Kerry Radio Address: Armed Forces Day

John Kerry delivered the Democratic national radio address to the Nation today. Here are his remarks as prepared:

Good morning, this is John Kerry. This third Saturday of May is celebrated around America as Armed Forces Day.

But in these times, the men and women of our military, including the Reserves and National Guard, are much on our minds every day. We honor them for their service and sacrifice. We admire their skill and courage. We pray for their safety. And we are reminded again today that military service involves a sacred covenant between our country and those who wear the uniform of the United States.

When I joined the Navy almost four decades ago, I knew that I was accepting a series of obligations. To train hard, accept discipline, prepare for deadly dangers, and be part of a team. These obligations matter, because when you foul up in the military, you can get your buddies killed, make the job of our enemies easier, and make it harder for America to succeed.

But our fighting men and women are not the only ones who have obligations.

Our nation has duties as well.

We have a duty to ensure that our troops are sent into battle only as a last resort. This nation should never go to war because it wants to, but only because it has to.

And we have a duty to ensure that if our troops are sent into harm’s way, they will have the right leadership, the right training, a clear sense of mission, a clear idea of what they are – and are not – expected to do.

We have a duty to ensure that there are enough troops to achieve the mission with maximum speed and minimum risk.

We have a duty to look ahead so that once victory on the battlefield is won, we have a plan to win the peace.

We have a duty to build and lead alliances so that our troops and our country will not have to bear almost alone the burdens of defending freedom and defeating the great dangers that now threaten our national safety and global security.

And we have a duty to guarantee that, when mistakes are made, those responsible are held accountable whether they are at the bottom of the chain of command or at the top.

Two weeks from today, on the National Mall in Washington, we will dedicate the World War II memorial to the members of the greatest generation – whose service in one of America’s finest hours will, in Churchill’s phrase, be remembered for a thousand years and more. The tribute we pay them with this memorial is long overdue.

My father was in the Army Air Corps then, but the whole country was enlisted in that cause.

We must renew that sense of unity and common purpose.

So on this Armed Forces Day, I hope we will send a message and a promise to all who wear the uniform at home or overseas. The message is simple and profound: we salute them for doing their best to defend our nation and our ideals. They are the best of America.

And our promise to them is that we will do our best to meet our obligations to them and to their families.

Armed Forces Day is a reminder that military service is not just a job. It requires an inner strength to leave the embrace of loved ones and all that is familiar to go far away to the front lines into the choking dust of a desert and into unknown dangers to keep the rest of us secure.

As we honor our military today, both nationally and in more personal ways through phone calls, letters and hospital visits, let us also remember that American power has been and always will be a function of our nation’s character.

As citizens, everyone of us must live the values that make America both great and good.

That is the kind of America our armed forces have fought for across the generations; it is the stronger America we must now build together: it is the country we owe to our heroes when they return home. This is John Kerry. Thank you for listening. May God Bless our men and women in uniform and keep them safe.

FACT SHEET

JOHN KERRY: ARMED FORCES DAY

“We are reminded again today that military service involves a sacred covenant between our country and those who wear the uniform of the United States.”

A PROUD TRADITION OF MILITARY SERVICE

John Kerry’s Father, Richard Kerry, Served in the Army Air Corps During World War II

John Kerry Served in the U.S. Navy and is a Veteran of the Vietnam War – John Kerry joined the United States Navy after college and served from 1966 through 1970 rising to the rank of Lieutenant, Junior Grade. Kerry continued his military service in the United States Naval Reserves from 1972 through 1978. Kerry served two tours of duty in Vietnam--one tour as commander of a Navy Swift Boat in the Mekong Delta. Kerry’s action during the Vietnam War resulted in his being awarded the Silver Star, the Bronze Star with Combat “V”, three Purple Hearts, the Presidential Unit Citation for Extraordinary Heroism, the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, three Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medals and the Combat Action Ribbon. [Selective Service System National Headquarters]

A STRONG SUPPORTER OF AMERICA’S MILITARY AND OUR TROOPS

Working to Ensure America’s Military Remains the Best in the World. John Kerry will make sure our troops always have the armor and equipment they need. He will increase the size of the active-duty Army by 40,000 troops to better meet our commitments around the world without continuing to strain our military personnel and their families.

Ensuring All Military Reservists Have Health Care. Members of the National Guard and Reserve are fighting and dying alongside members of the active duty component. John Kerry believes that these brave Americans deserve access to the same level of healthcare as other soldiers on the battlefield. As part of his Military Family Bill of Rights, John Kerry supports legislation to provide access to TRICARE, the military’s health care system, for all members of the National Guard and Reserves.

Voted for Largest Increase in Defense Spending Since the Early 1980s. John Kerry is a strong supporter of the U.S. Armed Services and has consistently worked to ensure the military has the best equipment and training possible. In 2002, John Kerry voted for a large increase in the defense budget, including a 4.1% pay increase for military personnel.

A Strong Supporter of Men & Women in Uniform. John Kerry has worked to support the men and women who defend the United States. Kerry knows what it is like to serve the country in uniform that is why he has strongly supported military pay raises and increased housing, education and retirement benefits for the men and women of the Armed Services. Kerry voted for the “Soldiers', Sailors', Airmen's and Marines' Bill of Rights Act” which authorized $46 billion over ten years to create a 4.8% pay raise for members of the military. The Act also authorized additional pay, retirement, education, savings, and health benefits.

STANDING WITH AMERICA’S MILITARY FAMILIES

· Fighting for a Military Family Bill of Rights. John Kerry has proposed a Military Family Bill of Rights that will provide our military families with competitive pay, good housing, decent health care, quality education for their children, first rate training, and the best possible weaponry, armor, and state-of-the-art equipment.

· Voted for an Additional Allowance to Families. Kerry voted for the McCain amendment to provide a further $28 million to service members for an additional allowance to military families who are eligible for food stamps—a problem John Kerry wants to end.

· Supporting Military Family Housing. In 2002, Kerry voted to provide “$10.4 billion for military construction and family housing” and to authorize “a new special compensation program which provides significantly enhanced compensation for military retirees with 20 or more years of service who incurred a qualifying combat-related disability.”

RENEWING AMERICA’S PROMISE TO VETERANS

· Ensuring Access to Health Care for All Veterans. John Kerry will push for mandatory funding for veterans health care so that America never pits veterans in one state against veterans in another and to streamline the veterans’ health care system so that veterans get the care they need in a timely fashion. He will end the disabled veterans’ tax so that military retirees are not punished for receiving both military retirement pensions and VA disability compensation, and he will fight to ensure that all military reservists have access to the same level of healthcare as other soldiers on the battlefield.

· Making Health Care More Affordable to Veterans and all Americans. Kerry’s health care plan will make health care more affordable for veterans and all Americans. He will cut costs by: providing families and businesses with premium relief; cutting prescription drug costs; eliminating waste, fraud and abuse in the health care system; improving efficiency and quality of care; and making malpractice insurance more affordable.

· A National Leader in Helping Veterans Suffering from Exposure to Agent Orange – John Kerry has a long history of working to help Vietnam Veterans suffering from exposure to Agent Orange. Beginning more than 15 years ago, Kerry introduced legislation to assist vets in receiving medical compensation from being exposed to the toxic chemicals and has testified before Congress to force the government to care for Vietnam Vets. Kerry’s bill, “The Comprehensive Agent Orange Scientific Evidence Review Act” required the VA to look into the “health effects of exposure” to Agent Orange.

· Working to Ensure Veterans Receive Proper Care for Gulf War Syndrome – John Kerry has worked in the Senate to ensure vets and retirees receive the proper care for the Gulf War Illness/Syndrome. Kerry has written to Defense Secretary Rumsfeld on behalf of the nation’s vets asking that he “honor their sacrifice” by including Gulf War Syndrome and other “illnesses among those that will allow retirees to receive their retirement and disability benefits.”




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