The wreathlaying ceremony is now complete. The veterans day ceremony will begin soon. On is truth is marching , glory, hallelujah , glory, hallelujah hallelujahy, his truth is marching on i have seen him in the watch fires of a hundred circling camps him and alterd it damps evening dews amnd i can read his righteous sentence by the dim and flaring lamps is day is marching on glory, glory hallelujah. Glory, glory, hallelujah on truth is marching the lilies beauty of christ was born across the sea in his bosom that turns figures you and me died to make men holy, let us die to make them free while god is marching on hallelujahy,while god is marchg glory, glory, hallelujah glory, glory, hallelujah hallelujah his truth is marching on hallelujahy, glory, glory, hallelujah hallelujahy, s truth is marching on [applause] ladies and gentlemen omar joes the fourth, commanding general of the United States and. Istrict of washington ms. Karen dern at gill era, executive eric, Army National military cemetery. Mr. Frank cole ski, National Commander, catholic war veterans of the united dastates. Wilke, honorable robert secretary of veterans affairs. Ladies and gentlemen, the Vice President of the United States. [applause] ladies and gentlemen, please made standing for the procession of our nations colors and those of our veterans Nation Service organizations. As we march on the colors, the United States army band, pershings own, will play the National Emblem march. Please place your hand over the heart or render a hand salute. Ladies and gentlemen, please remain standing for the invocation given by chaplain juliana lesher, National Director of Chaplain Service or the department of veterans affairs. Pray. Us almighty and loving god, on this day we honor our american veterans, the men and women of this nation who selflessly committed their very lives to honor and defend the freedoms that we cherish as americans. Our veterans now that freedom is not free, and comes with a significant sacrifice for those who faithfully serve, as well as for their families and loved ones. For the devoted service of our american veterans, we are grateful. We are also grateful to you, god, for your strengthening presence. Our veterans have done your sustaining presence while standing watch in the dark silence in ahts lonely outpost, worlds away from home, or on a ship in a distant and hostile sea. Our veterans have done your protective presence in the horrible heat of combat or flying amid darkening clouds across your infinite sky. Our veterans have done your abiding presence as they attended to our wounded and tortured comrades in their crimes cries of pain, and among those whose earthly struggle had ceased. For your strengthening, sustaining, protective and abiding presence, we are grateful. May the ceremonies this day inspire our hearts to uphold the values of faith and understanding, life and human justice, and and continued aspiration to Sacrificial Service as exemplified by our Service Members and veterans. We pray all of this in your most holy and loving name, amen. Now, i would like to invite skate, National Commander, catholic veterans of the United States, to lead us in our pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of america, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under god, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Please be seated. It is now my distinct privilege to introduce the members of the Veterans Day National committee. The committee was formed by president ial order in 1954 to plan this annual observance in honor of americas veterans and to support veterans day observances throughout the nation. Your applause until i have introduced the special guests. If you are able, please stand when your name is called. Zampieri, president , National Veterans blind association. Mr. Harvey winer. Burke, national Vice President , Vietnam Veterans of america. Chmits. Liam doc s veterans of foreign wars of the United States. Jansky. A m. C. Brown, National Commander and vets. Mr. Kenneth bliss and more. Trausky. S bruce fewerbok. , nationals Bruce Eggleston region one commander, military order of the purple heart. Towbin, national commandant, marine corps league. Swoth. Lliam d. Ro military association of the usa. U. David zerfl malone junior, National Commander, legion of valor of the usa. Mr. Charles s. Chamberlin, commanderinchief, leader of the world wars. Elinski. Ip j. H ker, congressional medal of Honor Society of the usa. Whitehead, butch National Commander, disabled american veterans. Ry, military Officers Association of america. Munoz, board chair, commissioned Officers Association of Public Health service. Carton, International President , air force association. Jikowski. En wo cunningham, National President , Korean War Veterans Association of the usa. Mr. Lawrence g. Romo, american g. I. Forum of the United States. Mr. Lawrence g. The associate me committee are located in the boxes to my left. I would like to ask the president s and National Commanders that comprise our membership to stand and be recognized. Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in recognizing our Veterans National leadership with your applause. [applause] [applause] it is now my pleasure to introduce the executive director Army National military cemeteries, ms. Karen durham aguiintroduce the executive dirr armylera. Good morning. Ofbehalf of the secretary the army, welcome to Arlington National cemetery. Thank you, mr. Vice president for being here today and for honoring our nations veterans. Welcome also to the honorable dan quayle, former Vice President , and his family for attending today. Quayle, former Vice President , and his family for attending today. [applause] esper,retary defense mrs. Esper, secretary of the v. A. Wilke, mrs. Wilkie, the senior official before me, the undersecretary of the army, jim mcpherson, chief of staff of the army, general mcconville, mrs. Mcconville, welcome. Esther Frank Kowalski of the cap war veterans, thank you for being the veteran Service Organization host and for your participation in this Important National observance, and to all dignitaries, veterans and families here today, and everyone a crunching watching across the nate nation, what a great day. It is fitting that we are here in the center of these most hollowed grounds. Today is the celebration of honor, duty, and patriotism. Here at Arlington National cemetery, we are surrounded by over 4000 soldiers, sailors, marine, coast guard men, and their families who have probably served our nation in peacetime and in more. Their headstones are the brick that form the foundation of the city on the hill, that beacon of the hope that is our United States. Stories of the service and sacrifice we celebrate today are edged in marble around us to move from the instructions on gravestones to the tomb of the unknowns soldiers. Most important are the patriotism, valor, and fidelity etched in the hearts and souls of our Service Members come up past, present, and future are the vanguard of our freedom and liberty. Today, as for the past 155 years, Arlington National cemetery is honored to serve our veterans and their families at the nations most sacred shrine. No place but Arlington National cemetery could be purchased. Each must be earned through honorable service. On behalf of our dedicated men and women who serve here, is my privilege to welcome you today. We are a great people honoring sacrifice and service to a grateful nation. Thank you and welcome to Arlington National cemetery. [applause] high would like to introduce our veteran Service Organization host for 2019. The cap War Veterans Association of the usa. The catholic war veterans of United States of america is honored to serve as the Host Organization for the 2019 Veterans Day National commemoration at Arlington National cemetery. At War Association is incorporated as a Nonprofit Corporation that meets the requirements for a veteran Service Organization under section 501 c 19 of the Internal Revenue code of 1986 and is organized under the laws of the state of new york. Under its motto, for god, country, and home, the cap that more veterans is dedicated to serving returning war veterans. Together with other veterans Service Organizations, it seeks to educate and influence public opinion, promote good laws, and serve veterans as they look or benefits, counseling, representation, and employment opportunities. The catholic war veterans up association is represented today by their National President. Please welcome mr. Frank kowalski. [applause] members of the clergy, mr. Secretary, members of congress, my fellow veterans and guests, welcome. Today is an extraordinary day on our national calendar. We come here to this hallowed place for a sacred purpose. We set aside this day to honor and thank all of our veterans throughout our history, the least of whom are average citizens who proudly embraced and distinguish the uniform of our country. We are here to remember and pray for those who gave their last full measure of devotion, whether on my, at sea, or in the air. We give special thanks to those who returned safely to their families and resume their lives to help build this great country. In particular, we salute those that came home with the scars of war, who continue to fight emotional, mental, and physical disabilities. We can never thank them and not be they are an aspiration to us all. Veterans day has become an important reminder of our national heritage. As had aary so forces profound effect on the history of our nation and the world. We reflect on the selfish courage of the early patriots who fought in the revolution to forge our freedom as soldiers on both sides of the civil war. It would divide the course of our nation. We admire the determination of our soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen who took the fight to the enemy and world war ii and prevailed by their valor and sheer power of will be not only did they preserve our freedom, but they also made possible to pursue a world at peace. That same commitment to the cause of liberty has brought horses to the mounds of korea, the jungles of vietnam, and deserts of the middle east. In each time and place, our veterans have distinguished themselves for their bravery and care for those innocents caught in the horrors of war. We recall this courageous sacrifice of our doctors, nurses, clergy of all faiths, merchant mariners, rosie the rivers, and entertainers who stood shoulder to shoulder on front yards, factory lines, and at home to demonstrate the best that america had to offer. Our commitment to peace remains the highest to these United States of america. It is the debt we owe to those who ironically had to go to war to preserve the peace. May we never forget the sacrifice. It is my great honor to also represent all veterans of every race, creed, color, and service on the special occasion. The catholic order of veterans is honored to act as your host today. May god bless all of those who served, and may god bless these United States of america. [applause] it gives me great pleasure to introduce the secretary of veterans affairs, the honorable Robert Wilkie. Before coming to the v. A. , mr. Wilkie was the secretary of defense for personnel. The principal advisor to the secretary, deputy secretary of defense on total force management. As undersecretary of defense, mr. Wilkie served james mattis as assistant secretary of defense, serve both Donald Rumsfeld and robert gates. Before that, mr. Wilkie was special assistant to the president for National Security affairs and senior director for the National Security council. Currently he is a kernel and the u. S. Air force reserve and previously force served in the air force reserve. Ladies and the a secretary mr. Robert wilkie. [applause] secretary wilkie thank you, mr. Kowalski, and to the catholic veterans for this glorious day. Mr. President , my colleagues in the cabinet, to the veterans of the United States, to the chairman of the House Veterans Affairs committee, on behalf of the president of the United States, welcome to arlington. Today, we honor veterans. Just across that river in the 1860s, Abraham Lincoln would ride alongside ambulances full of Wounded Soldiers as they were taken to hospitals just north of the white house, and he would constantly ask, how are things going . What are you seeing . In those days, the weary president was constantly looking for ways to honor and to respect those who carried the nations future on their bayonets. He knew that if we were going to have a nation at all, it would be these men that would deliver our future. Thanked, in 1864, the 199th new york volunteers when he said , to you who render the hardest work in support of this nation should be given the greatest credit. It was lincoln who set the tone for what we see today as our department of veterans affairs. Generations after president lincoln, Sergeant Alvin york showed america what it means to revere our country, and to revere those who defend our country. York was americas greatest hero, but having returned from world war i, he was besieged by advertisers and hollywood types among begging for his endorsement, so they could profit from his heroics. He declined all those offers as only a mountain man from east tennessee good. He said this uniform and for sale. Years later, as the guns of europe began to get closer and closer to the shores of our country, york reminded americans again why his veterans fought. Liberty and freedom and democracy are so very precious that you do not fight to win them once and then stop. Liberty and freedom and democracys are prizes awarded only to those people who fight to win them and keep fighting eternally to hold them. In some times, despite what our veterans deliver, support for veterans in this country has been fragile since alvin york returned from france. In the 1930s, veterans marched on this city and were greeted with tanks. Franklin roosevelt knew what was going on, and as veterans saw wife pass amongst them to say that all things would come right at the end, one private from alvin yorks division said, they send the army a few weeks ago, and roosevelt sent eleanor. A soldier of the first order, harry truman, knew what had gone wrong, and to make sure those things did not happen again, he ordered his fellow missouri and omar bradley to take hold of the department of veterans affairs, known then as the veterans administration. General bradley built 150 hospitals. He administered educational benefits to 7. 5 million returning veterans and he set america on the course for doing the right thing, that it had forgotten in between the two great wars. But things did not continue in that way. When my father went to vietnam, the tide had turned again. We forgot why we send americans overseas, and the wisdom of taking care of those who put this nations freedom on their backs. There were no welcome home parades, and my father, a senior officer in americas most decorated combat division, was not even allowed to wear his uniform off of fort bragg. That our such neglect friends at the Vietnam Veterans of america created the most lasting slogan. Never again will one generation of veterans abandon another. That must be our charge today and always. We must vow never to let those dark days return, and to always be a welcoming family for those, who as lincoln said, borne the battle. I will close today with the thoughts of the greatest of airborne warriors, matthew bunker ridgeway. He led th