Veterans Day, 2012

Proclamation 8902 of November 7, 2012

Veterans Day, 2012

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

Whether they fought in Salerno or Samarra, Heartbreak
Ridge or Helmand, Khe Sanh or the Korengal, our
veterans are part of an unbroken chain of men and women
who have served our country with honor and distinction.
On Veterans Day, we show them our deepest thanks. Their
sacrifices have helped secure more than two centuries
of American progress, and their legacy affirms that no
matter what confronts us or what trials we face, there
is no challenge we cannot overcome, and our best days
are still ahead.

This year, we marked the 200th anniversary of the War
of 1812. We began to commemorate the 50th anniversary
of the Vietnam War. We welcomed our veterans back home
from Iraq, and we continued to wind down operations in
Afghanistan. These milestones remind us that, though
much has changed since Americans first took up arms to
advance freedom's cause, the spirit that moved our
forebears is the same spirit that has defined each
generation of our service members. Our men and women in
uniform have taught us about strength, duty, devotion,
resolve--cornerstones of a commitment to protect and
defend that has kept our country safe for over 200
years. In war and in peace, their service has been
selfless and their accomplishments have been
extraordinary.

Even after our veterans take off the uniform, they
never stop serving. Many apply the skills and
experience they developed on the battlefield to a life
of service here at home. They take on roles in their
communities as doctors and police officers, engineers
and entrepreneurs, mothers and fathers. As a grateful
Nation, it is our task to make that transition
possible--to ensure our returning heroes can share in
the opportunities they have given so much to defend.
The freedoms we cherish endure because of their service
and sacrifice, and our country must strive to honor our
veterans by fulfilling our responsibilities to them and
upholding the sacred trust we share with all who have
served.

On days like this, we are called to reflect on
immeasurable burdens that have been borne by so few. We
pay tribute to our wounded, our missing, our fallen,
and their families--men and women who have known the
true costs of conflict and deserve our deepest respect,
now and forever. We also remember that our commitments
to those who have served are commitments we must honor
not only on Veterans Day, but every day. As we do so,
let us reaffirm our promise that when our troops finish
their tours of duty, they come home to an America that
gives them the benefits they have earned, the care they
deserve, and the fullest opportunity to keep their
families strong and our country moving forward.

With respect for and in recognition of the
contributions our service members have made to the
cause of peace and freedom around the world, the
Congress has provided (5 U.S.C. 6103(a)) that November
11 of each year shall be set aside as a legal public
holiday to honor our Nation's veterans.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the
United States of America, do hereby proclaim November
11, 2012, as Veterans Day. I encourage all Americans to
recognize the valor and sacrifice of our veterans

through appropriate public ceremonies and private
prayers. I call upon Federal, State, and local
officials to display the flag of the United States and
to participate in patriotic activities in their
communities. I call on all Americans, including civic
and fraternal organizations, places of worship,
schools, and communities to support this day with
commemorative expressions and programs.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
seventh day of November, in the year of our Lord two
thousand twelve, and of the Independence of the United
States of America the two hundred and thirty-seventh.