{"id":159473,"date":"2023-05-04T07:11:38","date_gmt":"2023-05-04T14:11:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/?p=159473"},"modified":"2023-05-04T07:11:38","modified_gmt":"2023-05-04T14:11:38","slug":"president-biden-at-dinner-for-combatant-commanders","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/?p=159473","title":{"rendered":"President Biden at Dinner for Combatant Commanders"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Washington, DC&#8230;Again, welcome.  And thank you for all \u2014 all for being here.  Folks, this is something we look forward to since we\u2019ve become President, and we appreciate you all coming.  Just last week, Jill and I had a chance to host another group: the Air Force Academy football team.  Now, I notice there\u2019s only about a quarter of you cheering.  (Laughter.)<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/SLFZq6yeAZc\" title=\"President Biden and The First Lady Host a Dinner for Combatant Commanders\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>But these young cadets are just starting out.  They had the same \u2014 but they had the same sense of pride, they had the same sense of purpose and the passion \u2014 and you could see it in all of them \u2014 the same passion that you all possess.  You \u2014 I don\u2019t \u2014 you probably don\u2019t even realize what you exude \u2014 your confidence in our capacities.<\/p>\n<p>And I told them that they\u2019d soon be joining a long line of American service members, each a link in a chain of honor.  And that\u2019s how I think about it, when I think of our son.  I think of it as a just a chain of honor.  Each one.<\/p>\n<p>Over the years, that chain has grown stronger thanks to the generation of military leaders you\u2019ve all trained.  And \u2014 75 years of a desegregated military.  Seventy-five years of women \u2014 full integration.  Fifty years of an all-volunteer force.  And that\u2019s hard to believe, because I remember most of that.  (Laughter.)  Worrisome.  Worrisome.<\/p>\n<p>As I said at the \u2014 at the dinner for the \u2014 with the Correspondents Dinner, I said, \u201cYou know, when Jimmy Madison wrote the Con- \u2014 that amendment in the Constitution, I was there.\u201d  (Laughter.)  And everybody said, \u201cYeah, he probably was.\u201d  I mean \u2014 (laughter).<\/p>\n<p>But all kidding aside, each one of you over the years \u2014 this chain has grown stronger.<\/p>\n<p>And \u2014 and a mark of these milestones, as a consequence, I challenge you to keep strengthening that chain in big and small ways \u2014 to keep sharpening our military edge in the field and across the forces, to keep taking on the challenges of today and tomorrow.  You know, I mean, when you think about it, there\u2019s no question \u2014 there\u2019s never been in each our minds \u2014 but there\u2019s no question we have the finest military in the history of the world \u2014 and that\u2019s not hyperbole; that\u2019s literally true \u2014 in the history of the world.  (Applause.)<\/p>\n<p>And I think other leaders around the world who don\u2019t share the same view as we do are beginning to understand that.<\/p>\n<p>In return, you know, the \u2014 the fact is, in return, I promise that I will always, always have your back.  And our military women and men \u2014 we have sacred obligation \u2014 and I know I\u2019ve said it many, many times \u2014 to prepare those we send into harm\u2019s way and take care of them and their families when they come home, and to care for them in a way that they deserve.  And that\u2019s a little bit in dispute right now, but I think we\u2019ll get that straightened out, too, politically.<\/p>\n<p>And I also want to take a moment to acknowledge the impressive leadership in these last few months.  You\u2019ve armed, you\u2019ve equipped, and you trained a proud and brave Ukrainian army and helped them preserve their liberty and their democracy.<\/p>\n<p>I spent months in the Ukraine prior to all this happening.  And I spoke with to the Rada and \u2014 when they were having their debates about who among the strongmen would lead. <\/p>\n<p>But I was the \u2014 I have to admit to you, I was a little bit surprised just how \u2014 how courageous, how amazingly brave not only the military is but the \u2014 but the Ukrainian people.  They\u2019re just doing an incredible job.  And it\u2019s because of you. <\/p>\n<p>Your efforts to evacuate our embassy as well as \u2014 in \u2014 in Sudan \u2014 American citizens \u2014 to facilitate that.  And the treatment and capabilities and commitments of our armed forces helping American people anywhere in the world.  <\/p>\n<p>I don\u2019t \u2014 you probably don\u2019t think about it, but you\u2019re just remarkable, remarkable, remarkable group of people.  I mean that sincerely.  Except for Milley.  I\u2019m not so sure.  (Laughter.)  But \u2014<\/p>\n<p>Actually, I don\u2019t want to \u2014 I\u2019ve embarrassed him.  I said, \u201cYou know, I\u2019m going to really miss you.\u201d  He said, \u201cI\u2019m not going anywhere yet.\u201d  (Laughter.)  \u201cDon\u2019t get sentimental on me, Biden.  I\u2019m from Boston.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>But, you know, you continue to take terrorists off the battlefield with pro- \u2014 with precision and professionalism, protecting our nation and our allies and interests against the enduring threat. <\/p>\n<p>And each and every day, you \u2014 you put our nation in the strongest possible strategic position around the world.  And that, again, is not hyperbole; that\u2019s a fact. <\/p>\n<p>Not just in moments of crisis, where you deliver as only Americans can, but in critical day-to-day work strengthening our alliances from NATO to Japan and the Republic of Korea, the Philippines, and Australia.  I think the last several years, we\u2019ve had a pretty good run, in terms of people stepping up and other nations stepping up.<\/p>\n<p>And \u2014 and anticipation of new threats in areas like the space and cyber and building new partnerships like AUKUS.  And, you know, taking on the hard missions and tran- \u2014 that transcends all our borders.<\/p>\n<p>I mean, it\u2019s \u2014 it\u2019s just amazing.  From responding from the global pandemic, to addressing historic levels of migration around the world.<\/p>\n<p>In fact, our two combatant commanders, General Cavoli, head of the European Command, and General Langley of the African Command couldn\u2019t be with us tonight because they\u2019re standing guard right now.  They\u2019re running \u2014 they\u2019re doing their job at a critical place in critical ways.  They\u2019re at their post, dealing with the war in Europe and the crisis in Sudan. <\/p>\n<p>And as you\u2019ve heard me say before many times \u2014 I apologize for repeating it \u2014 but America is at \u2014 the world is at an inflection point. <\/p>\n<p>I used to have a professor in undergraduate school who said an inflection point is where you\u2019re going down a highway at 50 miles an hour and you take an abrupt turn right or left \u2014 10, 12 degrees.  You can never get back on the road you were on.  And it\u2019s happening again.<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019re at a place where the decisions we made in the last few years, the next three or four years are going to determine what this world is going to look like \u2014 not figuratively, literally \u2014 the next three, four, five decades. <\/p>\n<p>So, there\u2019s a great deal at stake.  A great deal at stake.  And \u2014 and most of it is in your hands.  You\u2019ve shouldered the unique demands that come with these changes. <\/p>\n<p>And, you know, together, we face new challenges, complex threats, and you\u2019ve remained unflinching \u2014 unflinching \u2014 in your pride, your purpose, and your passion.<\/p>\n<p>And that includes all the leaders who will be changing \u2014 changing out this summer.  General Milley, who I really will miss.  He\u2019s one of the best I think I\u2019ve ever served \u2014 been with.  General Berger \u2014 and the Marines are going to be missing you, pal.  And General \u2014 General McConville, Admiral Gilday, General VanHerck, and General Dickinson.<\/p>\n<p>You know, gentlemen, thank you for your service, and thank you from the bottom of our heart.  You have our deepest respect and gratitude.<\/p>\n<p>And finally, I want to thank another important group that\u2019s here tonight: your spouses and your families.<\/p>\n<p>You know, there\u2019s that \u2014 you also serve.  You also sacrifice.  And I mean that sincerely.  It\u2019s not hyperbole.  You also strengthen our nation.<\/p>\n<p>The British poet John Milton once wrote, \u201cThey also serve who only stand and wait.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>When Beau was in Iraq for a year \u2014 before that, he was in Kosovo \u2014 I\u2019d watch my wife, who\u2019d get up and go to school.  She left a little before me.  And she\u2019d be standing by the \u2014 by the sink, and she\u2019d be mouthing a prayer that the head of the National Guard in Delaware\u2019s wife had given her.<\/p>\n<p>Many of you had to wait for that phone call.  You wonder what\u2019s going on.  And you just \u2014 but you\u2019re there.  You\u2019re there.  You allow it to work.  Whether you\u2019re a male or female spouse, you\u2019re doing something that is \u2014 you\u2019re \u2014 you\u2019re serving the country.  It wouldn\u2019t work without you.<\/p>\n<p>So, tonight, I\u2019d like you to please join me in raising your glass.  I want to make a toast.<\/p>\n<p>To our servicemen and their families, to the chain of honor they create, may it continue to grow stronger generation after generation.<\/p>\n<p>Here, here.<\/p>\n<p>(President Biden offers a toast.)<\/p>\n<p>AUDIENCE:  Here, here.<\/p>\n<p>THE PRESIDENT:  God bless America.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Washington, DC&#8230;Again, welcome. And thank you for all \u2014 all for being here. Folks, this is something we look forward to since we\u2019ve become President, and we appreciate you all coming. Just last week, Jill and I had a chance to host another group: the Air Force Academy football team. Now, I notice there\u2019s only [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":159474,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_cbd_carousel_blocks":"[]","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20,5,4,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-159473","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","category-government","category-life-style","category-news","last_archivepost"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Fullscreen-capture-542023-70744-AM.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/159473","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=159473"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/159473\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":159475,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/159473\/revisions\/159475"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/159474"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=159473"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=159473"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=159473"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}