PRESIDENT OBAMA'S REMARKS AT WOUNDED WARRIOR PROJECT SOLDIER RIDE EVENT

FROM:  THE WHITE HOUSE
April 16, 2015
Remarks by the President at the Wounded Warrior Project Soldier Ride Event
South Lawn
11:24 A.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Good morning, everybody!  (Applause.)  What a gorgeous day.  I will just point out, it is always beautiful at this particular event.  It is gorgeous every single day.  And I want to thank Vice President Biden and VA Secretary Bob McDonald for being here.

This is the sixth time that we’ve welcomed the Soldier Ride to the White House.  It’s one of our favorite events of the year.  You all know the story.  Over 10 years ago, a young Long Island bartender, a civilian named Chris Carney, dreamed up the idea of biking coast-to-coast to raise money and support for our wounded warriors.  And back then, he probably would not have predicted how far the Soldier Ride would go; how thousands of Americans would join the cause; how a nation would be inspired by all of you.

We’ve got a number of folks here who are currently serving or have served in uniform.  We’ve got Army.  (Hooah!) We’ve got Navy.  (Applause.)   Air Force.  (Applause.)  We’ve got Marines.  (Oorah!)    And we’ve got some Coast Guard.

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Yeah!  (Laughter.)

THE PRESIDENT:  That’s it, man.  (Applause.)

We’ve got some extraordinary military families who support you every single mile.  (Applause.)  So we are among heroes here today -- all the riders, I just had a chance to say hi to them, and they look great.  Don’t get too comfortable, though -- you’ve got a lot of miles ahead.  This is just a pit stop so we can all cheer you on.  

Just to give you some sense of who these riders are -- we’ve got heroes like Sergeant William Armstrong.  Where’s William?  There he is in the back.  (Applause.)  William was 24 years old and serving in Afghanistan when a roadside bomb tore the ligaments in his knee and broke the bones in his leg.  As a lifelong distance runner, he was devastated that he might never run again.  But he didn’t give up.  His caretakers at Walter Reed got him a bike so he could get into shape.  After a lot of surgeries and months of physical therapy, two weeks ago, William ran a marathon.  (Applause.)  And I want to quote what William said here.  He said, “This Army put me back together,” he says.  But it was being “with people with similar life experiences… that exhilarated and motivated me.”  Thank you, William, for your incredible service.  (Applause.)

We’ve got Specialist Teresa Ann Jackson.  Where’s Teresa?  There she is right there.  (Applause.)  Two years ago, while serving as a medic at Fort Campbell, Teresa fell ill with a rare disease that affected her arteries.  Doctors had to amputate both her feet.  She remembers the shock and isolation she and her husband felt afterwards.  And again, I want to quote her:  “I wasn’t expecting to be in a wheelchair at 30,” she says.  And at first, her -- at her first Wounded Warrior event, she found a community of people who welcomed her, who understood what she was going through, who continue to support her today through her recovery.  And today, Teresa wants to study to be a social worker so that she can give back to others.  Teresa, we thank you.  (Applause.)  

And we’ve got Captain Vincent Cerchione.  Where’s Vincent?  There he is right there.  (Applause.)  In 2003, Vincent led a dozen soldiers of the 3rd Infantry Division into battle in Iraq, taking rocket fire on a daily basis.  He served two tours there, and then came home with the kind of wound you can’t always see -- post-traumatic stress.  But with courage and the support of his wife, Vincent reached out for help, which is what we want all of our warriors to do.  He says that when he found the Wounded Warrior Project -- and I’m quoting here -- “It was the first time since I returned that I’d ever talked to anybody and felt like I wasn’t alone.”  Vincent, you are never alone.  And because of your service, we also know that we are never alone and we’re always safe.  Thank you so much for everything you’ve done.  (Applause.)

So that’s what these riders represent here today -- that sense of community and support and love for each other.  And that’s what binds everyone who serves proudly under our flag and all the Americans who cheer you on.  It’s our chance to say to all our returning heroes that you’re not alone, that we’ve got your back, we’re going to be with you every step of the way.  We will be with you all that long journey that it often takes to recover every single mile.

You and all the men and women of our Armed Forces represent what’s best in America.  And for me and Michelle and the girls, for Joe Biden and Jill, and I know Bob and his family, time with you has been some of the most inspiring parts of our jobs.  We could not be prouder of you or more grateful to you and your families for everything you’ve done to protect our freedom.

And that’s why, as Commander-in-Chief, I’m going to keep doing everything in my power to make sure that we serve you as well as you serve us.  That means getting you the care and benefits that you deserve and have earned, including wounds like traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress.  It means making sure our veterans have the education and the jobs and opportunities that you have to have in order to get your shot at the American Dream that you helped to defend.  It means recognizing and supporting the incredible families and caregivers who sacrifice so much.  They serve as well.  We’ve got to be there for those families.

So I want to encourage every American along the route to get out and cheer for these men and women.  And I want all of our riders -- and all those that you’re riding for, including some who were left behind on the field of battle -- we want all of you to know that we’re not just going to be with you for three days and these 60 miles.  As a nation, as Americans grateful for your sacrifices, we’re going to be with you on all the roads of your life ahead.

So God bless you and your families, all who serve.  God bless America.  With that, I’m going to do my favorite part which is blow the horn.  (Laughter.)  Let’s get this ride started.  (Applause.)

 END              
11:30 A.M. EST

MILITARY FAMILIES OFFERED FREE ANNUAL PASS TO NATIONAL PARKS

FROM:  AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE
National Park Service Offers Military, Families Free Annual Pass
By Amaani Lyle
WASHINGTON, June 27, 2012 - The National Park Service extends free annual park passes far beyond the droves of Pentagon employees who lined up to take advantage of the offer today.

Through its America the Beautiful series, the National Park Service grants complimentary access to more than 2,000 federal recreation sites, national parks and wildlife refuges to active duty service members and activated Guardsmen and reservists and their families, said Kathy Kupper, National Park Service spokeswoman.

"The park service is just so grateful for the service of the military, so we've been looking for a way to show our gratitude," Kupper said. "It's taken a couple of years to get all the details worked out, but we're honored that we can pay back a little bit."
Service members can get a pass, valued at $80, by showing their military identification card. Family members can obtain their own passes, even if the service member is deployed or if they are traveling separately, Kupper explained.

A pass covers entry and standard amenity fees for a driver and all passengers in a personal vehicle at per-vehicle fee areas, or up to four adults at sites that charge per person. Children age 15 or under are admitted free. Wounded warriors or any American citizen with a disability can get a free lifetime pass to all national parks.

A 25-year National Park Service employee, Kupper recalled the organization's decades-long military ties, specifically to the Army, which oversaw national parks between the 1876 establishment of Yellowstone, the first national park, and the 1916 stand-up of NPS.
"For about 40 years, you had the U.S. Army, particularly the U.S. Cavalry, including Buffalo Soldiers, care for our first national parks," Kupper said. "Yellowstone, Yosemite, Sequoia and Kings Canyon all had roads set up, built, with trails established and wildlife protected ... by the U.S. Army."

Kupper added that even park ranger uniforms are inspired by the cavalry uniform, symbolizing the enduring bond.

"Many national parks were set aside for use strictly by military, whether for rest and relaxation trips ... or for training," the spokeswoman said, adding that through the years, the parks have been home to some of America's most iconic images of freedom.
"Our service members are fighting to protect our freedoms and a lot of them are manifested in these symbols like the Statue of Liberty, the Liberty Bell, Mount Rushmore -- all sites cared for by the Park Service," Kupper said. "These places inspire the military and remind them what they're fighting for so where better for them and their families to visit?"

VICE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN SALUTES MILITARY FAMILIES AT H.S. GRADUATION

Photo Credit:  U.S. Department of Defense.
FROM:  AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE
Biden Salutes Military Families at High School Graduation
By Lisa Daniel
WASHINGTON, June 15, 2012 - Vice President Joe Biden yesterday paid tribute to military families at a high school graduation ceremony in Virginia Beach, Va., where many students and staff are connected to the services.

At least 37 graduates of Tallwood High School's 2012 graduating class plan to enlist, Biden said as he gave the commencement address.

"It's great to be in a town that has such respect for our military and such great tradition, and such a wonderful group of graduates," Biden said. He asked the graduates who have military family members to raise their hands and be recognized, then asked those in the audience to stand if they served in the military and served overseas. "We owe you," he said as they stood, "we owe you."

The vice president noted that more than 2.8 million Americans have served in the military since 9/11. More than half "have been in and out of Afghanistan and Iraq, many of them multiple times," he said. "Your parents and siblings put their lives on the line for this country. And they were asked to do so much more than just fight."

"You're inheriting an incredible tradition, because they were asked to take on responsibilities beyond their base or battlefield," he continued. "Young men and women that I have witnessed more than two dozen times, steeped in military doctrine, have had to master the intricacies of tribal politics, deal with issues ranging from lack of electricity to unemployment, to currency exchange to taxation."

Biden saluted the "remarkable, remarkable group of military men and women we have today -- the finest generation of warriors in the history of not only the United States, but the history of the world. So thank you all who have served. "

Biden also thanked the families of those who deployed for their service. He quoted the 17th century British poet, John Milton, who wrote, "They also serve who only stand and wait," and noted his son Beau Biden's year-long deployment to Iraq. "I watched the impact on my grandchildren -- the games missed, the birthdays missed, the Christmases missed, the empty seat at Thanksgiving dinner," he said.

"So from the bottom of my heart, on behalf of a grateful nation, I thank all of you who are the brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, spouses of those who have put themselves in harm's way in the last decade and beyond," the vice president said. "Thank you, thank you, thank you."

Biden told the graduates that the school, which houses a Global Studies and World Languages Academy, prepared them for more than "just mastering their studies." One thing the students learned, he said, "is that in order for this nation to lead the world and you to be leaders in the world, you have to understand the world. You have to participate in the world."

Biden said he was impressed that 76 graduates took part in the academy, and learned to speak at least one foreign language. "You've had a chance to put those language skills to the test by video-conferencing with others halfway around the world," he said. "And I guarantee you most of you will have a chance to put it to the test on the foreign soil of the language you've mastered. We will need you there."

The graduates studied global governments and cultures, people and their backgrounds, and learned to respect different viewpoints, Biden said. "Most of all, you've gained perspective, whether it's in the service of your family or in participating in a program. And that matters," he said.

"No one can tell you how small the world has become better than those who raised their hands a few moments ago who served abroad," Biden said. "As this world of ours continues to shrink, what happens in a remote province in Pakistan, Nigeria, Brazil, is known around the world in a matter of minutes."

Biden said he had simple advice for the graduates: Think big and imagine. Their greatest challenge, he said, will be in learning how to deploy emerging technologies wisely.
"Deploying it wisely means infusing technology with our oldest values -- values that you have learned here," he said. "The values of tolerance, respect, understanding. These are not some obsolete, old notions that don't matter anymore. The more advanced and shrunk the world becomes, the more critical those values become. They mean more than ever."
The vice president said he is confident in the graduates' abilities to meet U.S. and global challenges head on.

"I am absolutely confident in your ability to meet the challenges I have laid out head on, and to bend them -- to bend them -- to your will in your and our moral precepts," he said. "I'm confident of that because of where you come from, how you were raised, what you learned at this fine school, but most of all because who you are."

DR. JILL BIDEN ON MILITARY FAMILY SUPPORT

FROM:  AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE
Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, speaks about the value of military family support during a roundtable discussion at the Pentagon, April 10, 2012. The roundtable included Deanie Dempsey, wife of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, and honored the winners of the Joining Forces Community Challenge, which is an effort to recognize and celebrate the extraordinary military family support efforts of citizens and organizations across the country. DOD photo by Elaine Sanchez

Dr. Biden, Mrs. Dempsey Salute 'Challenge' Winners
By Elaine Sanchez
WASHINGTON, April 11, 2012 - Leading up to a White House celebration today, two of the nation's top wives personally thanked a group of individuals and organization leaders for their efforts to improve military families' lives at the Pentagon yesterday.
 Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, and Deanie Dempsey, wife of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, honored the winners of the Joining Forces Community Challenge during a roundtable discussion.

The Community Challenge, part of the Joining Forces campaign, is intended to recognize and celebrate the extraordinary military family support efforts of citizens and organizations across the country. First Lady Michelle Obama and Biden launched Joining Forces one year ago today to rally Americans around troops, veterans and their families, and announced the Challenge in July to capture the innovative ways people have chosen to support and honor them.

"What you're doing is so amazing," Biden told the group, which had just wrapped up a Pentagon tour. "This is a dream come true that you're out there helping military families."
USO President Sloan D. Gibson, who served as roundtable moderator, invited representatives from each of the six groups to explain their organizations' accomplishments and what spurred them to action. The winners range from a community that ensures families of deployed Guard members have a vast array of support, to a group that offers outdoor retreats to military spouses, to an organization of mental health professionals that volunteers their time, free of charge, to military families.

Whatever the service or support they provide, all embody the spirit of the Joining Forces campaign, Biden said, as they step up to serve and honor troops and their families. "Joining Forces is all about calling on people all across the country to lend a hand," she said.

Biden and Dempsey both passed on their personal gratitude for the groups' efforts. The Bidens' son, Beau Biden, is a captain in the Army National Guard who served a one-year deployment in Iraq, and Dempsey is a military wife and a military mom. Her husband commissioned all three of their children, she said, and their daughter is married to a captain in the Special Forces.

"What you do for all military families, you also do for the Dempsey family," the chairman's wife said. "From a personal standpoint, thank you from the bottom of my heart."
The Joining Forces Community Challenge winners are:

-- Armed Forces Service Center, St. Paul, Minn. The service center is a 24/7 "all free" lounge staffed by volunteers at the Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport for active-duty military personnel, their families, activated reservists and National Guardsmen and other members of the uniformed services.

-- Defending the Blue Line, Hastings, Minn. This organization works to ensure that children of military members have access to participate in hockey through free equipment, hockey camps, special events and financial assistance toward association and other hockey-related costs.

-- Give an Hour, Bethesda, Md. Founded by Washington, D.C.-based psychologist Barbara Van Dahlen, this organization is dedicated to meeting the mental health needs of military personnel, their families, and the communities affected by the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. In addition to counseling, providers also consult to schools, first responders, employers, and community organizations. Give an Hour has provided nearly 50,000 hours of free service, valued at roughly $5 million.

-- Project Sanctuary, Parker, Colo. This organization brings military families together in the Rocky Mountains after deployments to help them reconnect through recreational activities and therapy. Follow-up support beyond the retreat is also provided, and includes support to families with housing, job placement and veterans' assistance.

-- City of Richfield, Utah. The city has supported its local Army National Guard unit through four deployments since Sept. 11, 2001. Additionally, Richfield provides several programs and services for military families, including a city utility abatement program and distribution of the city's newspaper to deployed soldiers so they can stay in touch with the community.

-- Our Family for Families First Foundation, East Greenwich, R.I. This foundation, chosen by the public as the Challenge's "People's Choice Winner," supports military families pursuing higher education by supporting military children through scholarships and military spouses through grants and assistance identifying educational opportunities.

Other than the People's Choice award, the Challenge winners were selected with input from a panel of judges that included news correspondent and author Tom Brokaw; J.R. Martinez, an Iraq war veteran, motivational speaker and "Dancing With the Stars" winner; San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro; Deanie Dempsey; and Gibson.

At the roundtable, Gibson ticked off the reasons he believes these groups deserve this national honor. They're having a positive impact on military families' lives, are building stronger bonds between military families and their communities, and are inspiring others to bring the same "passion and obvious care and concern" to military family support, he said.

All 20 Challenge finalists will be honored at today's White House event, which also marks the one-year anniversary of Joining Forces.