[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 43, Number 19 (Monday, May 14, 2007)]
[Pages 619-622]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
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.

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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 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.
    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 9 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 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

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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 service members 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 States of America. We thank you for your sacrifices. We thank you 
for supporting our 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

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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.