    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2007, Book II)]
    [November 11, 2007]
    [Pages 1461-1462]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks at American Legion Post 121 in Waco, Texas
    November 11, 2007

        Thank you. Clayton, thanks for inviting
    me. I'm really honored to be here with you. Congressman
    Edwards, thank you for your
    eloquence and your very moving remarks. Members of the Texas State
    Legislature, it's good to see you again. Distinguished mayors, thank you
    all for being here. Proud veterans and families of the fallen, it is a
    privilege to spend this Veterans Day with you and to join you in
    honoring four sons of the great State of Texas who gave their lives in
    freedom's cause.
        The young men we remember today did not live to be called veterans.
    They died in a distant land fighting terror, spreading freedom, and
    protecting their fellow citizens from danger. The valor and selfless
    devotion of these men fills their families with immeasurable pride. Yet
    this pride cannot fill the hole in their loved ones' aching hearts or
    relieve the burden of grief that will remain for a lifetime. In their
    sorrow, these families need to know and families all across our Nation
    of the fallen need to know that your loved ones served a cause that is
    good and just and noble. And as their Commander in Chief, I make you
    this promise: Their sacrifice will not be in vain.
        I know all the veterans gathered here and across the Nation feel a
    special bond with our fallen soldiers and their families. Many
    experienced the heartbreak and tragic losses of war. Our veterans know
    that--what it's like to lose a brother on the field of battle. And many
    of them recall the determination they felt when a beloved comrade fell:
    the determination to pick up the mantle, to carry on the fight, and to
    complete the mission.
        That's precisely what today's generation of soldiers is doing in the
    war on terror. Since the attacks of September the 11th, 2001, more than
    2 million Americans have stepped forward to put on our Nation's uniform,
    and during that same period, 1.5 million American troops have made the
    courageous decision to reenlist and to stay in the fight. These men and
    women saw the future the terrorists intend for our country, and they
    said with clear voices, ``Not on my watch.'' America is blessed to have
    such

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    brave defenders. They are tomorrow's veterans, and they're bringing
    pride to our country.
        Their service is noble, and it is necessary. The enemies who
    attacked us 6 years ago want to strike our country again, and next time,
    they hope to kill Americans on a scale that will make 9/11 pale by
    comparison. By fighting this enemy in foreign lands, the men and women
    of our Armed Forces are helping to ensure we do not have to face them in
    our own land. And by spreading the hope of liberty to nations that have
    not known it, our troops are helping to defeat the ideology of the
    terrorists and secure a future of peace for generations to come.
        As veterans, you have confidence in freedom's cause because you have
    seen with your own eyes the power of liberty to transform nations and
    secure the peace. The men and women gathered before me took an oath to
    defend America, and you upheld that oath with honor and decency and
    valor. You humbled tyrants, liberated continents, and freed millions
    from unspeakable oppression. And because of your service and sacrifice,
    the world has been transformed in once unimaginable ways. Today, across
    Europe and Asia, former adversaries in war have become allies in the
    cause of peace. And in towns and villages on both continents, there are
    still men and women who talk of the day when the Americans arrived to
    free them from tyranny.
        I thank our Nation's veterans for the fine example that you have set
    for our country. I thank you for your courage and your patriotism and
    your devotion to duty. I thank you for standing up for the men and women
    of our Armed Forces. And I thank you for all you do to support the
    families they leave behind during this time of war.
        May God bless and keep all who have made the ultimate sacrifice. May
    God bless and keep our brave and honored veterans. May God bless those
    who are in harm's way. And may God continue to bless our Nation. Thank
    you.

    Note: The President spoke at 2:52 p.m. In his remarks, he referred to
    Clayton Hueske, commander, American Legion Post 121.