Bush Proclaims 'National Veterans Awareness Week'

By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service

Oct. 31, 2007 - President Bush is urging Americans to recognize veterans' valor and sacrifice through ceremonies and prayers during "National Veterans Awareness Week" next month. From Veterans Day on Nov. 11 through Nov. 17, the president encourages Americans to remember the brave men and women who have served as members of the U.S. armed forces, according to a proclamation released by the White House today.

"Throughout our history, America has been protected by patriots who cherished liberty and made great sacrifices to advance the cause of freedom," Bush said. "On Veterans Day, we honor these extraordinary Americans for their service and sacrifice, and we pay tribute to the legacy of freedom and peace that they have given our great nation."

In times of war and of peace, servicemembers have shouldered great responsibility and lived up to the highest standards of duty and honor to defend their fellow citizens and the country they love, Bush said.

"Our veterans held fast against determined and ruthless enemies and helped save the world from tyranny and terror," he said. "They ensured that America remained what our founders meant her to be: a light to the nations, spreading the good news of human freedom to the darkest corners of the earth."

Like the heroes before them, Bush said, today a new generation of men and women are fighting for freedom around the globe. "Their determination, courage, and sacrifice are laying the foundation for a more secure and peaceful world," the president added.

Bush said Veterans Day is dedicated to the extraordinary Americans who protected our freedom in years past and to those who protect it today. They represent the very best of our nation, he said.

"Every soldier, sailor, airman, Marine, and Coast Guardsman has earned the lasting gratitude of the American people, and their service and sacrifice will be remembered forever," Bush said. "In the words of Abraham Lincoln, 'Let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle.'"

The president called upon federal, state and local officials to display the American flag and support and participate in patriotic activities in their communities. Bush also invited civic and fraternal organizations, places of worship, schools, businesses, unions, and the media to support this national observance with commemorative expressions and programs.