [At this point, Lt. Col. Samuel Floyd, USA, Army Aide to the President, 
read the citations, and the President presented the awards.]

    Thank you all for coming. I wish Laura were 
here to have been able to greet you. She would be just as impressed as I 
am today by the wonderful stories and the great compassion of our 
recipients who, I know if they had to give a speech, would say they 
just--they're just doing what they love to do, and they represent 
thousands who are doing the same thing.
    We're honored that you've joined us. May God bless you all. Thank 
you.

Note: The President spoke at 2:57 p.m. in the East Room at the White 
House. In his remarks, he referred to Jeanine McDermott, wife of Capt. 
Michael McDermott, USA. The Military Spouse Day proclamation of May 9 is 
listed in Appendix D at the end of this volume.