1 00:00:00,440 --> 00:00:02,607 to those who have valiantly served our 2 00:00:02,607 --> 00:00:05,380 country . We thank you . There are 19 3 00:00:05,380 --> 00:00:07,930 million living veterans today . Men and 4 00:00:07,930 --> 00:00:09,874 women who wore the uniform for our 5 00:00:09,874 --> 00:00:12,580 nation in peace and combat . These 6 00:00:12,580 --> 00:00:14,900 brave Americans are symbol of what 7 00:00:14,900 --> 00:00:17,130 makes America great the ability to 8 00:00:17,130 --> 00:00:19,390 serve and defend knowing you could be 9 00:00:19,390 --> 00:00:21,612 in harm's way for our veterans who have 10 00:00:21,612 --> 00:00:23,446 deployed in support of operation 11 00:00:23,446 --> 00:00:25,668 enduring freedom in Afghanistan for the 12 00:00:25,668 --> 00:00:27,550 past 20 years . Your service and 13 00:00:27,550 --> 00:00:30,870 sacrifice will always be remembered to 14 00:00:30,870 --> 00:00:33,210 our nation's reserve Citizen Airmen who 15 00:00:33,210 --> 00:00:35,560 I am honored to represent . You are 16 00:00:35,560 --> 00:00:37,890 heroes . You only have to look at what 17 00:00:37,890 --> 00:00:40,057 occurred in Afghanistan in august with 18 00:00:40,057 --> 00:00:42,410 operations allies . Refuge . By the 19 00:00:42,420 --> 00:00:44,142 time we were 24 hours into the 20 00:00:44,142 --> 00:00:47,210 operation Reserve airmen were flying 34 21 00:00:47,210 --> 00:00:49,750 cargo aircraft into the country with 80 22 00:00:49,750 --> 00:00:51,890 Cruz volunteering to operate in that 23 00:00:51,890 --> 00:00:54,740 environment . Volunteerism also 24 00:00:54,740 --> 00:00:56,830 includes tanker crews , logistics , 25 00:00:56,840 --> 00:00:59,340 intelligence , medical and personnel 26 00:00:59,340 --> 00:01:01,440 services ready to provide care and 27 00:01:01,440 --> 00:01:04,310 feeding for americans allies and the 28 00:01:04,310 --> 00:01:06,340 afghan people and they were all 29 00:01:06,350 --> 00:01:08,940 airlifted to safety . This is also 30 00:01:08,940 --> 00:01:10,773 another opportunity to highlight 31 00:01:10,773 --> 00:01:12,551 frontline workers who have been 32 00:01:12,551 --> 00:01:14,607 fighting the pandemic for almost two 33 00:01:14,607 --> 00:01:16,773 years now . They were reserved medical 34 00:01:16,773 --> 00:01:18,940 professionals who deployed to New York 35 00:01:18,940 --> 00:01:21,110 City within 48 hours of notification 36 00:01:21,120 --> 00:01:23,440 and aerial medical evacuation medics 37 00:01:23,450 --> 00:01:26,210 transporting patients globally . You 38 00:01:26,210 --> 00:01:29,340 have kept americans safe . We salute 39 00:01:29,340 --> 00:01:31,600 all veterans past and present for all 40 00:01:31,600 --> 00:01:33,150 you've done for this nation