The Final State of the Union
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Summary:
On August 31st, 2010, President Obama announced the end of combat missions in Iraq. Two years later, the President will speak to troops at Fort Bliss, Texas and we're calling on all Americans to share their messages of thanks and support for our veterans, troops, and military families.
On August 31st, 2010, President Obama addressed the nation from the Oval Office. “So tonight,” he said, “I am announcing that the American combat mission in Iraq has ended.” To mark the historic moment, the President and First Lady joined administration officials and thousands of people from across the country to offer their support and appreciation for our veterans, troops, and military families. Explore some of the video messages, tweets, and facebook posts saluting our men and women in uniform.
Before his Oval Address in 2010, the President traveled to Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas to speak with troops who had seen every phase of what had become one of America’s longest wars, and who continue to serve in Afghanistan. This Friday, August 31st, 2012, exactly two-years later, the President Obama will return to Fort Bliss to address troops on the progress we’ve made in Iraq and Afghanistan, and to discuss the steps this Administration has taken to support our service members and veterans at home.
To mark two years since the end of combat in Iraq, and with troops still serving in Afghanistan, take a moment to show your support for those that serve and their families. Here’s how you can participate:
- Use the hashtag #SaluteTroops on Twitter to share your message of thanks
- On facebook, you can update your status with a message of support or add your message of thanks to the White House facebook page
- Share a message of thanks with a military family through Joining Forces and the USO
Throughout the week, we’ll update this post to highlight your messages of thanks, and check back for additional details on the President’s speech at Fort Bliss and how you can watch.
To learn more, explore this interactive timeline about the end of the war in Iraq and visit JoiningForces.gov to see how the First Lady and Dr. Biden's initiative is connecting our servicemen and women, veterans and military spouses with the resources they need to find jobs at home.
Update: People around the country shared messages of thanks and support for our service and their families. See some of the messages below, or on Storify.
