Veterans Day, 1996

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Part IV

The President

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Proclamation 6950--Veterans Day, 1996

Executive Order 13022--Administration of the Midway Islands

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Title 3--
The President

Proclamation 6950 of October 31, 1996

Veterans Day, 1996

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

This Veterans Day, Americans enjoy the fruits of peace,
freedom, and prosperity in a world where too many must
still struggle to live their lives free from conflict,
violence, and repression.

As leaders in the fight for liberty, we have sought to
advance the cause of freedom and democracy to people
all over the world. The credit for our own freedom, as
well as our continued security, belongs overwhelmingly
to the men and women who have served in our Nation's
Armed Forces--our veterans. Had they not been there
yesterday, were they not with us today, our world would
be far different.

Today we salute their service, honor their sacrifice,
thank them for supporting this Nation in every hour of
need. And we acknowledge that freedom's cost continues
long after the guns fall silent. Many of our veterans
bear the disabilities and scars of military service.
The families of others--who never returned from their
service--live always with a profound sense of loss. It
is our duty to remember what our veterans have done and
to uphold our commitments to them and their families.

As we mark the past achievements of our veterans, let
us remember that they are a vital part of our present
and future. Of the 40 million who have served in
America's military since the Revolutionary War, 26.5
million are with us today--not distant historical
footnotes, but as close as a father or mother, brother
or sister, grandfather or grandmother, friend or
neighbor.

Their tradition of service extends beyond the
battlefield and the barracks. Most veterans in civilian
life continue devoting their energies to the service of
their country and communities. They are civic-minded
role models who challenge and inspire our young people.
They are volunteers who work for neighbors in need.
They represent what is best in the American spirit.

That is why we must help them make the transition from
military to civilian careers and empower them with the
opportunities to use their training, discipline, and
motivation in good and rewarding jobs. We owe them as
well a guarantee that we will continue to defend the
American ideals for which they have served and
sacrificed. As the strongest force for peace and
freedom in the world, we recognize our responsibility
to maintain a military capability second to none.

In respect and recognition of the contributions our
service men and women have made in defense of America
and to advance the cause of peace, 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
recognize America's veterans.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, WILLIAM J. CLINTON, President of the
United States of America, do hereby proclaim Monday,
November 11, 1996, as Veterans Day. I urge 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 encourage and participate in patriotic activities in
their communities.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
thirty-first day of October, in the year of our Lord
nineteen hundred and ninety-six, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two
hundred and twenty-first.