National Day of Honor

Vol. 77

Thursday,

No. 56

March 22, 2012

Part III

The President

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Proclamation 8785--National Day of Honor

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Title 3--
The President

Proclamation 8785 of March 19, 2012

National Day of Honor

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

Nine years ago, members of the United States Armed
Forces crossed the sands of the Iraq-Kuwait border and
began one of the most challenging missions our military
has ever known. They left the comforts of home and
family, volunteering in service to a cause greater than
themselves. They braved insurgency and sectarian
strife, knowing too well the danger of combat and the
cost of conflict. Yet, through the dust and din and the
fog of war, they never lost their resolve.
Demonstrating unshakable fortitude and unwavering
commitment to duty, our men and women in uniform served
tour after tour, fighting block by block to help the
Iraqi people seize the chance for a better future. And
on December 18, 2011, their mission came to an end.

Today, we honor their success, their service, and
their sacrifice. In one of our Nation's longest wars,
veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New
Dawn wrote one of the most extraordinary chapters in
American military history. When highways became mine
fields and uncertainty waited behind every corner,
service members rose to meet the task at hand with
unmatched courage and determination. They learned
languages and cultures, taking on new roles as
diplomats and development experts to improve the
communities where they served. Their strength toppled a
tyrant, and their valor helped build opportunity in
oppression's place. Across nearly 9 years of conflict,
the glory of their service--as well as the
contributions of other members of the U.S. Government
and our coalition partners--always shone through.

The war left wounds not always seen, but forever felt.
The burden of distance and the pain of loss weighed
heavily on the hearts of millions at home and overseas.
Behind every member of our military stood a parent, a
spouse, or a son or daughter who proudly served their
community and prayed for their loved one's safe return.
For wounded warriors, coming home marked the end of one
battle and the beginning of another--to stand, to walk,
to recover, and to serve again. And, in war's most
profound cost, there were those who never came home.
Separated by time and space but united by their love of
country, nearly 4,500 men and women are eternally
bound; though we have laid them to rest, they will live
on in the soul of our Nation now and forever. To them,
to their families, and to all who served, we owe a debt
that can never be fully repaid.

When we returned the colors of United States Forces-
Iraq and the last of our troops set foot on American
soil, we reflected on the extraordinary service and
sacrifice of those who answered our country's call.
Their example embodied that fundamental American faith
that tells us no mission is too hard, no challenge is
too great, and that through tests and through trials,
we will always emerge stronger than before. Now, our
Nation reaffirms our commitment to serve veterans of
Iraq as well as they served us--to uphold the sacred
trust we share with all who have worn the uniform. Our
future is brighter for their service, and today, we
express our gratitude by saying once more: Welcome
home.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the
United States of America, by virtue of the authority
vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the
United States, do hereby proclaim March 19, 2012, as a
National Day of Honor. I call upon all Americans to
observe this day with appropriate programs, ceremonies,
and activities that commemorate the return of the
United States Armed Forces from Iraq.

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