Thank you

From the nearly 4,500 soldiers who died fighting to establish our great nation, to over 600,000 who died in the struggle to preserve our Union, to the hundreds of thousands who have fought and died to establish freedom and democracy around the world... and to the millions who have served and returned home to their families... on behalf of my self, my family, my home, and my country, I say thank you.

We do not often remember you. In moments of tragedy when you deserve to be comforted, we sometimes shun you. Rarely do we think of your sacrifices. Your families do not regularly pass through our minds.

Yet every day, we live, grow, work and play in a free country because of your sacrifices. Forgive us for our ingratitude.

We should be saying thank you.

The tragic events at Fort Hood a few mere days ago again brought you to our minds. And how did we respond? Our President had previously scheduled to address the nation. His speech kept its regularly scheduled time, but rather than begin with remarks on this tragic act of terrorism, niceties and introdoctury remarks preceded any mention of what you went through, or the heroism which conquered that terrorism.

We should have been saying thank you.

Thank you for living, fighting, and dying for us. Thank you for putting yourselves voluntarily in harms way to defend our great nation and all that it stands for. Thank you for standing for the good, for being strong in the face of evil and terrorism. Thank you for being you.

Since our founding, more than 43,000,000 brave men and women have served in the Armed Forces of these United States, protecting our liberties at home while fighting for freedom abroad.

Thank you. May God bless you, and may God continue to bless America.

Here is a tribute from one of my greatest heroes, President George W. Bush