Remarks by the President Commemorating Memorial Day

Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington, Virginia

11:31 A.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  (Applause.)  Please be seated.  Thank you very much.  Good morning, everybody.  I want to thank Secretary Chuck Hagel, not only for the introduction but, Chuck, for your lifetime of service -- from sergeant in the Army to Secretary of Defense, but always a man who carries with you the memory of friends and fallen heroes from Vietnam.  We’re grateful to you. 

I want to thank General Dempsey, Major General Linnington, Kathryn Condon, who has served Arlington with extraordinary  dedication and grace and who will be leaving us, but we are so grateful for the work that she’s done; for Chaplain Brainerd, Secretary Shinseki, all our guests.  And most of all, to members of our armed services and our veterans; to the families and friends of the fallen who we honor today; to Americans from all across the country who have come to pay your respects:  I have to say it is always a great honor to spend this Memorial Day with you at this sacred place where we honor our fallen heroes -- those who we remember fondly in our memories, and those known only to God.

Beyond these quiet hills, across that special bridge, is a city of monuments dedicated to visionary leaders and singular moments in the life of our Republic.  But it is here, on this hallowed ground, where we choose to build a monument to a constant thread in the American character -- the truth that our nation endures because it has always been home to men and women who are willing to give their all, and lay down their very lives, to preserve and protect this land that we love.

That character -- that selflessness -- beats in the hearts of the very first patriots who died for a democracy they had never known and would never see.  It lived on in the men and women who fought to hold our union together, and in those who fought to defend it abroad -- from the beaches of Europe to the mountains and jungles of Asia.  This year, as we mark the 60th anniversary of the end of fighting in Korea, we offer a special salute to all those who served and gave their lives in the Korean War.  And over the last decade, we’ve seen the character of our country again -- in the nearly 7,000 Americans who have made the ultimate sacrifice on battlefields and city streets half a world away.

Last Memorial Day, I stood here and spoke about how, for the first time in nine years, Americans were no longer fighting and dying in Iraq.  Today, a transition is underway in Afghanistan, and our troops are coming home.  Fewer Americans are making the ultimate sacrifice in Afghanistan, and that’s progress for which we are profoundly grateful.  And this time next year, we will mark the final Memorial Day of our war in Afghanistan. 

And so, as I said last week, America stands at a crossroads.  But even as we turn the page on a decade of conflict, even as we look forward, let us never forget, as we gather here today, that our nation is still at war.

It should be self-evident.  And in generations past, it was.  And during World War II, millions of Americans contributed to the war effort -- soldiers like my own grandfather; women like my grandmother, who worked the assembly lines.  During the Vietnam War, just about everybody knew somebody -- a brother, a son, a friend -- who served in harm’s way.

Today, it’s different.  Perhaps it’s a tribute to our remarkable all-volunteer force, made up of men and women who step forward to serve and do so with extraordinary skill and valor.  Perhaps it’s a testament to our advanced technologies, which allow smaller numbers of troops to wield greater and greater power.  But regardless of the reason, this truth cannot be ignored that today most Americans are not directly touched by war.

As a consequence, not all Americans may always see or fully grasp the depth of sacrifice, the profound costs that are made in our name -- right now, as we speak, every day.  Our troops and our military families understand this, and they mention to me their concern about whether the country fully appreciates what’s happening.  I think about a letter I received from a Naval officer, a reservist who had just returned from a deployment to Afghanistan.  And he wrote me, “I’m concerned that our work in Afghanistan is fading from memory.”  And he went on to ask that we do more to keep this conflict “alive and focused in the hearts and minds of our own people.”

And he’s right.  As we gather here today, at this very moment, more than 60,000 of our fellow Americans still serve far from home in Afghanistan.  They’re still going out on patrol, still living in spartan forward operating bases, still risking their lives to carry out their mission.  And when they give their lives, they are still being laid to rest in cemeteries in the quiet corners across our country, including here in Arlington.

Captain Sara Cullen had a smile that could light up a room and a love of country that led her to West Point.  And after graduation, Sara became a Black Hawk pilot -- and married a former Black Hawk pilot.  She was just 27 years old when she and four other soldiers were killed in a helicopter crash during a training mission near Kandahar.  This past April, Sara was laid to rest here, in Section 60.  Today, Sara is remembered by her mother, Lynn, who says she is “proud of her daughter’s life, proud of her faith and proud of her service to our country.”  (Applause.)

Staff Sergeant Frankie Phillips came from a military family and was as tough as they come.  A combat medic, Frankie was on patrol in Afghanistan three weeks ago when his vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb.  He was so humble that his parents never knew how many lives he had saved until soldiers started showing up at his funeral from thousands of miles away.  And last week, Frankie was laid to rest just a few rows over from Sara. 

Staff Sergeant Eric Christian was a born leader.  A member of the Marine Corps Special Operations Command, Eric had served five tours of duty, but kept going back because he felt responsible for his teammates and was determined to finish the mission.  On May 4th, Eric gave his life after escorting a high-ranking U.S. official to meet with Afghan leaders.  Later, his family got a letter from a Marine who had served two tours with Eric.  In it, the Marine wrote, “There were people who measured their success based on how many enemies they killed or how many missions they led to conquer a foe.  Eric based his success on how many of his friends he brought home, and he brought home many -- including me.”  Eric was laid to rest here at Arlington, just six days ago.  (Applause.)

So today, we remember their service.  Today, just steps from where these brave Americans lie in eternal peace, we declare, as a proud and grateful nation, that their sacrifice will never be forgotten.  And just as we honor them, we hold their families close.  Because for the parents who lose a child; for the husbands and wives who lose a partner; for the children who lose a parent, every loss is devastating.  And for those of us who bear the solemn responsibility of sending these men and women into harm’s way, we know the consequences all too well.  I feel it every time I meet a wounded warrior, every time I visit Walter Reed, and every time I grieve with a Gold Star family. 

And that’s why, on this day, we remember our sacred obligation to those who laid down their lives so we could live ours:  to finish the job these men and women started by keeping our promise to those who wear America’s uniform -- to give our troops the resources they need; to keep faith with our veterans and their families, now and always; to never stop searching for those who have gone missing or who are held as prisoners of war. 

But on a more basic level, every American can do something even simpler.  As we go about our daily lives, we must remember that our countrymen are still serving, still fighting, still putting their lives on the line for all of us. 

Last fall, I received a letter from Candie Averette, of Charlotte, North Carolina.  Both of her sons are Marines.  Her oldest served two tours in Iraq.  Her youngest was in Afghanistan at the time.  He was, in her words, “100 percent devoted to his deployment and wouldn’t have had it any other way.”

Reading Candie’s letter, it was clear she was extraordinarily proud of the life her boys had chosen.  But she also had a request on behalf of all the mothers just like her.  She said, “Please don’t forget about my child and every other Marine and soldier over there who proudly choose to defend their country.” 

A mother’s plea -- please don’t forget.  On this Memorial Day, and every day, let us be true and meet that promise.  Let it be our task, every single one of us, to honor the strength and the resolve and the love these brave Americans felt for each other and for our country.  Let us never forget to always remember and to be worthy of the sacrifice they make in our name. 

May God bless the fallen and all those who serve.  And may God continue to bless the United States of America.  (Applause.) 

END
11:44 A.M. EDT

Remarks by the President After Touring the Tornado Damage in Oklahoma

Moore, Oklahoma

12:57 P.M. CDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Good afternoon, everybody.  Obviously, a picture is worth a thousand words, and what we’re seeing here I think gives you some sense of what the people of Moore and the people of Oklahoma have been dealing with over these last several days. 

There are a couple of acknowledgements that I want to make, but let me begin by just saying that whenever I come to an area that’s been devastated by some natural disaster like this, I want to make sure everybody understands I’m speaking on behalf of the entire country.  Everywhere, fellow Americans are praying with you, they’re thinking about you, and they want to help. 

And so I’m just a messenger here today, letting everybody here know that you are not alone, that you’ve got folks behind you.

Obviously, the damage here is pretty hard to comprehend.  Our hearts go out to the families who have been impacted, including those who had loved ones who were lost.  And that was true for the parents of some of the children here at Plaza Towers Elementary School.

There are a number of people I want to especially thank, because they’ve engaged in some heroic efforts in dealing with this disaster.  First of all, Governor Mary Fallin, thank you so much for your quick response and your outstanding work.  Mayor Glenn Lewis, the mayor of Moore, who has been mayor here before, when there was a disaster, and because of his strong spirit and sense of community has been able to help lead the community through this disaster.  We very much appreciate your work.

Representative Tom Cole -- not only is this his congressional district, but more importantly, this is his hometown.  And so for him, this carries a special sadness but also a resolve in terms of trying to make sure that the city of Moore bounces back.  Mayor Mick Cornett of Oklahoma City, a neighbor and friend -- we appreciate him being here.  Craig Fugate is here, and obviously we are very proud of the work that he and his FEMA team have done.  Susie Pierce, superintendent of schools here -- thank you for your leadership. 

Amy Simpson -- I want to especially commend Plaza Towers Elementary School principal, as well as Shelley McMillan, the Briarwood Elementary School principal.  They were on the ground when this happened, and because of their quick response, their keeping a level head, their putting kids first saved a lot of people.  And they’re still going through some tough times.  I can only imagine being their husbands, who are here, and the panic that I’m sure they were feeling when the tornado first struck.  But I know that they could not be prouder of their wives for the outstanding work that they did in this amazing situation.

I want to thank Chief of Police, Jerry Stillings, and all the first responders in this area who were some of the first folks on the scene who were putting themselves at risk to save other people’s lives.  That’s what first responders do -- but sometimes we take them for granted, and it’s important we don’t and we remember moments like that.  That’s why it’s so important that we continually support them.

At my direction, Craig Fugate arrived here on Tuesday.  FEMA was on the ground even before Monday’s tornado hit.  And their teams have now completed searches of more than 1,200 buildings.  We’ve helped to register more than 4,200 people for disaster assistance, and we’ve approved more than $3.4 million in direct aid.  Obviously, there’s a lot more to come.  But it’s not just a government response.  We’ve seen incredible outpourings of support from churches, from community groups who are helping folks begin to recover.

This area has known more than its share of heartbreak.  But people here pride themselves on the “Oklahoma Standard” –- what Governor Fallin has called, “Being able to work through disasters like this, and [to] come out stronger on the other side.”  And that’s what we’ve been seeing this week.

From the forecasters who issued the warnings, to the first responders who dug through the rubble, to the teachers who shielded with their own bodies their students, Oklahomans have inspired us with their love and their courage and their fellowship. 

Neighbors have been offering up spare bedrooms and couches for those in need of shelter.  Universities have opened up their buildings for temporary housing.  And local companies have pitched in.

This is a strong community with strong character.  There’s no doubt they’re going to bounce back.  But they need help -- just like any of us would need help if we saw the kind of devastation that we’re seeing here.  We have about 1,200 homes that have been completely destroyed, but we’ve got 12,000 that have been damaged in one way or another, and that’s a big piece of business.  And along with the schools, we’ve got a hospital that has been destroyed.  It’s going to take a long time for this community to rebuild.

So I want to urge every American to step up.  If I’ve got one message for folks here today:  Go online, donate to the American Red Cross.  And if you’re from the area and you need to register for disaster assistance, you can call 1-800-621-FEMA.  That’s 1-800-621-FEMA.  Or you can go to disasterassistance.gov.  Disasterassistance.gov on the web.  Either way, I guarantee you, if you’ve got some significant damage and have been impacted, go ahead and reach out, and there are going to be professionals there who are ready and willing to provide you the assistance that you need.

We know Moore is going to come back stronger from this tragedy.  Your mayor said that you’re already printing new street signs.  And I want folks affected throughout Oklahoma to know that we’re going to be with you every step of the way.

On Sunday, the first deadly tornadoes touched down about 40 miles from here.  And I mentioned this the day afterwards -- there was a story that really struck me in the press -- in the rubble was found a Bible, open to the words that read:  “A man will be as a hiding place from the wind, and a cover from the tempest.”  And it’s a reminder, as Scripture often is, that God has a plan, and it’s important, though, that we also recognize we’re an instrument of his will.  And we need to know that as fellow Americans, we’re going to be there as shelter from the storm for the people of Moore who have been impacted.

And when we say that we’ve got your back, I promise you, we keep our word.  If you talk to folks in Alabama who have been affected over the last couple of years; you talk to the folks at Joplin, who I know have actually sent volunteers down here to Moore; if you talk to folks in New Jersey and New York, they’ll tell you that when we say we’re going to be there until you completely rebuild, we mean it.  And I want everybody to have that confidence.

So, again, to all the people here behind me, I want to say how proud I am of them, how grateful I am for their service.  I want to make one final comment.  A lot of the first responders talked about the training they’ve done, in part through some federal grants, to prepare for disasters like this.  And, as a consequence, when it actually happens, they know what to do, they’re not losing time, they’re able to go through all the drills and the training that they’ve gone through.

Training, education, both for citizenry but also for first responders, is absolutely critical.  And we’ve got to make sure that those resources remain in place.  So I know everybody in Congress cares deeply about what’s happening, and I’m confident that resources will be forthcoming when it comes to rebuilding.  But remember that it’s also the ongoing training and equipment that we’re making sure that those things are in place.  We can’t shortchange that kind of ongoing disaster response.  We can’t just wait until the disaster happens.  That’s how, in part, we were able to save a lot of lives -- and I want everybody to keep that in mind.

So with that, let me just, again, say thank you to everybody here.  Madam Governor, thank you for your leadership.  And may God bless the people of Oklahoma and obviously continue to bless the United States of America.

Thank you.

END
1:07 P.M. CDT

Press Gaggle by Principal Deputy Press Secretary Josh Earnest en route Moore, OK, 5/26/2013

Aboard Air Force One
En Route Moore, Oklahoma

10:46 A.M. EDT

MR. EARNEST:  Good morning and welcome aboard Air Force One as we make our way to Oklahoma, where communities were torn apart by violent tornadoes and severe weather earlier this week. 

You’ll hear directly from the President later this afternoon, but he’s traveling today to offer his condolences to those who have lost so much, and reiterate his commitment and the nation’s commitment to the people of Oklahoma as they recover and rebuild.

This is the greatest nation on Earth and we’re going to dedicate this nation’s time, attention, resources and expertise to help our people in their time of urgent crisis.

Now, the President today will be looking at and talking about the heroic rescue and recovery effort that’s underway, but the full story starts earlier than that.  On May 15th, five days before Monday’s destructive tornadoes, the National Weather Service’s storm prediction center based in Oklahoma forecasted a threat of a major severe weather outbreak in the area and communicated this forecast to state and local officials, the media, and the general public.

Two days later, on May 17th, they briefed national and regional FEMA personnel.  On May 19th, the day before the worst of the storm, FEMA personnel were already in place at the state’s emergency operation center.  On May 20th, at 10 a.m., more than four hours before the storm hit, the Norman Forecast Office hosted a conference call with local officials, including emergency personnel, school and hospital administrators, and other local officials about the potential for violent weather and the acute risk, in particular, at school dismissal time.

Now, as you’ve heard, 16 minutes before the tornado developed and 36 minutes before the tornado entered Moore, a tornado warning was issued.  This is significantly earlier than the average tornado warning time of around 12 minutes.  Now, that doesn’t sound like much time, but for many people it’s the time needed to find their way into a storm shelter or take other necessary precautions.

When Moore Medical Center took a direct hit from the storm, not a single person inside the hospital was injured by the storm because of the preparations that were made in response to the early warnings.  These advancements made by government scientists in the field of weather forecasting at these agencies are dramatic and are saving lives.

Now, the response, led by state and local officials and supported by FEMA, has been heroic.  More than 450 FEMA personnel are on the ground, including IMAT teams, urban search-and-rescue teams, emergency communications teams and others that were deployed within hours after the storm struck.

On Monday night, also within hours of the storm, the President signed a disaster declaration to free up additional resources and support for state and local officials, as well as assistance to the individuals affected by the storm.

So far, 4,200 individuals have applied for assistance, totaling $3.4 million.  Now, people should know that they can apply for assistance by calling 1-800-621-FEMA or by going to DisasterAssistance.gov.  This is in addition to the 43,000 meals, 150,000 liters of water, and thousands of cots, blankets, and tarps that have also been provided.

So that gives you a sense of where we stand today.  And the President’s message is that support is not winding down.  As demonstrated by our efforts in Tuscaloosa, in Joplin, and those communities in Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey that were affected by Sandy, we’ll be standing with the people of these resilient communities as they come back stronger than ever.

So with that long windup, we’ll take some questions.

Q    So can I ask you a little bit about the recovery efforts?  How much debris does FEMA have to haul out of here?  Do you have any figures on that?

MR. EARNEST:  I don’t any figures on that.  I know that, again, it’s state and local officials who are principally responsible for those kinds of efforts, but certainly FEMA resources are often used to support those efforts.  In terms of the cubic -- the volume or the tonnage of something like that, I’ll ask around a little bit when we’re on the ground and see if I can get you some more data about that.  So obviously, I think we’ll see firsthand that the destruction was not just intense but widespread.  So I’m sure the numbers are pretty staggering, but let me see if we can quantify that in some way.

Q    And, obviously, in particular, one of the most tragic things was the deaths at the school.  What have you learned about those children who were killed?  Were they in one area of the school?  Were they throughout?  There are a lot of questions about structurally what should happen going forward with the schools.

MR. EARNEST:  I actually don’t have those kinds of details in front of me, but we’ll see if we can get some more information about this over the course of the day today.

Q    Josh, is the President going to highlight the forecasting piece that you’re talking about?

MR. EARNEST:  The President will have the opportunity when we’re on the ground in Oklahoma to talk to some of the forecasters that are doing some of the really interesting work here scientifically. 

In terms of the advancements that have been made in forecasting, the advancements are really interesting, both because they are providing people greater warning in terms of time, but they’re also becoming much more specific in terms of being able to target which specific areas are likely to bear the brunt of the severe weather.  So there’s some really interesting work that’s going on.  And I think for a good reason, a lot of that work is actually going on in Oklahoma.

So some of the foremost experts in this field are actually based here in Oklahoma, and the President will have the opportunity to visit with some of them while he’s on the ground today.

Q    Josh, there is some reporting right after the storm about some houses and other public buildings either not having basements or not having safe rooms because of the cost.  Does the President believe that there should be more federal funding for something like that?  Or does he have a position on that at all?

MR. EARNEST:  Well, I think that we have seen that, particularly in these communities that take a direct hit from a severe tornado like the one that we saw here on Monday, that these storm shelters can be the difference between life and death. 

I know that FEMA has already been instrumental in providing some resources to make the construction of these storm shelters more economically feasible.  I think in just the state of Oklahoma alone, FEMA has provided $57 million in funding in the form of rebates and other incentives that would encourage people to build these kinds of storm shelters.

I know that Governor Fallin has talked about how helpful that thorough assistance has been.  But obviously, these kinds of -- these shelters do make a difference.

Q    Josh, how much do you think this whole disaster area talks about the differences in the party -- what the parties believe about the size of government and what government should and shouldn’t be doing?  Obviously, Republicans talk a lot about shrinking the size of government.  Is a day like today an example of the President saying to those folks, look, you know, there actually has to be investment?  I mean, is there a political element to that?

MR. EARNEST:  Well, to take the last part of your question first, today is not a day for politics.  The President is going to be focused today on, as I mentioned, offering his condolences to the people in these communities who were affected.  You’re talking to the people who have lost a lot -- either the lives of family members of friends, or they’ve seen all of their physical possessions taken away from them. 

So it’s not a day for politics.  That said, I think it is evident to any impartial observer here what an important role the federal government can play in providing assistance to our people at their time of urgent need.  And you talk about an agency like FEMA that, when this President took office, did not have a very good reputation, and I think there were some failures that were widely reported about their response to previous natural disasters.

Craig Fugate, the current administrator for FEMA, is a widely regarded expert in this area.  Based on my own personal experience -- I worked on the Governor’s race in 2006 in the state of Florida, and one of the first promises made by both the Democratic candidate and the Republican candidate for governor was to reappoint Craig Fugate as the state’s emergency manager because he had such a strong reputation there.

So the President -- when the President appointed him to his job, without regard to political persuasion, the President chose the best person for the job.  And I think it’s important that you have somebody like Mr. Fugate, who has an expertise in this area, running this agency.  And I think it’s evident, and I think we’ll see a little bit of that even today, the difference that that has in the lives of people who have been affected in such a traumatic way.

Q    In the last six months or so -- Newtown, the President went to Texas, the President was in Boston in April.  What kind of role does he see himself playing when he goes to sort of comfort the families in the wake of such a tragedy?

MR. EARNEST:  I think it’s important -- the President believes that it’s important for people to understand, people in these communities to understand, that the entire nation is standing with them in their time of need; that it’s important for -- that our country, for all of the political turmoil and strife and strident debate that goes in our nation’s capital, that the people of this nation are united by something much stronger than political debate. 

Those political differences are genuine, but they in no way undermine the bonds among the people of this country and the symbolism of the leader of this country -- as I mentioned, the greatest country on Earth -- traveling to a community in a time of crisis and articulating not just his own personal condolences for their loss, but his own personal resolve and the resolve of the country to ensure that they have the resources and the expertise of the greatest nation on Earth to stand with them in the recovery. 

And that is a powerful statement and a powerful message that any President can deliver.  And it’s a responsibility that this President takes seriously, both as a reminder, again, to the people in these communities who have been affected, but also as a reminder to people all across the country that, as Americans, we stand together in time of crisis and put aside our differences, whether they’re political or otherwise; that our bonds as Americans are strong, and the strength of those bonds is put to the test and they hold up particularly in times of crisis.

Q    -- a bookend element to that of what the end of a recovery process like this looks like, or at least six months, seven months down the road?

MR. EARNEST:  I do think that there is a -- that it’s a pretty vivid illustration about the President’s commitment to seeing these things through.  You’re right that the recovery effort in the aftermath of Sandy is still ongoing and there are still a lot of people in these communities who are hurting and are still struggling to come back from the blow that that storm dealt to them.

But the President made a promise, in the aftermath of that storm, that he would continue to focus on that recovery effort and that the federal government would continue to focus on that recovery effort long after the nation’s attention, or at least the media’s attention had turned elsewhere. 

And so the President does view this as -- he’s looking forward to his trip to New Jersey, because I do think that we’ll see that significant progress has been made, even though there is significant work that remains to be done.  And I do think that six, eight, ten months down the road, that people in Oklahoma, because of the strong support of the federal government but also people all across this country who generously contributed to the Red Cross and other places that are assisting in the effort, that they’re going to have a lot to show for the support of the country and in Oklahoma as well.

Q    Any comment on Syria and Hezbollah?

MR. EARNEST:  We obviously took note of the comments that were made yesterday.  We’ve expressed our concerns for some time now about the role that Hezbollah has played in supporting the Assad regime.  We have condemned that violence and their involvement in that violence. 

It is evident to us that the public pronouncement of Hezbollah’s involvement is a response to the increasing casualties being sustained by Hezbollah fighters in the area, and it only underscores the urgent need for a democratic political transition to take place in Syria.  It’s time for Assad to leave power, and it is time for a political transition to take place because it’s clear that this instability is being felt throughout the region and poses a significant threat to the region because of that instability.

So we’re going to continue working with our partners and our allies to try to facilitate a continued transition in Syria.

Q    But it doesn’t change -- Hezbollah’s declared intentions doesn’t change the calculus at all in terms of further intervention by the United States and helping to arm the rebels and do other -- sort of go further?

MR. EARNEST:  Well, I think it’s fair to say that the calculus that the President is making is something that is regularly reviewed and updated.  This is a situation that we’re following close.  And what you’ve seen, as you’ve seen over the last several months, that our involvement and our assistance to the opposition there has steadily increased.  Our commitment to providing humanitarian aid to those who are bearing the brunt of this violence is resolute. 

We’re continuing to support our partners who are also dealing with this.  The President talked about this quite a bit when he was in Jordan about the humanitarian crisis that they’re dealing with there.  So we’re going to continue to provide that kind of support.  But we’ve also in recent months ramped up our support in other areas in terms of nonlethal aid to the opposition. 

So this is something that is regularly being reviewed.  And I’m sure that in the days and weeks ahead, as we continue to review our posture here, that the public pronouncements of the Hezbollah leader will also be factored into this.

All right, guys, thanks. 

END
11:03 A.M. EDT