for those who fought in this war unlike any war the world had ever seen before, it was a symbol, a reminder that as long as those who stand for freedom, light will always triumph over darkness. my fellow americans, jill, vice president harris, secretary mcdonough, secretary buttigieg, secretary mayorkas, director haines, deputy secretary hicks and most importantly our veterans and service members and equally as important their families. we come together today to once again honor the generations of americans who stood on the front lines of freedom to once again bear witness to the great deeds of a noble few who risked everything to give us a better future. those who have always kept the light of liberty shining bright across the world, our veterans. that s not hyperbole. our veterans. every year on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month we gather in this sanctuary of sacrifice to pause, to pay tribute to these patriots of the greatest fighting force in the history of