Bannon's War Room - November 11, 2025


Episode 4918： WarRoom Veterans Day Special 2015 Cont.


Episode Stats


Length

1 hour and 4 minutes

Words per minute

97.82609

Word count

6,339

Sentence count

485

Harmful content

Hate speech

7

sentences flagged


Summary

Summaries generated with gmurro/bart-large-finetuned-filtered-spotify-podcast-summ .

On November 11th, the guns fall silent on the Western Front. What was Armistice Day and why was it so important in the minds of those who served in World War I and why did it transition to Veterans Day?

Transcript

Transcript generated with Whisper (turbo).
Hate speech classifications generated with facebook/roberta-hate-speech-dynabench-r4-target .
00:00:00.000 This is the primal scream of a dying regime.
00:00:07.560 Pray for our enemies, because we're going medieval on these people.
00:00:12.800 I got a free shot at all these networks lying about the people.
00:00:17.060 The people have had a belly full of it.
00:00:19.000 I know you don't like hearing that.
00:00:20.420 I know you try to do everything in the world to stop that,
00:00:22.160 but you're not going to stop it.
00:00:23.100 It's going to happen.
00:00:24.360 And where do people like that go to share the big lie?
00:00:27.760 MAGA media.
00:00:28.660 I wish in my soul, I wish that any of these people had a conscience.
00:00:34.560 Ask yourself, what is my task and what is my purpose?
00:00:38.300 If that answer is to save my country, this country will be saved.
00:00:44.660 War Room. Here's your host, Stephen K. Bannon.
00:00:50.100 It's Tuesday, 11 November, in the year of our Lord, 2025.
00:00:54.320 What heretofore, up until after World War II, was called Armistice Day,
00:00:59.220 because it was brought together by the living to honor the armistice
00:01:07.840 that was supposed to end the war, because they fought to end all future wars.
00:01:13.760 That's what they thought they had done.
00:01:17.020 Interestingly, the law of unintended consequences was that the treaty that they put together,
00:01:23.480 particularly the economic consequences of the peace,
00:01:27.780 as John Maynard Keynes wrote later,
00:01:29.520 was the foundation for actually what drove a greater and more destructive war,
00:01:36.280 what, 20 years later?
00:01:40.000 Based upon German rearmament and all the anger and suppression, 0.55
00:01:47.300 Tej talked about himself and his own personal journey,
00:01:49.540 but from the Germans and their allies.
00:01:53.740 So we went to a more destructive, even more destructive phase
00:01:56.640 in what I call the short 20th century from 1914 to 1989.
00:02:04.200 Patrick K. O'Donnell, presence in route.
00:02:06.440 I guess when he gets there, it must be some security reason
00:02:08.780 that we're not showing that, but I don't see it right now.
00:02:12.240 My crack staff will get it to us as soon as we can find something.
00:02:15.140 You've done a lot of coverage of this.
00:02:19.340 First off, what was Armistice Day?
00:02:21.680 Why was it such a, not just a commemoration of the dead of World War I,
00:02:27.200 but really hopeful about going forward,
00:02:29.940 that this was the war to end all wars?
00:02:32.500 Remember, that was the pitch of the globalists of Wilson,
00:02:36.060 these guys that we now realize was completely gun-decked, right,
00:02:40.580 with the Lusitania and other situations,
00:02:42.760 completely gun-decked to get us into the war.
00:02:44.380 But if we hadn't gotten into the war at the end,
00:02:46.580 that war may have dragged on forever.
00:02:48.480 You think Ukraine's dragging on?
00:02:49.780 World War I could have dragged on for a long time.
00:02:52.780 We were kind of the hammer blow at the end they couldn't take.
00:02:56.220 But Armistice Day, why was it so important?
00:02:58.820 And why was it seared in the memories of our grandfathers
00:03:02.820 or great-grandfathers?
00:03:03.980 And why did it transition to Veterans Day, sir?
00:03:08.180 Steve, World War I is where the United States becomes a superpower,
00:03:12.180 a financial superpower, an economic superpower.
00:03:15.980 And it's the American expeditionary force in 1918 that smashes the Hindenburg line
00:03:22.100 and breaks open the Western Front.
00:03:24.720 I mean, it's an amazing – it's a slaughter – the front was a slaughterhouse of machine guns and gas and poison gas.
00:03:35.960 And then as the final months of the war dragged down,
00:03:38.600 it's a pandemic that just kills tens of millions of people.
00:03:42.860 So it is seared in the minds of those that participated in the Great War.
00:03:50.940 And Armistice Day comes about on November 11th, the 11th hour, the 11th minute,
00:03:57.820 where the guns fall silent.
00:03:59.240 And they fall silent on the Western Front.
00:04:01.260 And they're searching for a way to sort of commemorate those who have served in the Great War with Armistice Day.
00:04:12.800 And then you have Armistice Day.
00:04:18.340 And then after World War II, President Eisenhower,
00:04:22.220 because he had the moral authority of being the supreme allied commander in the European theater
00:04:27.740 and overseeing not just North Africa, Sicily, Italy, but also Normandy and the drive to Berlin,
00:04:35.300 a drive, I might add, that we stop, I don't know, 50 miles short or 100 miles short
00:04:41.420 to let the Russians take it. 0.66
00:04:44.060 That's a topic for another day.
00:04:45.860 But he had the moral authority to shift this.
00:04:48.120 Why did we shift it to Veterans Day?
00:04:51.720 We shifted in June 1st, 1954, to Veterans Day to honor, you know, it's 1954.
00:04:59.820 The Cold War is in bloom.
00:05:02.440 And we've already had World War II.
00:05:04.520 So there's a passing of World War I in its memory.
00:05:07.640 And now it's to commemorate all veterans who have served.
00:05:12.800 And the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, where we're visiting now,
00:05:16.640 is sort of the ultimate recognition of that service for all veterans.
00:05:21.020 So this became a big thing for us to have this.
00:05:28.160 Talk about, I think it was Memorial Day of 1957, 1958, I think.
00:05:34.300 I remember, or maybe it was 57.
00:05:36.020 I was a very small boy and actually went to this on the internment of,
00:05:41.220 I guess it was the Korean War veteran then.
00:05:44.680 But the whole situation in Arlington and actually doing a Tomb of the Unknown.
00:05:48.880 This is because the French, I guess the French and the British had done it before us.
00:05:53.780 That's correct, Steve.
00:05:54.760 The French are the first to commemorate the service of veterans.
00:05:59.980 And they choose one soldier that is unidentified in their remains.
00:06:06.740 And then they honor that veteran.
00:06:08.580 And then the British follow. 0.98
00:06:10.920 And then there were about 2,100 American soldiers that were not,
00:06:18.580 there were unknowns in World War I.
00:06:22.140 And there was a movement here in the United States to bring the boys home.
00:06:25.520 There were tens of thousands of American bodies in Europe.
00:06:29.940 And there was a groundswell of a movement within the United States to bring the boys home.
00:06:37.580 And the Army initially said, well, they'll be able to identify the 2,100 unknowns.
00:06:43.240 And then there became a movement after seeing the French and the British recognize an unknown soldier within the United States.
00:06:50.520 And a woman editor with a paper called The Delineator, Marie Maloney, was a key proponent to bring home the boys along with Congressman Hamilton Fish from New York City.
00:07:04.120 And he was an officer within the, an all-black unit that fought on the Western Front.
00:07:13.180 He wanted to recognize his men as well as the unknowns.
00:07:17.100 And there becomes this kind of groundswell to bring home an unknown soldier.
00:07:23.220 And the process begins in September 1921, where they look at the major cemeteries,
00:07:31.580 which also mirror the major killing grounds in World War I, where the American Expeditionary Force fought,
00:07:39.080 like the cemetery at Bellawood, for instance, the cemetery at the Meuse-Argonne.
00:07:45.040 They sent teams there to identify the remains of unknown soldiers.
00:07:50.640 And they specifically wanted an individual that had no identification whatsoever,
00:07:55.320 no diaries or letters that were on their uniforms, specifically spreened them.
00:08:01.580 And then they brought several of those men back to a French town or city.
00:08:10.960 And they lay several caskets with their flag draped in this room to identify an unknown soldier to bring home within the group.
00:08:23.740 And that honor fell upon a young enlisted man, Younger was his name, who fought with the 2nd Infantry Division.
00:08:35.160 The 4th Brigade of the Marines were part of the 2nd Division.
00:08:39.040 This was an elite unit within the American Expeditionary Force that fought in most of the major battles.
00:08:46.760 And they were just in a decisive sort of a super division, if you will.
00:08:52.600 And Younger is chosen because he's one of the most decorated and actually the most combat experienced soldier.
00:08:59.540 They initially decided they were going to have a German or an American officer, a general officer selected.
00:09:10.620 But the last minute, the French said, why don't you have an enlisted man because they do the fighting?
00:09:15.100 And it falls upon Younger.
00:09:17.100 And I tell the story in my book, The Unknowns, Younger's story, as well as the 2nd Infantry Division, but more specifically the Marine Corps, which they have eight men that are body bearers that bring back the remains.
00:09:35.700 And they're the most decorated men in the AEF that Pershing hand selects because they want to tell the story of what the Americans did in the AEF.
00:09:45.480 In the Marine Corps, there's an army individual, the Navy's represented.
00:09:50.460 The AEF, by the way, for Blackjack Pershing, who was our senior general, was the American Expeditionary Force.
00:09:56.640 And that was the hammer blow that the Germans couldn't take on the Western Front.
00:10:00.820 And quite frankly, MacArthur drove all the way across France to Metz to a city at the time that had never been taken.
00:10:09.120 From medieval times, it was kind of a fortress castle or fortress town.
00:10:13.400 Metz had never been taken.
00:10:14.780 And MacArthur drove all the way through there and they got to the – I think it's the Meuse River.
00:10:19.040 I might be wrong on the river.
00:10:20.280 That's when they –
00:10:20.860 It's the Meuse River.
00:10:21.560 Yeah, Steve, they press into Metz and also Sudan where there's the main rail lines.
00:10:28.760 And this is – this severs the main rail lines on the Western Front for the Germans.
00:10:33.440 But it pierces the formidable Hindenburg line, which just was laced with machine guns.
00:10:41.560 I've got one here.
00:10:43.000 Actually, it's deactivated, obviously.
00:10:45.880 But this is a 08-16 Maxim machine gun that served on the Western Front.
00:10:53.840 I mean it's camouflaged by the German Army, even has a bullet hole in it.
00:10:59.280 But, I mean, this is what these guys faced on a daily basis.
00:11:02.420 This thing was called a light machine gun.
00:11:03.840 It was about 35 pounds.
00:11:05.940 But it could send down range 400 to 500 rounds a minute.
00:11:09.240 By the way, so the Americans – remember, they put that army together.
00:11:13.400 The army was tiny.
00:11:14.380 Post-Civil War, it was really a police force out on the – for the Indian Wars.
00:11:19.920 But it had gone Spanish-American War.
00:11:21.280 Everything had been stood down as soon as the war was over.
00:11:24.020 You had to really get this up and train it and get it over there.
00:11:26.360 Man, they could fight.
00:11:27.600 Right there on the screen, you see the Secret Service.
00:11:30.360 And now it looks like they're deployed at Arlington momentarily.
00:11:34.440 We're going to blow brakes and cover this wall-to-wall as we always do.
00:11:37.880 The Commander-in-Chief will be out shortly.
00:11:42.040 Tej Gill, what is the – Patrick, hang right there.
00:11:45.340 What is the fighting spirit of the American forces today?
00:11:50.040 On the last 600 meters, one of the tensions in there – and I got a lot of comments from people last night coming back to me –
00:11:55.820 was how political involvement – you know, you had your Marines, you had your Army Special Forces.
00:12:01.720 Every time they're about to win, the politicians step in and take victory from them.
00:12:06.620 And when we had the premier last week in D.C., the Marines – this is 17 or 19, almost 20 years after the battle.
00:12:14.800 I guess it is 20 years after the battle – actually said, if you let us off the chain, we will win every time.
00:12:20.900 Nobody can defeat us.
00:12:22.620 What's the spirit of your colleagues, the veterans, on Veterans Day about political involvement in some of these decisions, sir?
00:12:31.720 I mean, a lot of the guys are disappointed with the politicians.
00:12:36.260 And then some of the guys I know, they don't even care.
00:12:39.040 They just stay out of it completely.
00:12:41.300 But look, we win every battle on the battlefield.
00:12:44.620 We win it all.
00:12:45.960 The politicians take the victory away from the American people, not from the soldiers.
00:12:49.620 Because on the ground, we win always.
00:12:54.000 We win all the – even if you look back at Vietnam – 0.96
00:12:56.040 Hang on one second.
00:12:57.760 We're going to go to Arlington.
00:12:58.880 The President of the United States right there.
00:13:01.380 Can we cut to the audio?
00:13:02.840 Let's go ahead and do it.
00:13:03.740 All right.
00:13:11.700 !
00:13:12.260 All right.
00:13:12.740 Two minutes left.
00:13:14.500 Two minutes left.
00:13:17.380 One moment left.
00:13:17.920 We've got a copy of it.
00:13:20.520 There was the last night left.
00:13:23.300 One moment left.
00:13:26.880 Two minutes left.
00:13:29.000 OK.
00:13:30.000 Sorry.
00:13:30.720 Present Time!
00:14:00.720 Present Time!
00:14:30.720 Present Time!
00:15:00.720 Present Time!
00:15:30.720 Present Time!
00:16:00.720 Present Time!
00:16:06.720 Present Time!
00:16:12.720 Present Time!
00:16:18.720 Present Time!
00:16:22.720 Present Time!
00:16:30.720 Present Time!
00:16:34.720 Present Time!
00:16:44.720 Present Time!
00:16:50.720 Present Time!
00:17:06.720 Present Time!
00:17:18.720 Present Time!
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00:18:08.720 Hold her.
00:18:09.920 Hard.
00:18:38.720 Hold her.
00:19:08.720 Hold her.
00:19:38.720 Hold her.
00:20:08.700 That is the Custis Mansion that's now turned into the focal point of Arlington National Cemetery.
00:20:15.020 Patrick O'Donnell, the old guard.
00:20:19.620 Tell our audience about that, the history of the unit that does all the commemorations and guards the Tomb of the Unknown.
00:20:29.980 It really guards Arlington National Cemetery, which one would argue is the most sacred soil in this country, Patrick.
00:20:36.760 Absolutely. The old guard is one of our oldest units.
00:20:40.440 And the guarding of the tomb dates back to the mid to late 1920s because the tomb was created on November 11, 1921 with President Harding presiding.
00:20:56.880 And then for several years, it was unguarded.
00:21:01.020 And what happened, though, there was a tremendous amount of disrespect to the tomb.
00:21:05.600 People would actually have picnics on and near the tomb.
00:21:08.800 And then they brought in the old guard and the ceremonies and the, you know, the honor that they bring.
00:21:16.340 Patrick, Patrick, hang on.
00:21:17.680 We're going to cut to the we're going to cut to the musical presentation.
00:21:23.480 Let's go ahead.
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00:24:55.600 Battle Hymn of the Republic.
00:24:57.560 He is trampling out the vintage where the graves of grandpa store.
00:25:05.700 He hath loosed the fateful lightning of his terrible swift sword.
00:25:15.020 His truth is marching on.
00:25:21.820 Glory, glory, glory, hallelujah.
00:25:30.120 Glory, glory, hallelujah.
00:25:36.780 Glory, glory, hallelujah.
00:25:39.820 Glory, glory, hallelujah.
00:25:44.720 Glory, glory, hallelujah.
00:25:48.800 I can see him in the watch-wise of a hundred certainly
00:26:13.800 They have built in him that altar made the evening tunes and dance
00:26:23.800 I can read his righteous and dance in the dim and wearing pants
00:26:32.800 This day is marching down
00:26:42.800 Glory, glory, hallelujah
00:26:46.800 Glory, glory, hallelujah
00:26:51.800 Glory, glory, hallelujah
00:26:55.800 It's true, it's my sweet heart
00:27:00.800 Glory, glory, hallelujah
00:27:09.800 Glory, glory, hallelujah
00:27:13.800 In the beauty of the lilies
00:27:38.800 Christ was born across the sea
00:27:47.800 With a glory in his bosom
00:27:55.800 That transfigures you and me
00:28:02.800 As he died to make men holy
00:28:12.800 Let us die to make men free 0.92
00:28:18.800 While God is marching on
00:28:25.800 Glory, glory, hallelujah
00:28:30.800 Glory, glory, hallelujah
00:28:35.800 Glory, glory, hallelujah
00:28:39.800 His truth is marching on
00:28:44.800 Glory, glory, hallelujah
00:28:49.800 Glory, glory, hallelujah
00:28:54.800 Glory, glory, hallelujah
00:28:56.800 Glory, glory, hallelujah
00:29:00.800 Glory, hallelujah
00:29:01.800 Glory, hallelujah
00:29:02.800 His truth is marching on
00:29:03.800 Glory, hallelujah
00:29:04.800 Glory, hallelujah
00:29:05.800 His truth is marching on
00:29:07.800 Amen
00:29:09.800 Amen
00:29:11.800 Amen
00:29:13.800 Amen
00:29:26.800 Amen
00:29:40.800 Distinguished guests
00:29:41.800 It is now my distinct privilege
00:29:43.800 To introduce the members
00:29:45.800 Of the Veterans Day National Committee
00:29:48.800 The committee was formed by
00:29:50.800 Presidential order in 1954
00:29:53.800 To plan this annual observance
00:29:55.800 And support other Veterans Day observances
00:29:58.800 Throughout the nation
00:30:00.800 Please hold your applause
00:30:01.800 Until I have introduced
00:30:02.800 Each special guest
00:30:04.800 If you're able
00:30:06.800 Please stand
00:30:07.800 When your name is called
00:30:10.800 Justin McClure
00:30:12.800 Army and Navy Union
00:30:13.800 United States of America
00:30:16.800 Gary McClure
00:30:18.800 Non-commissioned Officers Association
00:30:20.800 Of the United States of America
00:30:23.800 Dan K. Wiley
00:30:25.800 The American Legion
00:30:27.800 Tracy Brown
00:30:29.800 Military Order of the Purple Heart
00:30:32.800 Timothy Morgan
00:30:34.800 Marine Corps League
00:30:36.800 Michael H. Hoyer
00:30:39.800 Military Chaplains Association
00:30:41.800 Of the United States of America
00:30:44.800 Robert Thomas
00:30:46.800 Paralyzed Veterans of America
00:30:49.800 Victor Benkoski
00:30:51.800 Victor Benkoski
00:30:52.800 Legion of Valor
00:30:53.800 Of the United States of America
00:30:56.800 David J. Worley
00:30:58.800 Military Order of the World Wars
00:31:01.800 Justin Jump
00:31:03.800 TRIA
00:31:04.800 The Enlisted Association
00:31:06.800 Pat Payne
00:31:09.800 Congressional Medal of Honor Society
00:31:11.800 Of the United States of America
00:31:13.800 Coleman Francis Knee
00:31:15.800 Disabled American Veterans
00:31:20.800 Brian D. Anderson
00:31:22.800 Military Officers Association
00:31:24.800 Of America 0.61
00:31:26.800 Kurt Kestelut
00:31:28.800 Commissioned Officers Association
00:31:30.800 Of the United States
00:31:31.800 Public Health Service
00:31:33.800 Keith Reed
00:31:35.800 Air Force Sergeants Association
00:31:37.800 David Pai Cook
00:31:40.800 Polish Legion of American Veterans
00:31:42.800 Of the United States of America
00:31:44.800 Jeffrey Brodeur
00:31:47.800 Korean War Veterans Association
00:31:49.800 Of the United States of America
00:31:51.800 David Rodriguez
00:31:53.800 David Rodriguez
00:31:55.800 American G.I. Forum
00:31:56.800 American G.I. Forum
00:31:57.800 Of the United States
00:31:59.800 Michael Collins
00:32:01.800 Catholic War Veterans
00:32:04.800 Wade Davis
00:32:06.800 Blinded Veterans Association
00:32:09.800 Kenneth Greenberg
00:32:11.800 Jewish War Veterans
00:32:12.800 of the United States of America
00:32:16.800 John Reiling III
00:32:18.800 Vietnam Veterans of America
00:32:22.800 Carol Whitmore
00:32:25.800 Veterans of Foreign Wars
00:32:26.800 of the United States
00:32:29.800 Maria Beam
00:32:31.800 Fleet Reserve Association
00:32:34.800 The associate and emeritus members
00:32:36.800 of the committee
00:32:37.800 are also with us today
00:32:39.800 Associate and emeritus members
00:32:41.800 please stand
00:32:43.800 Ladies and gentlemen
00:32:44.800 please join me in recognizing
00:32:45.800 our Veterans Day National Committee
00:32:47.800 leadership with your applause
00:32:52.800 charlie
00:32:54.440 for music
00:32:58.800 Arts
00:33:00.800 and
00:33:02.480 friends
00:33:02.800 Dear
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00:46:16.780 remain standing for the invocation given by Chaplain Kimberly Willis, Executive Director
00:46:22.160 of Chaplain Service for the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. Good morning.
00:46:28.240 Let us pray. Eternal and ever faithful God, on this sacred morning beneath the quiet majesty
00:46:35.900 of these marble arches, we gather in this hollow place to pay tribute, to reflect, and to recommit.
00:46:43.100 We come before you as a grateful nation, mindful of those who have donned the uniform, answered
00:46:49.300 the call, and stood in the breach on behalf of freedom. You, who chart the course of every
00:46:55.780 life, know each one who answered to the distant horizon, to the storm-tossed sea, to the far-off
00:47:02.920 watch. You have seen the quiet courage and the visible sacrifice, the sleepless nights,
00:47:08.040 the lonely return, the unspoken burdens. You have carried the tears of family, the prayers
00:47:13.540 of caregivers, and the hope of a grateful people. We remember those who fell, whose names rest
00:47:19.760 beneath these stones, silent sentinels of our nation's promise. We remember those who yet
00:47:25.420 bear in body or spirit the cost of service. Grant them your healing, your strength, and
00:47:31.400 your peace. And to families who waited, who worried, who bore the weight of absence, extend
00:47:37.240 your sustaining grace, O comforter. We give thanks for the Department of Veteran Affairs,
00:47:42.280 who daily honor our nation's sacred trust. And we bless the veteran service organizations
00:47:47.760 whose devotion ensures that no veteran stands alone. In honor of those who served, renew our
00:47:53.780 covenant to tend the garden of democracy with vigilance and care. To serve with humility,
00:47:59.760 to lead with integrity, to walk together as one people under your guiding hand. Underpin our
00:48:05.260 labors with hope, our words with true, our action with compassion. Let freedom ring not
00:48:10.800 only on the battlefield, but in the everyday lives of your people. God bless the United States
00:48:17.480 of America, that we may be true to the promise entrusted to us, vigilant in peace, resolute in
00:48:23.920 service, defender of justice, and steadfast in gratitude. It is in your holy name we pray. Amen.
00:48:32.800 Seated.
00:48:37.680 I am honored to introduce the 2025 National Veterans Day Observance co-host organization,
00:48:45.040 the American Veterans, better known as AMVETS. The organization began in 1944,
00:48:51.920 when 18 World War II veterans met in Kansas City, Missouri, to form the American Veterans of World War II.
00:49:00.160 Just three years later, President Harry S. Truman signed Public Law 216, making AMVETS the first World 0.99
00:49:08.240 War II veterans group chartered by Congress. Over the decades, its charter expanded to include those who
00:49:15.680 served in every era from World War II to today, including members of the National Guard and Reserves.
00:49:23.520 Today, AMVETS focuses on critical veterans' issues such as mental health, suicide prevention,
00:49:30.640 and ensuring women veterans receive equal recognition and opportunities. Representing AMVETS today is National
00:49:37.360 Commander Paul Shipley, a U.S. Army combat veteran who served from 2004 to 2014, including a deployment to Iraq.
00:49:47.760 Commander Shipley is the first post-9-11 veteran and one of the youngest leaders in AMVETS 80-year history.
00:49:55.040 Please join me in welcoming National Commander of AMVETS and co-host of today's ceremony,
00:50:00.400 Mr. Paul Shipley, who will lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance and deliver remarks. Please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance.
00:50:15.120 I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands,
00:50:22.880 one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
00:50:41.280 Good morning, Mr. President, Mr. Vice President, Secretary Collins, and distinguished leaders
00:50:52.800 of the Veterans Service Organizations of the United States of America.
00:50:57.760 Good morning and happy Veterans Day. Today, as we gather at this hallowed ground at Arlington
00:51:05.360 National Cemetery, we honor the brave men and women who have served our nation with unwavering courage
00:51:11.040 and sacrifice. It is a solemn moment of remembrance, unity, and a renewal of our commitment to those that
00:51:19.280 have served. Today is also a special celebration of all who put their lives on the line for the United
00:51:26.000 States of America. AMVETS has a proud history spanning over 80 years. Today, our top priorities remain clear.
00:51:36.160 We work tirelessly to prevent veteran suicide and veteran homelessness, because no veteran
00:51:43.680 should be alone in facing these struggles. We promote awareness, prisoners of war,
00:51:51.520 and missing in action issues, ensuring that no hero is ever forgotten. And we are committed to supporting
00:51:59.200 veterans' families, help keeping them united through life's toughest challenges.
00:52:06.160 As the host of this year's Veterans Day National Committee, AMVETS is honored to participate
00:52:11.520 alongside dedicated Department of Veterans Affairs staff and our fellow veteran service organizations.
00:52:18.000 Together, we organize this event to honor our fallen and to reaffirm our duty to those who have served.
00:52:23.920 In the spirit of veterans serving veterans, I challenge each of us, whether here today
00:52:32.400 or watching from home, to find ways to support our veterans. Whether through a simple act of kindness,
00:52:40.000 volunteering, or advocating for policies that make a difference, your efforts matter.
00:52:46.640 Because supporting our veterans is not just a duty, it's a reflection of our gratitude and respect.
00:52:55.520 Let us remember today that their sacrifices have made the freedoms we enjoy possible.
00:53:02.320 And let us pledge to continue serving, protecting, and honoring all who have served our nation.
00:53:07.680 Thank you. God bless our veterans. And God bless America.
00:53:21.600 It is now my humble honor to introduce the 12th Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
00:53:28.720 Secretary Doug Collins is an accomplished attorney with more than a decade of legislative experience,
00:53:34.080 representing the people of Georgia in the state legislature and later the U.S. House of Representatives.
00:53:40.480 As a U.S. Air Force Reserve Chaplain, Secretary Collins has ministered to our country's military since 2002.
00:53:48.080 He completed a 2008 and 2009 deployment to Iraq while stationed at Balad Air Base.
00:53:55.040 Collins remains a colonel in the United States Air Force Reserve,
00:53:59.040 and he previously served in the U.S. Navy Reserve.
00:54:01.520 Please join me in warmly welcoming VA Secretary Doug Collins.
00:54:13.520 Good morning, everyone, Mr. President, Mr. Vice President, all the VSOs, all of our veteran staff here today,
00:54:20.320 and welcome you to a place in which we honor our veterans, those who have served.
00:54:25.280 I tell you, it was an honor to be here, but it was an even bigger honor, just over a year ago,
00:54:30.160 when President asked me to take this job. And I asked him a simple question. I said,
00:54:34.800 Mr. President, what would you like me to do? And he looked at me with a simple phrase. He said,
00:54:39.600 take care of our veterans. I tell all the rest of the cabinet, I've got the best job in the world
00:54:45.120 because I get to take care of the best people in the world, the veterans of the United States of America.
00:54:55.840 And this president is firmly committed to making sure this happens. The VA is a different place
00:55:00.960 today than it was just nine months ago. Nine months ago, there was more of an inner reflection.
00:55:05.840 Now it is an outer reflection. The only thing that matters at the VA is that the veteran comes first.
00:55:11.600 All we do is not about a bureaucracy or where we're from. It's about the veteran who walks
00:55:16.560 through our door. Without the veteran, we have no job. The VA now understands that we do nothing else
00:55:21.680 except take care of the veteran and do things for them. And under that direction from the president,
00:55:26.720 we have lowered backlogs. We have increased wait times. And yes, Mr. President, we get them to
00:55:31.680 community when they want to go to the community to see those doctors. And that's all in just in
00:55:36.160 the first nine months. But the best part of this is that there is something to understand.
00:55:42.080 Is it Veterans Day, unlike the others we celebrate, is about everyday people doing extraordinary things.
00:55:48.800 Veterans Day is about men and women who come from small towns, hamlets, villages, and big towns. And they
00:55:55.520 make a decision in their life to raise their right hand and say, I'm committing to something bigger than
00:56:00.880 myself. I am stepping forward where many will not. I am raising my right hand and committing myself
00:56:06.000 to service to a country, as I said just the other day, to make and ensure that our military is the
00:56:12.320 biggest and baddest in the world. Our veterans make that possible.
00:56:22.080 It comes from people all over, as I served with in Iraq. What I love about Veterans Day is it tells the
00:56:27.920 story of a young girl. She was in her early 20s. I met her on the fields in a wind just like this in
00:56:34.240 the desert of Iraq. She had showed up late and I was on the night chaplain run. And I'd always saw
00:56:40.560 everybody else, but I didn't recognize her. And I walked up to the gate and she said, I said,
00:56:44.960 where have you been? I said, I haven't seen you here. She said, sir, I'm a little bit late deploying
00:56:48.560 with my troops. I said, well, what was the reason? And I figured, I said, you could, you know,
00:56:52.800 I figured, why are you coming in three or four weeks later? She said, well, sir, just about two
00:56:56.720 months ago, I had my daughter. And I looked at her and I said, and you came anyway. I said,
00:57:02.480 you know, you could probably got a deferment of that. She said, no, sir. She said, I'd go where my
00:57:07.760 troops go. I go where they go. And she, that for the rest of the time I was there, we shared pictures
00:57:12.720 of one growing up, a little one taking first crawls and moves and sharing it in the night sky over Iraq.
00:57:20.320 That is a veteran who serves because they want to serve others. I remember an A1C who was on
00:57:26.960 deployment. He came back and he said, I am now making big money. He said, I can actually help my
00:57:33.840 family and I can buy Christmas presents for those that didn't get any last year. It's about the
00:57:39.600 stories of those as a young man and just a little bit young because he's in his eighties at one of our
00:57:45.200 VA hospitals and hospice who I walked in on him just the other day and he was playing on a keyboard
00:57:51.520 just a closer walk with me. Veterans Day is about veterans that were not special necessarily when
00:57:57.920 they came up, but they saw a vision and a calling and they said, I want to be a part of our armed
00:58:03.760 services. So when they raised their hand, they made a choice to become one of our favorite in the world.
00:58:11.120 And that is a veteran who serves this country. So as we come to this day of service, this day of
00:58:17.120 happy Thanksgiving for people who are willing to serve, I would just have one word from the half of this
00:58:22.160 administration. And I want everyone to hear it clearly, whether you're in the media, Congress or anywhere else.
00:58:28.640 I'm a little bit tired of people saying that veterans keep getting stuff.
00:58:33.600 No, veterans do not get anything from this country. They have earned everything that they are getting.
00:58:40.960 And I am committed to making sure they will always have that from this administration and this VA.
00:58:47.120 And that is my promise and this president's promise to you.
00:58:52.880 And with that, it is my honor to introduce to you a father, a husband,
00:58:59.600 and yes, for those in the audience, a Marine. Oh, come on Marines.
00:59:08.480 There we go. My Marines, they let me down on this one because now I get to introduce the great vice
00:59:13.680 president of the United States. It is his honor. It is his Marine. And I'm making him wait just a minute.
00:59:22.720 It is Mr. Vice President. He is ready to use it.
00:59:31.440 Well, thank you, Doug. You're doing a great job at the VA. And I want to say just a couple of things.
00:59:35.760 I've learned a couple of things from working so closely with the president of the United States.
00:59:40.640 The first thing is that he loves our nation's veterans and has committed our nation's administration
00:59:46.800 to putting our veterans first every single day. And the second thing I've learned about the
00:59:51.280 president United States is that he really hates when somebody who's speaking before him goes on
00:59:56.400 for too long. And so with that in mind, I have prepared prepared a very brief and very inspiring
01:00:03.680 one hour and 45 minute speech on this beautiful Veterans Day out here in the cold. But let me just
01:00:09.840 give three very brief messages first to our nation's veterans. Thank you. Thank you for serving and
01:00:17.120 sacrificing. We've all got so many good stories of people that we served with over the years.
01:00:22.080 During my four years of the Marine Corps, I met the very best of America,
01:00:26.080 people who are willing to put on a uniform and risk their lives for their entire country. Just yesterday
01:00:32.400 morning, I met people who lost limbs, who lost very, very important family members who lost
01:00:39.840 their psychological health going out there and serving the United States of America. So whether
01:00:45.520 you gave a little bit or whether you gave a lot, every single person who put on the uniform of this
01:00:52.080 nation deserves our gratitude on this day, especially, but every day. And so from the vice president
01:00:58.160 and the entire administration to our nation's veterans, thank you for your service. Thank you
01:01:02.880 for your sacrifice. And thank you for making us proud every single day.
01:01:12.480 The second message is to the nation's political leaders. I happen to believe that the most valuable
01:01:18.400 resource that we have isn't the incredible wealth of natural resources of this country. As amazing as it
01:01:25.040 is, the most important natural resource that we have is that we have hundreds of thousands of young
01:01:31.520 people every single month who sign up to put on the uniform and risk their lives for their fellow
01:01:37.360 citizens. That is a resource we cannot squander. That is a resource we must protect. And so to every
01:01:43.760 elected official who's here today, our obligation, our sacred responsibility to our veterans is to make sure
01:01:51.520 that the American military is the bravest and best fighting force anywhere in the world. And to make
01:01:58.080 sure that every time we ask our nation's military to go off to war, we give them the training, we give them
01:02:05.680 the resources, and we give them what they need to kick the enemy's rear end and to come back home safely
01:02:12.560 and quickly. That is our obligation to you.
01:02:20.720 And my third and final message to the American people, I'm asked all the time how to best honor
01:02:27.680 our veterans. And this day in particular gives you an opportunity and it doesn't have to be difficult
01:02:33.520 and it doesn't have to be complicated. If you find yourself at a restaurant this evening and you see
01:02:38.560 somebody wearing a uniform, buy them a meal if you're able or buy them a beer. If you see a veteran
01:02:44.640 of our nation's armed forces, if you know somebody in your family, give them a call and say thank you.
01:02:49.280 I heard already this morning from my mother-in-law who sent me a message early California time
01:02:54.640 and it touched my heart just knowing that we have loved ones who recognize our surface, who care about
01:03:00.720 it, and who care enough to go out and say thank you. So to the American people, if we want to keep on
01:03:06.240 ensuring that the very best and brightest sign up for our military, the very best way to do it
01:03:11.520 is to make sure that the veterans know that we are grateful to them. And so it's with great pride
01:03:18.080 that I am introducing a man who is proud of our veterans, who fights every single day for the
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