A POW-MIA flag flies over the White House, Sept. 16, 2011. (Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson)

Today, Friday, September 21, 2012 marks the commemoration of National POW/MIA Recognition Day, where the nation honors those service members who endured captivity and whose remains have yet to be recovered. The day serves as a stark reminder of the risks and sacrifices that American service members and their families make every day.

As President Obama said in his proclamation marking National POW/MIA Recognition Day, “As long as members of our Armed Forces remain unaccounted for, America will bring our fullest resources to bear in finding them and bringing them home. It is a promise we make not only to the families of our captured and our missing, but to all who have worn the uniform.” As the POW/MIA flag flies over the White House today, it is a reminder that this administration will never forget its commitment to care for our service members and their families.

The Obama Administration is engaged in a sustained effort to achieve the fullest possible accounting of missing service members by locating, recovering, and repatriating their remains. We are determined to fulfill the nation’s duty to its veterans and bring closure to the families of these brave service members. The overwhelming majority of missing in action are veterans of the wars in Vietnam and Korea, and the Second World War. Over 80,000 Americans remain missing and on this day we honor their brave service - they will never be forgotten.

A relatively small number of people—service members, their families, and civilians—now volunteer to shoulder the burden of serving in the armed forces. It is therefore imperative that the nation strives to acknowledge that service and sacrifice; that we pay our respects to the fallen, and that we meet our sacred responsibility to care for the wounded. 

The Obama Administration is committed to providing military families with the benefits and opportunities they've earned. Though less than 1 percent of the nation serves in the military, 100 percent can help. To see how you can best support those who serve, please visit joiningforces.gov. 

Darienne Page is Assistant Director of the Office of Public Engagement

President Barack Obama greets U.S. troops following his remarks at Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan, May 1, 2012. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

Earlier this month, President Obama visited Afghanistan, where he met with President Karzai and signed an historic agreement that lays the groundwork for the next phase of our relationship with the country as we bring a responsible end to years of war. 

While in Afghanistan, the President also paid a surprise visit to American troops at Bagram Air Base. He wanted to thank the men and women serving there for the sacrifices that they and their families have made. He paid tribute to their successes, saying "You guys represent what is best in America." Some 3,200 American servicemen and women were assembled to hear the President offer his thanks for their service.

But there was another group of service members who could not be in attendance at the event. These were the men and women behind the scenes, providing security, manning radios and maintaining operations to ensure that the President's visit went smoothly. President Obama wanted to thank these individuals as well. So, after visiting wounded warriors at the base hospital, the President used a nearby radio to broadcast his thanks to all the service members who could not be at the event. 

"I just wanted to say how proud I am of you, how grateful I am to you, and just wanted to let you know that everyone back home knows what you guys are doing and cares deeply about it. And I know your families are sacrificing just like you are. So please do me a favor and let them know how much  I appreciate them as well." 

"Just know that you're making a difference here. You're keeping America secure," the President said. He went on to add, "All of us are grateful for everything you do and all the sacrifices you make."

You can listen to the President's remarks below. In the coming years, as we bring the war in Afghanistan to a responsible end, thousands of veterans will be returning home to their families. These veterans and their families have earned our thanks and our support. This administration is committed to ensuring that they receive the benefits and opportunities they have earned. To find out how you can help our Veterans and military families, visit joiningforces.gov.

Watch President Obama Thank the Troops in Afghanistan, here.

Darienne Page is the Assistant Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement.