thank you all veri much __PUNCT__
nation command georg lisicki __PUNCT__ thank you for the kind introduct __PUNCT__
ladi auxiliari presid virginia carmen __PUNCT__ incom nation command glen gardner __PUNCT__ incom ladi auxiliari presid dixi hild __PUNCT__ adjut gener gunner kent __PUNCT__ execut director bob wallac __PUNCT__ i thank you all for the warm welcom __PUNCT__
i am honor to be in the compani of all my fellow member of the vfw __PUNCT__ and especi anyon here who might hail from post __NUM__ in chandler __PUNCT__ arizona __PUNCT__
i proud to count mani of you in thi room as person friend __PUNCT__ includ my good friend retir marin corp sergeant major paul chevali of new hampshir __PUNCT__
and there anoth gentleman here i know you want to welcom __PUNCT__
he as fine a friend as a man could have in a tough spot __PUNCT__ lieuten colonel orson swindl of the unit state marin corp __PUNCT__
all of us take pride in be member of thi great organ __PUNCT__
after it found in __NUM__ the vfw serv mani of the more than four million american veteran of the first world war __PUNCT__
todai just on of those veteran surviv __PUNCT__ a man of __NUM__ name frank buckl __PUNCT__
frank live in west virginia __PUNCT__
and i have a feel that word will reach him if we all join in a round of applaus for the last doughboi __PUNCT__
in all the year sinc __PUNCT__ the men and women of the vfw have stai faith to their mission of serv those who have serv their countri __PUNCT__
in europ __PUNCT__ asia __PUNCT__ the middl east __PUNCT__ and elsewher __PUNCT__ america veteran have face differ enemi __PUNCT__ but thei have alwai found the same friend and alli in the vfw __PUNCT__
all of us return from war with a few experi we gladli forget __PUNCT__ but the friendship and camaraderi we brought home ar forev __PUNCT__
for keep us all togeth __PUNCT__ and help those most in need __PUNCT__ we all in the debt of the vfw __PUNCT__
the men and women of the vfw know the valu of freedom __PUNCT__ becaus you have been it protector __PUNCT__
you were there when your countri need you __PUNCT__
you shoulder heavi burden and accept great risk __PUNCT__
i sure mani of you will also recal from your experi in war __PUNCT__ as i do from mine __PUNCT__ that when you somewher on the other side of the world in the servic of america you pai attent to the new from back home __PUNCT__
it affect moral __PUNCT__
and even dure thi elect season __PUNCT__ with sharp differ on the wisdom and success of the surg in iraq __PUNCT__ american need to speak as on in prais of the men and women who fight our battl __PUNCT__
thei ar the best among us __PUNCT__ as you were befor them __PUNCT__ and i know you will join me in applaud the courag and skill that will see america through to victori __PUNCT__
though victori in iraq is final in sight __PUNCT__ a great deal still depend on the decis and good judgment of the next presid __PUNCT__
the hard __PUNCT__ won gain of our troop hang in the balanc __PUNCT__
the last advantag of a peac and democrat alli in the heart of the middl east could still be squander by hasti withdraw and arbitrari timelin __PUNCT__
and thi is on of mani problem in the shift posit of my oppon __PUNCT__ senat obama __PUNCT__
with less than three month to go befor the elect __PUNCT__ a lot of peopl ar still try to squar senat obama vari posit on the surg in iraq __PUNCT__
first __PUNCT__ he oppos the surg and confid predict that it would fail __PUNCT__
then he tri to prevent fund for the troop who carri out the surg __PUNCT__
not content to mere predict failur in iraq __PUNCT__ my oppon tri to legisl failur __PUNCT__
thi wa back when support america effort in iraq entail seriou polit risk __PUNCT__
it wa a clarifi moment __PUNCT__
it wa a moment when polit self __PUNCT__ interest and the nation interest part wai __PUNCT__
for my part __PUNCT__ with so much in the balanc __PUNCT__ it wa an easi call __PUNCT__
as i said at the time __PUNCT__ i would rather lose an elect than lose a war __PUNCT__
thank to the courag and sacrific of our soldier __PUNCT__ sailor __PUNCT__ airmen __PUNCT__ and marin and to brave iraqi fighter the surg ha succeed __PUNCT__
and yet senat obama still cannot quit bring himself to admit hi own failur in judgment __PUNCT__
nor ha he been will to heed the guidanc of gener petraeu __PUNCT__ or to listen to our troop on the ground when thei sai __PUNCT__ as thei have said to me on my trip to iraq __PUNCT__ let us win __PUNCT__ just let us win __PUNCT__
instead __PUNCT__ senat obama commit the greater error of insist that even in hindsight __PUNCT__ he would oppos the surg __PUNCT__
even in retrospect __PUNCT__ he would choos the path of retreat and failur for america over the path of success and victori __PUNCT__
in short __PUNCT__ both candid in thi elect pledg to end thi war and bring our troop home __PUNCT__
the great differ is that i intend to win it first __PUNCT__
behind all of these claim and posit by senat obama li the ambit to be presid __PUNCT__
what less appar is the judgment to be command in chief __PUNCT__
and in matter of nation secur __PUNCT__ good judgment will be at a premium in the term of the next presid __PUNCT__ as we were all remind ten dai ago by event in the nation of georgia __PUNCT__
it been a while sinc most american __PUNCT__ includ most of our leader and diplomat __PUNCT__ have view russia as a threat to the peac __PUNCT__
but the russian govern assault on a small democrat neighbor show why thi need revis __PUNCT__
as i have long warn __PUNCT__ russia under the rule of vladimir putin is becom more aggress toward the now democrat nation that broke free of the old soviet empir __PUNCT__
russia also hold vast energi wealth __PUNCT__
and thi heavi influenc in the oil and ga market ha becom a polit weapon that russia is clearli prepar to us __PUNCT__
georgia stand at a strateg crossroad in the caucasu __PUNCT__
the baku __PUNCT__ tbilisi __PUNCT__ ceyhan pipelin __PUNCT__ which bring oil from the caspian to point west __PUNCT__ travers georgia __PUNCT__
and if that pipelin were destroi or control by russia __PUNCT__ global energi suppli would be even more vulner to russian influenc with seriou consequ on the world energi market __PUNCT__
for some time now __PUNCT__ i have been make the case for a dramat acceler of domest energi product __PUNCT__
with high price and grow demand for oil and ga __PUNCT__ american cannot remain depend upon other for the most vital of commod __PUNCT__
now we ar remind that energi polici is also a matter of the highest prioriti not onli for our economi __PUNCT__ but for our nation secur __PUNCT__
disrupt of suppli abroad can suddenli rais energi price __PUNCT__ inflict great harm on our economi and on america worker __PUNCT__
and in the term of the next presid __PUNCT__ skill handl of such a crisi could be the differ between temporari hardship and far __PUNCT__ reach disast __PUNCT__
when russia first invad georgia __PUNCT__ some peopl mai have wonder why event in thi part of the world should be ani concern of our __PUNCT__
after all __PUNCT__ georgia mai seem a small __PUNCT__ remot and obscur place __PUNCT__
but mani of you serv in place that onc seem remot and obscur __PUNCT__
and the veteran of foreign war know better than anyon how inattent to small crise can invit much larger on __PUNCT__
there ar mani reason why the russian invas of georgia is of grave concern to america and to our alli __PUNCT__
abov all __PUNCT__ georgia is a struggl democraci where soviet tyranni is still fresh in memori __PUNCT__
there ar report now of georgian villag be raze __PUNCT__ civilian be round up __PUNCT__ and innoc civilian shot __PUNCT__
we have seen such thing befor __PUNCT__ as in the balkan and in earlier period of european histori __PUNCT__ and now we must ensur that event in georgia do not unfold into a tragedi of greater scale __PUNCT__
when young democraci ar threaten or attack __PUNCT__ and innoc civilian ar target __PUNCT__ thei should be abl to count on the free world for support and solidar __PUNCT__
if i am elect presid __PUNCT__ thei will have that support __PUNCT__
and in cooper with our friend and alli in europ __PUNCT__ we will make it clear to russia ruler that act of violenc and intimid come at a heavi cost __PUNCT__
there will be no place among g __PUNCT__ __NUM__ nation __PUNCT__ or in the wto __PUNCT__ for a modern russia that act at time like the old soviet union __PUNCT__
the cold war is over __PUNCT__ the soviet empir is gone __PUNCT__ and neither on is miss __PUNCT__
least of all is that empir miss by the onc captiv nation of estonia __PUNCT__ latvia __PUNCT__ lithuania __PUNCT__ poland __PUNCT__ ukrain __PUNCT__ and georgia __PUNCT__
these brave young democraci have join the free world __PUNCT__ and thei ar not go back __PUNCT__
through decad of struggl __PUNCT__ free nation prevail over tyranni in larg measur becaus of the sacrific of the men and women of the unit state arm forc __PUNCT__
and it will fall to the next command in chief to make good on the oblig our govern accept everi time ani man or woman enter the militari __PUNCT__ and again when thei receiv their dd __NUM__ __PUNCT__
those we depend on as troop should know __PUNCT__ when thei becom veteran __PUNCT__ that thei can depend on us __PUNCT__
honor thi oblig will requir leadership __PUNCT__
and i pledg to you that as presid i will lead __PUNCT__ from the front __PUNCT__ to reform our va system and make sure that veteran receiv the respect and care thei have earn __PUNCT__
the walter reed scandal wa a disgrac unworthi of thi nation __PUNCT__ and i intend to make sure that noth like it is ever repeat __PUNCT__
there ar other problem as well that have not receiv as much media attent __PUNCT__
and my administr will do the hard and necessari work of fix them __PUNCT__ even when the press and the public ar not watch __PUNCT__
reform begin with appoint a secretari of veteran affair who is a leader of the highest calib __PUNCT__ and who listen to veteran and veteran __PUNCT__ servic organ __PUNCT__
my va secretari must be a forc advoc for veteran and forthright advisor to me __PUNCT__ so we can make the right choic about budget __PUNCT__ health care __PUNCT__ and other veteran __PUNCT__ benefit issu __PUNCT__
he or she will also need to be a high __PUNCT__ energi leader __PUNCT__ too __PUNCT__ becaus we have a lot of work to do in improv servic to veteran __PUNCT__
veteran must be treat fairli and expediti as thei seek compens for disabl or ill __PUNCT__
we ow them compass and hand __PUNCT__ on care in their transit to civilian life __PUNCT__
we ow them train __PUNCT__ rehabilit __PUNCT__ and educ __PUNCT__
we ow their famili __PUNCT__ parent and caregiv our concern and support __PUNCT__
veteran 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 all that is in my power to ensur that those who serv todai __PUNCT__ and those who have serv in the past __PUNCT__ have access to the highest qualiti health __PUNCT__ mental health and rehabilit care in the world __PUNCT__
and i will not accept a situat in which veteran ar deni access to care on account of travel distanc __PUNCT__ backlog of appoint __PUNCT__ and year of pend disabl evalu and claim __PUNCT__
we should no longer toler requir veteran to make an appoint to stand in on line for a ticket to stand in anoth __PUNCT__
i not here to tell you that there is a cost that is too high to be paid in the care of our nation veteran __PUNCT__
i will make sure that congress fund the va health care budget in a suffici __PUNCT__ time __PUNCT__ and predict manner __PUNCT__
but i will sai that everi increas in fund must be match by increas in account __PUNCT__ both at the va and in congress __PUNCT__
and thi requir an end to certain practic and abus that serv neither our veteran __PUNCT__ our countri __PUNCT__ nor the reput of congress itself __PUNCT__
exactli becaus fund va program command bipartisan support __PUNCT__ some in the congress like to attach unrel appropri and earmark to va bill __PUNCT__
the result is to mix vital nation prioriti with wast and often worthless polit pork __PUNCT__
earmark show up in bill of everi kind __PUNCT__ and not just va bill __PUNCT__
that how we end up budget hundr of million of dollar for bridg to nowher __PUNCT__ or lesser sum for woodstock museum and the like __PUNCT__
when that earmark for a million buck to fund a woodstock museum didn't come through __PUNCT__ i don't imagin that mani veteran had to chang their vacat plan __PUNCT__
and the principl here is simpl __PUNCT__ public monei should serv the public good __PUNCT__
if it me sit in the oval offic __PUNCT__ at the resolut desk __PUNCT__ those wast spend bill ar go the wai of all earmark __PUNCT__ straight back to the congress with a veto __PUNCT__
when we make it clear to congress that no earmark bill will be sign into law __PUNCT__ that will save mani billion of dollar that can be appli to essenti prioriti __PUNCT__ and abov all to the care of our veteran __PUNCT__
but reform doesn't end there __PUNCT__
we must also modern our disabl system to make sure that elig servic member receiv benefit quickli __PUNCT__ base on clear __PUNCT__ predict __PUNCT__ and fair standard __PUNCT__
and we must address the problem of capac and access within our va health care system __PUNCT__
while thi will involv a wide rang of initi __PUNCT__ i believ there is a simpl and direct reform we should make right awai __PUNCT__
my administr will creat a veteran __PUNCT__ care access card to be us by veteran with ill or injuri incur dure their militari servic __PUNCT__ and by those with lower incom __PUNCT__
thi card will provid those without time access to va facil the option of us high __PUNCT__ qualiti health __PUNCT__ care provid near their home __PUNCT__
for mani veteran __PUNCT__ the closest va facil isn't close enough __PUNCT__
and mani of their local provid ar alreadi familiar with the most common need of veteran __PUNCT__
often __PUNCT__ all that prevent them from receiv local care is a system for share medic record among va __PUNCT__ dod __PUNCT__ and civilian hospit and doctor __PUNCT__
my reform will improv care __PUNCT__ reduc risk __PUNCT__ and broaden access all at the same time __PUNCT__
thi card is not intend to either replac the va or privat veteran __PUNCT__ health care __PUNCT__ as some have wrongli charg __PUNCT__
i believ the va should alwai be there to provid top __PUNCT__ qualiti care for our veteran __PUNCT__
and i believ that the va should continu to provid broad __PUNCT__ spectrum health care to elig veteran __PUNCT__ in addit to special care in area such as spinal injuri __PUNCT__ prosthet __PUNCT__ and blind __PUNCT__ servic in which the va set the standard in medic care __PUNCT__
even so __PUNCT__ there ar veteran elig for care who ar not current abl to receiv it __PUNCT__ on account of distanc __PUNCT__ wait time __PUNCT__ or the absenc of certain specialti __PUNCT__
and for thi group __PUNCT__ the new card i propos will offer better altern __PUNCT__ to provid the benefit thei have earn __PUNCT__
reform must also recogn that greater care is need for certain type of injuri __PUNCT__
in the senat __PUNCT__ i co __PUNCT__ author the wound warrior act __PUNCT__ which wa the first major legisl initi to address post __PUNCT__ traumat stress disord and traumat brain injuri __PUNCT__
as presid __PUNCT__ i will build on thi legisl to improv screen and treatment for these sever injuri suffer by mani in iraq and afghanistan __PUNCT__
the va must also broaden it care for the women who ar enter the arm forc in greater number than ever __PUNCT__
the grow rank of women in uniform have left the va lag behind in the servic it provid __PUNCT__
and here the veteran care access card will prove especi valuabl __PUNCT__ afford women medic option while the va improv capac and expand servic __PUNCT__
these ar among the element of my reform agenda for the va system __PUNCT__
and todai __PUNCT__ as other occas __PUNCT__ i have state in the plainest __PUNCT__ most straightforward term that the veteran health care access card will expand exist benefit __PUNCT__
i don't expect thi will deter the obama campaign from misrepres my propos __PUNCT__ but lest there be ani doubt you have my pledg __PUNCT__ my reform would not forc anyon to go to a non __PUNCT__ va facil __PUNCT__
thei will not signal privat of the va __PUNCT__
and thei will not replac ani schedul expans of the va network __PUNCT__ includ those facil design to serv veteran live in rural and remot area __PUNCT__
i suppos from my oppon vantag point __PUNCT__ veteran concern ar just on more issu to be spun or work to advantag __PUNCT__
thi would explain why he ha also taken liberti with my posit on the gi bill __PUNCT__
in it initi version __PUNCT__ that bill fail to address the number on educ request that i heard from career servic member and their famili __PUNCT__ the freedom to transfer their benefit to a spous or a child __PUNCT__
the bill also did noth to retain the young offic and enlist leader who form the backbon of our all __PUNCT__ volunt forc __PUNCT__
as a polit proposit __PUNCT__ it would have much easier for me to have just sign on to what i consid flaw legisl __PUNCT__
but the peopl of arizona __PUNCT__ and of all america __PUNCT__ expect more from their repres than that __PUNCT__ and instead i sought a better bill __PUNCT__
i proud to sai that the result is a law that better serv our militari __PUNCT__ better serv militari famili __PUNCT__ and better serv the interest of our countri __PUNCT__
no on who ha worn the uniform of hi or her countri can ever take these matter lightli __PUNCT__
we all learn an ethic in the servic of look after on anoth __PUNCT__ of leav no on behind __PUNCT__ and thi commit did not end when we left the servic __PUNCT__
as a matter of duti and of honor __PUNCT__ whatev our commit to veteran cost __PUNCT__ if i am presid those commit will be kept __PUNCT__
the next presid will 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__
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 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 keep thi nation worthi of their sacrific __PUNCT__
mani of them have serv multipl tour in iraq and afghanistan __PUNCT__
mani had their tour extend __PUNCT__
mani return to combat sooner than thei had been led to expect __PUNCT__
it wa 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 or climb in a cockpit 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 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__
