Barack Obama

tomorrow __PUNCT__ we mark the __NUM__ of __DATE__ with barbecu and parad __PUNCT__ firework and time off with love on __PUNCT__

we also have the opportun to give thank for our troop and veteran __PUNCT__

their sacrific ha made possibl the freedom that we enjoi __PUNCT__

and keep faith with those who serv must alwai be a core american valu and a cornerston of american_patriot __PUNCT__

becaus america commit to it servicemen and women begin at enlist __PUNCT__ and it must never end __PUNCT__

without that commit __PUNCT__ i might not be here todai __PUNCT__

my grandfath __PUNCT__ stanlei dunham __PUNCT__ enlist after pearl_harbor and went on to march in patton armi __PUNCT__

my grandmoth work on a bomber assembl_line while he wa gone __PUNCT__ and my mother wa born at fort leavenworth __PUNCT__

when he return __PUNCT__ it wa to a countri that gave him the chanc to go to colleg on the gi_bill __PUNCT__ to bui hi first home with a loan from the fha __PUNCT__ to move hi famili west __PUNCT__ all the wai to hawaii __PUNCT__ where he and my grandmoth help rais me __PUNCT__

todai __PUNCT__ my grandfath is buri in the punchbowl __PUNCT__ the nation memori cemeteri of the pacif __PUNCT__ where __NUM__ victim of pearl_harbor ar laid to rest __PUNCT__

i knew him when he wa older __PUNCT__

but whenev i meet young_men and women along the campaign_trail who ar serv in the militari todai __PUNCT__ i think about what my grandfath wa like when he enlist __PUNCT__ a fresh __PUNCT__ face man of twenti __PUNCT__ three __PUNCT__ with a hearti laugh and an easi smile __PUNCT__

these son and daughter of america ar the best and the bravest among us __PUNCT__

when our troop go into battl __PUNCT__ thei serv no faction or parti __PUNCT__ thei repres no race or region __PUNCT__

thei ar simpli american __PUNCT__

thei serv and fight and bleed togeth out of loyalti not just to a place on a map or a certain kind of peopl __PUNCT__ but to a set of ideal that we have been strive for sinc the first shot rang out at lexington and concord __PUNCT__ the idea that america could be govern not by men __PUNCT__ but by law __PUNCT__ that we could be equal in the ey of those law __PUNCT__ that we could be free to sai what we want and write what we want and worship as we pleas __PUNCT__ that we could have the right to pursu our individu dream __PUNCT__ but the oblig to help our fellow_citizen pursu their __PUNCT__

allegi to these ideal ha alwai been at the core of american_patriot __PUNCT__ it what unit a countri of so mani differ opinion and belief __PUNCT__

at the same_time __PUNCT__ we must never forget that honor these ideal must mean honor the men and women who defend them in the uniform of the unit_state __PUNCT__

thi requir more than salut our veteran as thei march by in a __NUM__ of __DATE__ parad __PUNCT__

it requir onli send them to war when we must __PUNCT__ and give them the equip thei need to complet their mission safe __PUNCT__

it requir give them the care and benefit thei have earn __PUNCT__

and it requir stand shoulder __PUNCT__ to __PUNCT__ shoulder with our veteran and their famili after the gun fall silent and the camera ar turn off __PUNCT__

we know that over the last eight year __PUNCT__ we often fallen_short of meet thi test __PUNCT__

we learn about the deplor condit that were discov at place like fort bragg and walter reed __PUNCT__

we walk by a veteran whose home is now a cardboard_box on a street_corner in the richest nation on earth __PUNCT__

we heard about what it like to navig the broken bureaucraci of the va __PUNCT__ the imposs long_line __PUNCT__ or the repeat call for help that get you noth more than an answer machin __PUNCT__

it doesn't have to be thi wai __PUNCT__

not in thi countri __PUNCT__

there ar mani aspect of the war in iraq that have gone inalter wrong __PUNCT__ but care for our veteran is on thing we can still get right __PUNCT__

when i arriv in the senat __PUNCT__ i sought out a seat on the veteran affair committe so i could fight to serv our veteran as well as thei have serv us __PUNCT__

we fought to make sure that the claim of disabl veteran in illinoi and other state were be heard fairli __PUNCT__

we pass_law to get homeless veteran off the street and to prevent at __PUNCT__ risk veteran from get there in the first place __PUNCT__

i led a bipartisan effort to improv outpati facil at place like walter reed __PUNCT__ and to slash red_tape __PUNCT__ and reform the disabl process __PUNCT__ becaus recov troop should go to the front of the line __PUNCT__ and thei shouldn't have to fight to get there __PUNCT__

and we pass_law to give famili_member health_care while thei care for injur troop __PUNCT__ and a year of job protect so thei never have to face a choic between care for a love on and keep a job __PUNCT__

but there is so much more work that we need to do in thi countri __PUNCT__

we have much further to go to keep our sacr trust with the men and women who serv __PUNCT__

that why i pledg to build a __NUM___centuri va as presid __PUNCT__

it mean no more red_tape __PUNCT__ it time to give everi servic __PUNCT__ member electron copi of medic and servic record upon discharg __PUNCT__

it mean no more shortfal __PUNCT__ we fulli fund va health_care __PUNCT__ and add more vet center __PUNCT__ particularli in rural_area __PUNCT__

it mean no more delai __PUNCT__ we pass on __PUNCT__ time budget __PUNCT__

it mean no more mean __PUNCT__ test __PUNCT__ it time to allow everi veteran into the va system __PUNCT__

and it mean we have a simpl principl for veteran sleep on our street __PUNCT__ zero toler __PUNCT__

as presid __PUNCT__ i build on the work i start in the senat and expand hous voucher __PUNCT__ and launch a new support_servic hous program to prevent at __PUNCT__ risk veteran and their famili from slide into homeless __PUNCT__

i also build on the work i did in the senat to confront on of the signatur injuri of the war in iraq and afghanistan __PUNCT__ posttraumat stress disord __PUNCT__

we have to understand that for far too mani troop and their famili __PUNCT__ the war doesn't end when thei come home __PUNCT__

but onli half of troop return with ptsd receiv the treatment thei need __PUNCT__

think of how mani we turn awai __PUNCT__ of how mani we let fall through the crack __PUNCT__ of how mani suffer in silenc __PUNCT__

we have to do better than thi __PUNCT__

in the senat __PUNCT__ i help lead a bipartisan effort to stop the unfair practic of kick out troop who suffer from ptsd __PUNCT__

and when i presid __PUNCT__ we enhanc mental_health screen and treatment at all level __PUNCT__

we also need more mental_health_profession __PUNCT__ more train to recogn sign and to reject the stigma of seek care __PUNCT__

and we need to dramat improv screen and treatment for the other signatur injuri of the war __PUNCT__ traumat brain injuri __PUNCT__

that why i pass measur in the senat to increas screen for these injuri __PUNCT__ and that why i establish clearer standard of care as presid __PUNCT__

we have call on our troop and their famili for so much dure these last year __PUNCT__ but we haven't alwai issu that call respons __PUNCT__

we need to restor twelv month armi deploy __PUNCT__ but we also need to restor adequ train and time at home between those deploy __PUNCT__

my wife __PUNCT__ michel __PUNCT__ recent met with armi spous in north_carolina who told her about the toll it take to have your love on leav for tour after tour of duti __PUNCT__

and thei told her someth we all need to rememb __PUNCT__ we don't just deploi our troop oversea __PUNCT__ we deploi famili __PUNCT__

that why we also need to provid more counsel and resourc to help famili cope with multipl tour __PUNCT__

that what we ow our militari famili who have sacrif so much for us __PUNCT__

and when our love on do come home __PUNCT__ it is time for the unit_state of america to offer thi gener of return hero the same thank we offer that earlier __PUNCT__ greatest_gener __PUNCT__ by give everi veteran the same opportun that my grandfath had under the gi_bill __PUNCT__

that why i wa proud to be a strong_support of the __NUM___centuri gi_bill that wa introduc by my friend senat jim_webb __PUNCT__

thi bill will provid everi return veteran with a real chanc to afford a colleg_educ __PUNCT__ and it won't harm retent __PUNCT__

the brave american who fight todai believ deepli in thi countri __PUNCT__

and no matter how mani you meet __PUNCT__ or how mani stori of heroism you hear __PUNCT__ everi encount remind that thei ar truli special __PUNCT__

that through their servic __PUNCT__ thei ar live out the ideal that stir so mani of us as american __PUNCT__ pride __PUNCT__ duti __PUNCT__ and sacrific __PUNCT__

some of the most inspir ar those you meet at place like walter reed armi medic_center __PUNCT__

thei ar young_men and women who mai have lost a limb or even their abil to take care of themselv __PUNCT__ but thei will never lose the pride thei feel for their countri __PUNCT__

it thi classic american optim that make you realiz the qualiti of person we have serv in the unit_state arm_forc __PUNCT__

thi __PUNCT__ after all __PUNCT__ is what led them to wear the uniform in the first place __PUNCT__ their unwav belief in the idea of america __PUNCT__

the idea that no matter where you come from __PUNCT__ or what you look like __PUNCT__ or who your parent ar __PUNCT__ thi is a place where anyth is possibl __PUNCT__ where anyon can make it __PUNCT__ where we look out for each other __PUNCT__ and take care of each other __PUNCT__ where we rise and fall as on nation __PUNCT__ as on peopl __PUNCT__

it an idea that worth fight for __PUNCT__ an idea for which so mani american have given that last full_measur of devot __PUNCT__

i can still rememb the dai that we laid my grandfath to rest __PUNCT__

in a cemeteri line with the grave of american who have sacrif for our countri __PUNCT__ we heard the solemn note of tap and the crack of gun fire in salut __PUNCT__ we watch as a fold flag wa hand to my grandmoth __PUNCT__

it wa a nation final act of servic and gratitud to stanlei dunham __PUNCT__ an america that stood by my grandfath when he took off the uniform __PUNCT__ and never left hi side __PUNCT__

abraham_lincoln onc said __PUNCT__ i like to see a man proud of the place in which he live __PUNCT__

but i also like to see a man live so that hi place will be proud of him __PUNCT__

there is no doubt that we ar a nation that is deepli proud of where we live __PUNCT__

but it is now our task to live in a wai that stanlei dunham live __PUNCT__ to live the wai that those hero at walter reed have live __PUNCT__

it is now our task to live so that america will be proud of us __PUNCT__

that is the true test of patriot __PUNCT__ the test that all of us must meet in the dai and year to come __PUNCT__

so as we mark thi independ_dai __PUNCT__ let us reded ourselv to meet that challeng __PUNCT__ and to serv those who have worn the uniform of the unit_state as well as thei have serv us __PUNCT__