thank you __PUNCT__ major gener marti umbarg __PUNCT__ for that kind introduct __PUNCT__
colonel al faber __PUNCT__ major gener poythress __PUNCT__ brigadi gener arflack __PUNCT__ taylor __PUNCT__ and ross __PUNCT__ i thank you gentlemen as well __PUNCT__
and let me add a warm hello to my good friend major gener stan spear of south carolina __PUNCT__ and to brigadi gener steve koper __PUNCT__ and lieuten gener john conawai __PUNCT__
it an honor to join with all of you again for thi __NUM__ gener confer __PUNCT__
and i bring greet from the governor of the great state of alaska __PUNCT__ sarah palin __PUNCT__
everi dai in thi countri and across the world __PUNCT__ the men and women of the nation guard ar give brave and faith servic __PUNCT__
everyon who wear the uniform of the unit state ha accept the call of servic to a caus greater than self __PUNCT__
thi hard call is what defin the citizen soldier of the nation guard __PUNCT__ and america is in your debt __PUNCT__
as we meet __PUNCT__ guard member ar serv in iraq and afghanistan __PUNCT__ while still other have just return from a train mission in the nation of georgia __PUNCT__
other guardsmen ar still work to bring order and safeti to the victim of hurrican ik along the texa coast __PUNCT__ just as thei did after katrina __PUNCT__
our nation face mani challeng __PUNCT__
we have all watch the crisi on wall street thi past week __PUNCT__ and i would like to address that for just a moment __PUNCT__
last fridai __PUNCT__ i propos a plan for comprehens reform of the broken institut that allow thi crisi to becom a grave threat to our economi __PUNCT__
at the center of the plan is the principl that we must keep peopl in their home and safe guard the life save of all american by protect our financi system and capit market __PUNCT__
senat obama ha declin to put forth a plan of hi own __PUNCT__
at a time of crisi __PUNCT__ when leadership is need __PUNCT__ senat obama ha not provid it __PUNCT__
we saw thi same lack of leadership on iraq __PUNCT__
becaus of the sacrific and persever of all the troop __PUNCT__ activ __PUNCT__ duti __PUNCT__ guard __PUNCT__ and reserv __PUNCT__ victori in iraq is final in sight __PUNCT__
my oppon __PUNCT__ senat obama __PUNCT__ like to sai that the surg in iraq wa more success that anyon could have predict at the time __PUNCT__
he said that the surg succeed __PUNCT__ beyond our wildest dream __PUNCT__
that hi wai of sai that it took him by surpris __PUNCT__
and to thi dai senat obama still cannot bring himself to admit hi own failur in judgment __PUNCT__
for a gui who talk so much about hope __PUNCT__ he didn't hold out much hope for victori in iraq __PUNCT__
instead __PUNCT__ he 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__
behind all of these claim and posit by senat obama li the ambit to be presid __PUNCT__
what miss is the judgment to be command in chief __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__
the achiev of our troop in iraq is even greater becaus thei had to press on even as some politician back home were tell america and the world that our caus wa too hard __PUNCT__ and all wa lost __PUNCT__ and retreat wa our onli option __PUNCT__
those politician panick when thing got tough __PUNCT__ which seem to be a pattern with my oppon __PUNCT__
whether it a revers in war __PUNCT__ or an econom emerg __PUNCT__ he react as a politician and not as a leader __PUNCT__ seek an advantag for himself instead of a solut for hi countri __PUNCT__
among the mani lesson of iraq were the word of gener david petraeu __PUNCT__
upon arriv in iraq __PUNCT__ he told hi troop to rememb that __PUNCT__ hard is not hopeless __PUNCT__
and that is a lesson that appli to other great challeng that america now face __PUNCT__ hard is not hopeless __PUNCT__
unlik senat obama __PUNCT__ i believ the surg would succe becaus i knew the capabl and cultur of the unit state militari __PUNCT__
i wa bless to have been born into a famili that made it live at sea in defens of our secur and ideal __PUNCT__
my grandfath wa a naval aviat __PUNCT__ my father a submarin __PUNCT__
earn their respect wa on of the great ambit of my life __PUNCT__
and so 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__
you answer the call when it came __PUNCT__ took up arm and serv for your countri sake __PUNCT__
you were citizen __PUNCT__ soldier __PUNCT__
and yet todai __PUNCT__ the nation guard role resembl __PUNCT__ in mani respect __PUNCT__ the role it perform in world war ii __PUNCT__ when guard unit fought in everi theater and everi major campaign __PUNCT__
unit such as compani a of the __NUM__ infantri regiment __PUNCT__ the fame __PUNCT__ bedford boi __PUNCT__ of the virginia nation guard __PUNCT__ that spearhead the alli assault on omaha beach __PUNCT__ __DATE__ __PUNCT__
befor 9/11 __PUNCT__ a lot of us didn't alwai fulli appreci the power and potenti of the guard __PUNCT__ and what it might on dai be call upon to do __PUNCT__
but my friend __PUNCT__ we understand it now __PUNCT__
time have chang __PUNCT__ we all understand that now __PUNCT__
todai __PUNCT__ thousand of nation guard soldier and airmen onc again fight alongsid their activ compon comrad on everi battlefield in the war against milit islam __PUNCT__
from the mountain of afghanistan to the back allei of iraq __PUNCT__ guard and reserv personnel ar engag in everi aspect of thi conflict __PUNCT__
the men and women of the nation guard repres the veri best of what it mean to be an american and what our countri is truli all about __PUNCT__ free peopl of everi race __PUNCT__ creed __PUNCT__ color __PUNCT__ and ethnic background __PUNCT__ who regard it as their sacr duti not simpli to indulg in the right and privileg of citizenship __PUNCT__ but to answer it oblig __PUNCT__
no matter the danger to our secur or safeti __PUNCT__ at home or abroad __PUNCT__ the nation guard ha answer the call __PUNCT__
you have alwai been readi __PUNCT__
you have alwai been there __PUNCT__
for everyon in the militari todai __PUNCT__ whether you ar guard __PUNCT__ activ __PUNCT__ or reserv __PUNCT__ these ar difficult time __PUNCT__
we ar a nation at war __PUNCT__ and we have ask of our men and women of the arm forc an almost unpreced level of commit and sacrific __PUNCT__
extend deploy and back __PUNCT__ to __PUNCT__ back combat tour have becom the standard rather than the except __PUNCT__
the new secur environ in which we live will continu to pose great challeng __PUNCT__ and requir that we us all element of nation power to defeat radic __PUNCT__
the nation guard will plai a vital role in thi multi __PUNCT__ dimension effort __PUNCT__ precis becaus it citizen __PUNCT__ soldier and airmen bring such a wide rang of skill and capac to the forc __PUNCT__
we place great demand on the nation guard __PUNCT__
at time __PUNCT__ the guard respons exce even the demand we put on our activ __PUNCT__ duti forc __PUNCT__
and our govern ha certain oblig that it ha not alwai kept __PUNCT__
as we go forward __PUNCT__ america must make a new and last commit to our nation guard __PUNCT__
thi commit must begin with our polit leadership recogn the sheer magnitud of what we ask guard unit to accomplish __PUNCT__ abroad and here at home __PUNCT__ with a forc compris primarili of part __PUNCT__ time soldier and airmen __PUNCT__
thi mean a nation leadership that respect and treat our governor and adjut gener as partner in nation and homeland secur policymak __PUNCT__ rather than as impedi and intrud __PUNCT__
part of that essenti effort wa to grant the chief of the nation guard bureau the fourth star that the posit merit __PUNCT__ and i pleas to congratul gener __PUNCT__ select craig mckinlei on be the first guardsman to wear that fourth star __PUNCT__
thi mean get rid of polici __PUNCT__ practic __PUNCT__ and custom that fail to promot a seamless total forc base on cooper __PUNCT__ joint __PUNCT__ and the mutual respect that all compon __PUNCT__ includ the guard and reserv __PUNCT__ have earn with their blood and braveri __PUNCT__
we cannot afford __PUNCT__ and i will not toler __PUNCT__ an environ in which parochi stand in the wai of build an integr total forc __PUNCT__
thi mean give the nation guard all the manpow it need __PUNCT__ includ a suffici complement of full __PUNCT__ time posit __PUNCT__ so that everi unit is readi to mobil for ani conting __PUNCT__
thi mean provid all the train the guard requir __PUNCT__ so that no on is ask to take on a mission unprepar __PUNCT__
and it mean ensur that our guard is well suppli __PUNCT__ so that no unit will ever go into harm wai without the best equip that america can provid __PUNCT__
a seriou commit to support the guard also mean that servic to countri should come at the cost of a civilian career __PUNCT__
when employ exce the requir of the law in support the guard commit of their worker __PUNCT__ we should encourag and honor that __PUNCT__
and when employ fall short of those legal requir __PUNCT__ the sanction should be seriou __PUNCT__ and thei must be enforc __PUNCT__
final __PUNCT__ our commit to the guard and reserv mean establish a new compact with our guard and reserv personnel to ensur that thei and their famili ar given appropri care __PUNCT__ dure and after their time of servic __PUNCT__
ptsd and traumat brain injuri affect guard member just as thei do activ __PUNCT__ duti personnel __PUNCT__
in the senat __PUNCT__ i co __PUNCT__ author the wound warrior act __PUNCT__ which wa the first major legisl initi to address these injuri __PUNCT__
and i pledg to you that __PUNCT__ if i am 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__
and i will ensur that we take into account the special challeng of identifi and care for our tradit guard member __PUNCT__ and their famili __PUNCT__ who need assist __PUNCT__
we made a great step forward when the presid sign the gi bill for the __NUM__ centuri thi summer __PUNCT__
i am proud to have support that legisl in it final form __PUNCT__ onc it includ the number on request of career servic member __PUNCT__ that thei be given the freedom to transfer their benefit to a spous or child __PUNCT__
i expect that mani elig guard member and their famili will want to take advantag of that benefit __PUNCT__
as with anyon who ha serv in uniform __PUNCT__ veteran of the guard deserv the best of medic care and other benefit __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__
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__
the va must also broaden it care for the women who ar enter the arm forc in greater number than ever __PUNCT__ and who ar suffer from the same war wound __PUNCT__ visibl and invis __PUNCT__ suffer by other veteran __PUNCT__
as rapidli as possibl __PUNCT__ we must improv the va system so that it can fulli assess and treat condit that predominantli or exclus affect women __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__
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 if i am elect __PUNCT__ i will have on respons that outweigh all the other __PUNCT__
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 __PUNCT__ especi our guardsmen __PUNCT__ 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__
to the nation guardsmen who todai will walk combat patrol in iraq and afghanistan __PUNCT__ to those who will fly mission in support of our deploi forc __PUNCT__ to those engag back home in humanitarian effort to reliev suffer __PUNCT__ and to all of you who know what it mean to stand the long night watch __PUNCT__ thank you __PUNCT__
you understand both the valu __PUNCT__ and the price __PUNCT__ of freedom __PUNCT__
you ar the best among us __PUNCT__ and i pledg to you my undi fidel to the caus of protect america __PUNCT__ and to a nation guard that will alwai be readi __PUNCT__ and alwai be there __PUNCT__
thank you __PUNCT__
