thank you __PUNCT__
i alwai grate for the opportun __PUNCT__ and pleas to be in the compani of american who have had the burden of serv our countri in distant land __PUNCT__ and the honor of have prove your patriot in difficult circumst __PUNCT__
i wa bless to have been born into a famili who made their live at sea in defens of our secur and ideal __PUNCT__
my grandfath wa a naval aviat __PUNCT__ my father a submarin __PUNCT__
and it wa nearli pre __PUNCT__ ordain that i would find a place in my famili profess __PUNCT__ and that occup would on dai take me to war __PUNCT__
such wa not the case for mani of you __PUNCT__
your ambit might not have led you to war __PUNCT__ the honor you sought were not kept hidden on battlefield __PUNCT__
mani of you were citizen __PUNCT__ soldier __PUNCT__
you answer the call when it came __PUNCT__ took up arm for your countri sake __PUNCT__ and fought to the limit of your abil becaus you believ america secur wa as much your respons as it wa the profession soldier __PUNCT__
and when you came home __PUNCT__ you built a better a countri than the on you inherit __PUNCT__
it a privileg to be in your compani __PUNCT__
the sacrific made by veteran deserv to be memori in someth more last than marbl or bronz or in the fleet effect of a politician speech __PUNCT__
your valor and devot to duti have earn your countri abid concern for your welfar __PUNCT__
and when our govern forget to honor our debt to you __PUNCT__ it is a stain upon america honor __PUNCT__
the walter reed scandal recal __PUNCT__ i hope __PUNCT__ not just govern but the public who elect it __PUNCT__ to our respons to the men and women who risk life and limb to meet their respons to us __PUNCT__
such a disgrac is unworthi of the greatest nation on earth __PUNCT__
as the greatest leader in our histori __PUNCT__ georg washington and abraham lincoln __PUNCT__ instruct us __PUNCT__ care for american who fought to defend us should rank among the highest of nation prioriti __PUNCT__
those who have born the burden of war for our sake must be treat fairli and expediti as thei seek compens for disabl or ill __PUNCT__
we ow them compass __PUNCT__ knowledg and hand __PUNCT__ on care in their transit to civilian life __PUNCT__
we ow them train __PUNCT__ rehabilit and educ __PUNCT__
we ow their famili __PUNCT__ parent and caregiv our concern and support __PUNCT__
thei should never be depriv of qualiti medic care and mental health care coverag for ill or injuri incur as a result of their servic to our countri __PUNCT__
as presid __PUNCT__ i will do everyth in my power to ensur that those who serv todai and those who have serv in the past have access to the highest qualiti health __PUNCT__ mental health and rehabilit care in the world __PUNCT__
the disgrac of walter reed must not be forgotten __PUNCT__
neither should we accept a situat in which veteran ar deni access to care due to great travel distanc __PUNCT__ backlog of appoint __PUNCT__ and year of pend disabl evalu and claim __PUNCT__
i believ we should give veteran the option to us a simpl plastic card to receiv time and access care at a conveni locat through a provid of their choos __PUNCT__
we should no longer toler requir veteran to make an appoint to stand in line to make an appoint to stand in line for substandard care of the injuri you have suffer to keep our countri safe __PUNCT__
whatev our commit to veteran cost __PUNCT__ we will keep them __PUNCT__ as you have kept everi co mmitment to us __PUNCT__
the honor of a great nation is at stake __PUNCT__
i also believ we should provid veteran with a substanti increas in educ benefit __PUNCT__
i have join with colleagu to offer legisl that will do just that __PUNCT__
the bill we have sponsor would increas monthli educ benefit to __MONEY__ __PUNCT__ elimin the __MONEY__ enrol fee __PUNCT__ and offer __MONEY__ annual for book and suppli __PUNCT__
importantli __PUNCT__ we would allow veteran to transfer those benefit to their spous or depend children or us a part of them to pai down exist student loan __PUNCT__
we also increas benefit to the guard and reserv __PUNCT__ and even more gener to those who serv in the select reserv __PUNCT__
i know that my friend and fellow veteran __PUNCT__ senat jim webb __PUNCT__ an honor man who take hi respons to veteran veri serious __PUNCT__ ha also offer legisl that would provid more gener benefit __PUNCT__
both senat webb and i ar unit in our deep appreci for the men and women who risk their live so that the rest of us mai be secur in our freedom __PUNCT__
and i take a backseat to no on in my affect __PUNCT__ respect and devot to veteran __PUNCT__
i grew up in the navi __PUNCT__ serv for twenti __PUNCT__ two year as a naval offic __PUNCT__ and __PUNCT__ like senat webb __PUNCT__ person experienc the terribl cost war impos on the veteran __PUNCT__
the friendship i form in war remain among the closest relationship in my life __PUNCT__
the navi is still the world i know best and love most __PUNCT__
but __PUNCT__ as you might know __PUNCT__ i am run for the offic of command __PUNCT__ in __PUNCT__ chief __PUNCT__
that is the highest privileg in thi countri __PUNCT__ and it impos the greatest respons __PUNCT__
and thi is why i am commit to our bill __PUNCT__ despit the support senat webb bill ha receiv __PUNCT__
it would be easier polit for me to have join senat webb in offer hi legisl __PUNCT__
more importantli __PUNCT__ i feel just as he doe __PUNCT__ that we ow veteran the respect and generos of a great nation becaus no matter how gener we show our gratitud it will never compens them fulli for all the sacrific thei have born on our behalf __PUNCT__
the most import differ between our two approach is that senat webb offer veteran who serv on enlist the same benefit as those offer veteran who have re __PUNCT__ enlist sever time __PUNCT__
our bill ha a slide scale that offer gener benefit to all veteran __PUNCT__ but increas those benefit accord to the veteran length of servic __PUNCT__
it is import to do that becaus __PUNCT__ otherwis __PUNCT__ we will encourag more peopl to leav the militari after thei have complet on enlist __PUNCT__
at a time when the unit state militari is fight in two war __PUNCT__ and as we final ar begin the long overdu and veri urgent necess of increas the size of the armi and marin corp __PUNCT__ on studi estim that senat webb bill will reduc retent rate by __NUM__ percent __PUNCT__
most worri to me __PUNCT__ is that by hurt retent we will reduc the number of men and women who we train to becom the backbon of all the servic __PUNCT__ the noncommiss offic __PUNCT__
in my life __PUNCT__ i have learn more from noncommiss offic i have known and serv with than anyon els outsid my famili __PUNCT__
and in combat __PUNCT__ no on is more import to their soldier __PUNCT__ sailor __PUNCT__ marin __PUNCT__ and airmen __PUNCT__ and to the offic who command them __PUNCT__ than the sergeant and petti offic __PUNCT__
thei ar veri hard to replac __PUNCT__
encourag peopl to choos to not becom noncommiss offic would hurt the militari and our countri veri badli __PUNCT__
as i said __PUNCT__ the offic of presid __PUNCT__ which i am seek __PUNCT__ is a great honor __PUNCT__ inde __PUNCT__ but it impos seriou respons __PUNCT__
how faithfulli the presid discharg those respons will determin whether he or she deserv the honor __PUNCT__
i can onli tell you __PUNCT__ i intend to deserv the honor if i am fortun to rece iv it __PUNCT__ even if it mean i must take polit unpopular posit at time and disagre with peopl for whom i have the highest respect and affect __PUNCT__
now __PUNCT__ i would like to end by discuss the subject that concern all of us more than anyth els __PUNCT__ the war in iraq __PUNCT__
when i wa five year old __PUNCT__ a car pull up in front of our hous in new london __PUNCT__ connecticut __PUNCT__ and a navi offic roll down the window __PUNCT__ and shout at my father that the japanes had bomb pearl harbor __PUNCT__
my father immedi left for the submarin base where he wa station __PUNCT__
i rare saw him again for four year __PUNCT__
my grandfath __PUNCT__ who command the fast carrier task forc under admir halsei __PUNCT__ came home from the war exhaust from the burden he had born __PUNCT__ and di the next dai __PUNCT__
in vietnam __PUNCT__ where i form the closest friendship of my life __PUNCT__ some of those friend never came home to the countri thei love so well __PUNCT__
i detest war __PUNCT__
it might not be the worst thing to befal human be __PUNCT__ but it is wretch beyond all descript __PUNCT__
when nation seek to resolv their differ by forc of arm __PUNCT__ a million tragedi en sue __PUNCT__
the live of a nation finest patriot ar sacrif __PUNCT__
innoc peopl suffer and die __PUNCT__
commerc is disrupt __PUNCT__ economi ar damag __PUNCT__ strateg interest shield by year of patient statecraft ar endang as the exig of war and diplomaci conflict __PUNCT__
not the valor with which it i00 fought nor the nobil of the caus it serv __PUNCT__ can glorifi war __PUNCT__
whatev gain ar secur __PUNCT__ it is loss the veteran rememb most keenli __PUNCT__
onli a fool or a fraud sentiment the merciless realiti of war __PUNCT__
howev headi the appeal of a call to arm __PUNCT__ howev just the caus __PUNCT__ we should still shed a tear for all that is lost when war claim it wage from us __PUNCT__
as we meet __PUNCT__ in iraq and afghanistan __PUNCT__ american soldier __PUNCT__ marin __PUNCT__ sailor and airmen ar fight brave and tenaci in battl that ar as danger __PUNCT__ difficult and consequenti as the great battl of our arm forc __PUNCT__ stori past __PUNCT__
as we all know __PUNCT__ the american peopl have grown sick and tire of the war in iraq __PUNCT__
i understand that __PUNCT__ of cours __PUNCT__
i __PUNCT__ too __PUNCT__ have been made sick at heart by the mani mistak made by civilian and militari command and the terribl price we have paid for them __PUNCT__
but we cannot react to those mistak by embrac a cours of action that will be an even greater mistak __PUNCT__ a mistak of coloss histor proport __PUNCT__ which will __PUNCT__ and i am sure of thi __PUNCT__ serious endang the secur of the countri i have serv all my adult life __PUNCT__
we have new command in iraq __PUNCT__ and thei ar follow a counterinsurg strategi that we should have been follow from the begin __PUNCT__ which make the most effect us of our strength and doesn't strengthen the tactic of our enemi __PUNCT__
thi new battl plan is succeed where our previou tactic fail __PUNCT__
the govern of iraq and the iraqi armi ar now take more respons for the secur of their own countri and fight successfulli in basra __PUNCT__ sadr citi and mosul __PUNCT__
we must give gener petraeu and the american he ha the honor to command adequ time to salvag from the wreckag of our past mistak a measur of stabil for iraq and the middl east __PUNCT__ and a more secur futur for the american peopl __PUNCT__
to walk awai now __PUNCT__ befor the iraqi govern can fulli protect it peopl from ruthless enemi __PUNCT__ would strengthen al qaeda __PUNCT__ empow iran and other hostil power in the middl east __PUNCT__ unleash a full scale civil war in iraq that could quit possibl provok genocid there __PUNCT__ and destabil the entir region as neighbor power come to the aid of their favor faction __PUNCT__
the consequ would threaten us for year __PUNCT__ and i am certain would eventu draw us into a wider and more difficult war that would impos even greater sacrific on us __PUNCT__
our defeat in iraq would be catastroph __PUNCT__ not just for iraq __PUNCT__ but for us __PUNCT__
i cannot be complicit in it __PUNCT__
i will do whatev i can __PUNCT__ whether i am effect or not __PUNCT__ to help avert it __PUNCT__
that is all i can offer my countri __PUNCT__
it is not much compar to the sacrific made by american who have volunt to fight thi war for us __PUNCT__
i know that and am humbl by it __PUNCT__
but though my duti is neither danger nor oner __PUNCT__ it compel me nonetheless to sai to my fellow american __PUNCT__ as long as we have the opportun to succe we must try to succe __PUNCT__
and i firmli believ that __PUNCT__ with the continu right cours of action __PUNCT__ we will succe __PUNCT__
i have mani respons to the american peopl __PUNCT__ and i take them all serious __PUNCT__
but i have on respons that outweigh all the other and that is to us whatev talent i possess __PUNCT__ and everi resourc god ha grant me to protect the secur of thi great and good nation from all enemi foreign and domest __PUNCT__
and that i intend to do __PUNCT__ even if i must stand athwart popular opinion __PUNCT__
i will attempt to convinc as mani of my countrymen as i can that we must show even greater patienc __PUNCT__ though our patienc is nearli exhaust __PUNCT__ and that as long as there is a reason prospect for succeed in thi war then we must not choos to lose it __PUNCT__
that is how i constru my respons to my countri __PUNCT__
that is how i constru it yesterdai __PUNCT__
it is how i constru it todai __PUNCT__
it is how i will constru it tomorrow __PUNCT__
i do not know how i could choos ani other cours __PUNCT__
the war in iraq ha divid the american peopl __PUNCT__ but it ha divid no american in our admir for the men and women who ar fight for us there __PUNCT__
it is everi veteran hope that should their children be call upon to answer a call to arm __PUNCT__ the battl will be necessari and the field well chosen __PUNCT__
but that is not their respons __PUNCT__
it belong to the govern that call them __PUNCT__
as it onc wa for us __PUNCT__ their honor will be in their answer not their summon __PUNCT__
whatev we think about how and why we went to war in iraq __PUNCT__ we ar all __PUNCT__ those who support the decis that place them in harm wai and those who oppos it __PUNCT__ humbl by and grate for their exampl __PUNCT__
thei now deserv the distinct of the best american __PUNCT__ and we ow them a debt we can never fulli repai __PUNCT__
we can onli offer the small tribut of our humil and our commit to do all that we can do __PUNCT__ in less try and costli circumst __PUNCT__ to help ke ep thi nation worthi of their sacrific __PUNCT__
mani of them have serv multipl tour in iraq and afghanistan __PUNCT__
mani have had their tour extend __PUNCT__
mani have return to combat sooner than thei had been led to expect __PUNCT__
it is a sad and hard thing to ask so much more of american who have alreadi given more than their fair share to the defens of our countri __PUNCT__
few of them and their famili will have receiv the new about addit and longer deploy without aim a few appropri complaint in the gener direct of peopl like me __PUNCT__ who help make the decis to send them there __PUNCT__
and then thei shoulder a rifl and risk everyth __PUNCT__ everyth __PUNCT__ to accomplish their mission __PUNCT__ to protect anoth peopl freedom and our own countri from harm __PUNCT__
it is a privileg beyond measur to live in a countri serv by them __PUNCT__
i have live a long __PUNCT__ event and bless life __PUNCT__
i have had the good fortun to know person a great mani brave and selfless patriot who sacrif and shed blood to defend america __PUNCT__
but i have known none braver or better than those who do so todai __PUNCT__
thei ar our inspir __PUNCT__ as i suspect all of you were onc their __PUNCT__
and i prai to a love god that he bless and protect them __PUNCT__
thank you __PUNCT__
