We gather today to honor the men and women who have worn this nation's uniform. More importantly, we join together to thank them for their service and their devotion to duty. Since 1776 more than 48 million American men and women have served in the Armed Forces of the United States, many of them during a time of conflict or war. Since the birth of our Nation, no single generation has been spared the responsibility of defending the rights of the human spirit to breathe free from aggression. From Lexington and Concord to Fort McHenry, to the mountains of Europe, to the sands of Iwo Jima, Iraq, and Afghanistan....on land, on sea and in the air America's finest have proudly worn the uniforms of United States soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines.
