总统乔·拜登观察他的第一个退伍军人节作为总司令在会上的讲话无名战士之墓并表示这是他作为总统所获得的“最大荣誉”退伍军人和荣誉勋章获得者谈论退伍军人节。
“今天，我们向所有赢得‘美国老兵’称号的人所表现出的不屈不挠的勇气和奉献精神致敬，”拜登对观众说。
他说:“我们的每一位老兵都是自豪的爱国者链中的一环，他们一直站在保卫我们的国家的立场上——从邦克山到贝娄森林，从葛底斯堡到硫磺岛，从乔辛水库到库纳尔山谷——每个人都明白自由的代价，每个人都代表我们肩负起了这个重担。
总统承认星期四标志着20年来第一次美国没有因为纪念军队的节日而开战。
“二十年来，阿富汗的冲突塑造了我们军人及其家人和退伍军人的生活。自9/11以来，成千上万的美国人已经服役。许多人仍在害人。我们不能忘记他们，”他说。
拜登随后从西装外套口袋里拿出他的每日日程，并说，正如他以前在演讲中所说的那样，他在日程背面保留了国防部提供的在阿富汗和伊拉克战争中死伤的美军人数的最新名单。
他说，美国人“永远感激”退伍军人所取得的成就，但在履行使命的过程中，“这么多退伍军人及其家人和照顾者经历了地狱。”
“早在我还是年轻参议员的时候，我就遇到了麻烦，因为我说我们只有一项真正神圣的义务。我们有许多义务，但有一项真正神圣的义务，那就是为那些被我们送进险境的人做好适当的准备和装备，以便在他们被部署和返回家园时，我们能照顾他们和他们的家人，这是一生的神圣承诺。它永远不会过期。对我、吉尔和整个拜登家族来说，这都是私人恩怨。”
拜登以亲密的语气谈到了他已故的儿子博，他过去曾说，他怀疑博在海外接触过“烧伤坑”，这导致了他的死亡。拜登(姓氏)采取行动关于健康问题。
他说:“我想让你知道，我们的政府将履行我们欠你的神圣义务。“我们将与国会——共和党人和民主党人一起——共同努力，确保我们的退伍军人获得他们应得的世界级福利。”
拜登政府早前宣布它正在为在海外服役期间暴露在有毒“燃烧坑”中的美国退伍军人制定一项新政策。退伍军人管理局现在将“建立暴露的假设...当环境暴露和相关健康风险的证据在总体上很强，但在个体基础上很难证明时，”根据白宫的说法。
拜登说，官员们将在这方面继续努力，以确保精神卫生保健优先考虑退伍军人、妇女和LGBTQ+服务成员的“无形创伤”
拜登补充说:“我想对我们所有的老兵明确地说，如果你在挣扎——你已经习惯了从不要求任何东西——如果你在挣扎，伸出手去。“如果你有困难，想事情，打电话给退伍军人危机热线。这和你手臂上有伤口没什么区别。”
为了应对新冠肺炎正在进行的回应，他提醒说，美国救援计划今年早些时候通过了为退伍军人拨款170亿美元的法案，展望大流行后的世界，拜登表示，他的政府将继续努力保持退伍军人需求的“前沿和中心”，包括住房、退伍军人服务设施的改善以及对失业人员的再培训。
按照惯例，在发表讲话之前，总统参加了一个隆重的敬献花圈仪式。当拜登走近无名战士墓前的花圈时，他低下头，做了一个十字架的手势。
尼古拉斯·卡姆/法新社，通过盖蒂图像
乔·拜登总统在万人坑敬献花圈的仪式上鞠躬致敬
标记本周古墓百年纪念-为纪念一战中一名无名战士的最后安息之地，于1921年11月11日停战日安葬-公众获得了一次难得的机会，自1948年以来第一次走近它并献花。
出席拜登讲话的还有几位退伍军人及其家人，总统在白宫举行仪式前私下会见了他们。
Biden speaks at Arlington on 1st Veterans Day in 20 years US not at war
PresidentJoe Bidenobserved his firstVeterans Dayas commander in chief with remarks at theTomb of the Unknown Soldierat Arlington National Cemetary and said it was "the single greatest honor" he's been afforded as president to stand beforeveteransand Medal of Honor recipients to speak about Veterans Day.
"Today we pay homage to the unrelenting bravery and dedication that distinguishes all of those who earned the title of 'American Veteran,'" Biden said to the crowd of observers.
"Each of our veterans is a link in a proud chain of patriots that have stood in the defense of our country -- from Bunker Hill to Bellow Woods, Gettysburg to Iwo Jima, Chosin Reservoir to Kunar Valley -- each understood the price of freedom, and each shouldered that burden on our behalf," he said.
The president acknowledged that Thursday marks thefirst time in 20 yearsthat the U.S. is not at war for the holiday honoring troops.
"For two decades, the lives of our service members and their families and veterans have been shaped by the conflicts in Afghanistan. Since 9/11, hundreds of thousands of Americans have served. So many are still serving in harm's way. We cannot forget them," he said.
Biden then pulled out of his suit jacket pocket his daily schedule and said, as he has in speeches before, that he keeps on the back of it an updated list from the Defense Department of the number of American troops killed and wounded in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
He said that Americans are "forever grateful" for what veterans have accomplished, but that in fulfilling their missions, "so many veterans and their families and caregivers have been through hell."
"I have gotten in trouble way back when I was young senator for saying we only have one truly sacred obligation. We have many obligations, but one truly sacred obligation -- to properly prepare those and equip those that we send into harm's way that we care for them and their families when they are deployed and when they return home in is a lifetime sacred commitment. It never expires. And for me and for Jill and for the entire Biden family it is personal."
Striking an intimate tone, Biden spoke of his late son, Beau, whom he has said in the past he suspects had exposure to "burn pits" overseas which contributed to his death. Bidentook actionon that health issue Thursday.
"I want you to know that our administration will meet the sacred obligation that we owe you," he said. "We're going to work with Congress -- Republicans and Democrats together -- to make sure our veterans receive the world-class benefits that they've earned."
The Biden administrationannounced earlierthat it is establishing a new policy for U.S. veterans who have been exposed to toxic "burn pits" during their service overseas. The Veterans Administration will now "create presumptions of exposure ... when the evidence of an environmental exposure and the associated health risks are strong in the aggregate but hard to prove on an individual basis," according to the White House.
Biden said officials will keep pushing on this front to also ensure mental health care is prioritized for the "invisible wounds" of veterans, women and LGBTQ+ service members
"I want to say clearly to all our veterans, if you're struggling -- you're so used to never asking for anything -- if you're struggling, reach out," Biden added. "Call the Veterans Crisis Line if you're having trouble, thinking about things. It's no different than if you had a wound in your arm."
To address the ongoing COVID-19 response, he reminded that the American Rescue Plan passed earlier this year set aside $17 billion for the VA, and looking ahead to a post-pandemic world, Biden said his administration will continue efforts to keep veterans' needs "front and center," including on housing, VA facility improvements and retraining those that have lost their jobs.
Ahead of his remarks, as is tradition, the president participated in a full honor wreath-laying ceremony. Biden bowed his head and made the sign of the cross when he approached the wreath before the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
To mark thetomb's centennial this week-- dedicated to commemorate the final resting place of an unknown soldier from World War I, interred on Armistice Day, Nov. 11, 1921 -- members of the public were given a rare chance to come close to it and lay flowers for the first time since 1948.
Also in attendance for Biden's remarks were several veterans and their families, whom the president met with privately ahead of the ceremony at the White House.
