Mitt Romney

major gener vavala __PUNCT__ thank you for your gener introduct __PUNCT__

and thank you for your year of servic as chairman of the board __PUNCT__ and for your decad of servic to our nation __PUNCT__

ladi and gentlemen of the nation_guard associ __PUNCT__ it is an honor to be with you on thi dai of memori and appreci __PUNCT__

we rememb with heavi heart the tragic loss of life __PUNCT__ and we express thank for the men and women who respond to that tragedi __PUNCT__

we honor them __PUNCT__ and we honor those who secur our safeti even to thi dai __PUNCT__

we honor the men and women of the nation guard __PUNCT__

for __NUM___year __PUNCT__ whenev your countrymen have encount threat and danger __PUNCT__ you have willingli gone __PUNCT__

wherev the caus of freedom ha call __PUNCT__ you have answer __PUNCT__

and as the threat to liberti have eman from distant land __PUNCT__ you serv far from home and far from famili __PUNCT__

the nation ha ask much more of you than had been expect __PUNCT__ but you have never falter __PUNCT__ never waver from the mission of your motto __PUNCT__ alwai readi __PUNCT__ alwai there __PUNCT__

two week_ago __PUNCT__ i saw the guard in action in louisiana after it wa hit by hurrican isaac __PUNCT__

for mani of the peopl of the gulf __PUNCT__ who had just finish repair their home and get life back to normal after katrina __PUNCT__ the damag from isaac felt like too much to bear __PUNCT__

as i tour the flood street __PUNCT__ i wa not surpris to find the guard keep order __PUNCT__ distribut water and suppli __PUNCT__ and care for mani of those thei had evacu and rescu __PUNCT__

time and again __PUNCT__ it ha been the guardsman hand that ha lift a child from rise water __PUNCT__ that ha rescu a famili from a hurrican furi __PUNCT__ and that ha fed and cloth a fellow_american whose home and possess have been lost to natur devast __PUNCT__

it is a guardsman who took out saddam_hussein tank from hi a __PUNCT__ __NUM__ __PUNCT__ and who ha fought to secur the villag of afghanistan __PUNCT__

our world is a danger place __PUNCT__

and the attack on our homeland and citizen on __DATE__ remind us that the mission of the guard is ever more critic __PUNCT__ and ever more deserv of our support and honor __PUNCT__

more than a decad ha now pass sinc that dai of tragedi __PUNCT__

but the vision and event ar sear in the memori of everi american __PUNCT__

we rememb those who di __PUNCT__

we marvel at the courag of those who storm the cockpit when thei becam awar of the malevol purpos of the hijack __PUNCT__

we hold up in prayer the famili and friend who have live in a shadow cast by grief __PUNCT__

we draw strength from the selfless of the first respond __PUNCT__

and we renew our resolv to protect_america from the design of evil men __PUNCT__

like you __PUNCT__ i rememb where i wa on 9/11 __PUNCT__

i wa origin plan to be in batteri park __PUNCT__ in new york __PUNCT__ not far from the world_trade_center __PUNCT__

but as it turn out __PUNCT__ i wa in washington __PUNCT__ d.c __PUNCT__ to meet with member of congress about prepar for the secur of the upcom winter olymp game __PUNCT__

a colleagu and i were work in our offic in the ronald_reagan build __PUNCT__ just a few block from the white_hous __PUNCT__

someon rush into our offic and said that a plane had hit the world_trade_center __PUNCT__

i turn on the small tv on the desk and watch in shock as flame and smoke erupt from the north tower __PUNCT__

i call my wife ann __PUNCT__

she too watch the tragedi from her tv and wonder how a plane could fly into a build in clear daylight __PUNCT__

and then we saw the second plane_crash into the second tower __PUNCT__

these __PUNCT__ then __PUNCT__ were purpos act __PUNCT__ these were terrorist act __PUNCT__ these were evil and cowardli and heinou act __PUNCT__

leav the citi __PUNCT__ i drove toward alexandria __PUNCT__ virginia __PUNCT__

the highwai i wa on came within a few hundr yard of the pentagon __PUNCT__ which had been hit __PUNCT__

car had stop where thei were __PUNCT__ and peopl had gotten out __PUNCT__ watch in horror __PUNCT__

i could smell burn fuel and concret and metal __PUNCT__

it wa the smell of war __PUNCT__ someth i never imagin i would smell in america __PUNCT__

in our own wai __PUNCT__ we each were overwhelm by the enorm of the loss of life __PUNCT__

we struggl to comprehend the magnitud of what thi meant for the famili of those who had been kill __PUNCT__ and for our own famili __PUNCT__ for our nation __PUNCT__ and for the world __PUNCT__

for some __PUNCT__ there wa also anger __PUNCT__

but grief and anger soon turn to action __PUNCT__ and among those take the lead were member of the nation_guard __PUNCT__

member of the nation guard secur our airport and border __PUNCT__ and member of the guard began to mobil to deploi half a world awai __PUNCT__ where you would becom all too familiar with the mountain of the hindu kush and the street of fallujah __PUNCT__

throughout the last eleven_year __PUNCT__ guardsmen and women have help keep us safe from attack __PUNCT__

i wish i could sai the world is less danger now __PUNCT__ that it is less chaotic __PUNCT__

i wish i could predict with certainti the threat we will face in the year_ahead __PUNCT__

but on __DATE__ we had no idea that america would be at war in afghanistan __PUNCT__

in __DATE__ of __NUM__ we had no idea that a tunisian street_vendor would inspir a revolut that would toppl three dictat __PUNCT__

we live in a time of turbul and disrupt __PUNCT__

what i can sai with certainti is that we need the nation_guard vigil and strength now as much as ever befor __PUNCT__

with less than two month to go befor elect_dai __PUNCT__ i would normal speak to a gather like thi about the differ between my and my oppon plan for our militari and for our nation_secur __PUNCT__

there is a time and a place for that __PUNCT__ but thi dai is not it __PUNCT__

it is instead a dai to express gratitud to the men and women who have fought __PUNCT__ and who ar still fight __PUNCT__ to protect us and our countri __PUNCT__ includ those who trace the trail of terror to that wall compound in abbottabad and the seal who deliv justic to osama_bin_laden __PUNCT__

thi is also a dai in which all of us __PUNCT__ in thi convent hall __PUNCT__ in thi campaign __PUNCT__ and in thi countri __PUNCT__ can hopefulli agre on import_thing __PUNCT__

thi centuri must be an american_centuri __PUNCT__

it began with terror __PUNCT__ war __PUNCT__ and econom calam __PUNCT__

it is now our duti to steer it onto the path of freedom __PUNCT__ peac __PUNCT__ and prosper __PUNCT__

america must lead the free_world __PUNCT__ and the free world must lead the entir world __PUNCT__

in our deal with other nation __PUNCT__ we must demonstr confid in our caus __PUNCT__ clariti in our purpos __PUNCT__ and resolv in our might __PUNCT__

for thi to be an american_centuri __PUNCT__ we must have a militari that is second to none __PUNCT__

american_militari militari_power is vital to the preserv of our own secur and for the preserv of peac around the world __PUNCT__

time and again __PUNCT__ america militari might ha been the best alli of liberti and peac __PUNCT__ american_forc rescu europ __PUNCT__ twice __PUNCT__

american forc stood up to brutal dictat and freed million live under tyranni __PUNCT__

america militari lead the fight against terror around the world __PUNCT__ and secur the global common to keep them safe for the trade and commerc that ar vital to lift peopl from poverti __PUNCT__

while the war in iraq is over __PUNCT__ nearli __NUM__ american_troop still remain in afghanistan __PUNCT__

our goal should be to complet a success transit to afghan secur_forc by the end of __NUM__ __PUNCT__

we should evalu condit on the ground and solicit the best advic of our militari_command __PUNCT__

we can all agre that our men and women in the field deserv a clear mission __PUNCT__ that thei deserv the resourc and resolut leadership thei need to complet that mission __PUNCT__ and that thei deserv a countri that will provid for their need when thei come home __PUNCT__

of cours __PUNCT__ the return of our troop cannot and must not be us as an excus to hollow out our militari through devast defens_budget budget_cut __PUNCT__

it is true that our arm_forc have been stretch to the brink __PUNCT__ and that is all the more reason to repair and rebuild __PUNCT__

we can alwai find place to end wast __PUNCT__

but we cannot cancel program after program __PUNCT__ we cannot jeopard critic mission __PUNCT__ and we cannot cut corner in the qualiti of the equip and train we provid __PUNCT__

we must recogn that when our troop come home __PUNCT__ thei should not have to struggl for work __PUNCT__

after all our veteran have done for us __PUNCT__ thei deserv the opportun to find good_job and the digniti of pursu the american_dream __PUNCT__

we must also keep the faith with our veteran __PUNCT__ no matter when or where thei have serv __PUNCT__ through a strong va system __PUNCT__

when the backlog for disabl claim reach nearli on million __PUNCT__ when a feder build in virginia becom structur unstabl becaus so mani claim have pile up on it highest floor __PUNCT__ then we can all agre that the system is in need of seriou and urgent reform __PUNCT__

our veteran deserv care and benefit that ar second to none __PUNCT__

here __PUNCT__ there is consider work wait to be done __PUNCT__

the backlog of disabl claim need to be elimin __PUNCT__ the unconscion wait for mental_health treatment need to be dramat shorten __PUNCT__ and the suicid rate among activ __PUNCT__ duti soldier and veteran must be treat like the emerg it is __PUNCT__

veteran __PUNCT__ benefit ar not a gift that is given __PUNCT__ but a debt that is due __PUNCT__

the problem with the va ar seriou and must be fix __PUNCT__

we ar in danger of anoth gener of veteran lose their faith in the va system __PUNCT__ so we must ensur that the va keep faith with all our veteran __PUNCT__

we must keep our promis and regain the trust of all who have worn the uniform and serv __PUNCT__

when i wa the governor of massachusett __PUNCT__ i saw firsthand the guard braveri and valor __PUNCT__

in __NUM__ i visit iraq and afghanistan along with two other governor __PUNCT__

we met with the member of the nation_guard from our respect state __PUNCT__

i said to them that if thei want me to call their spous or famili when i return __PUNCT__ i would be happi to do so __PUNCT__

just hand me a note with their name and phone_number __PUNCT__

when i left for home __PUNCT__ i found that i had __NUM___call to make __PUNCT__

i knew that make that mani call would take quit a few dai __PUNCT__

i return_home on memori_dai weekend __PUNCT__

i decid to start make just a few of those call first thing in the morn __PUNCT__ befor my kid and grandkid got up __PUNCT__

after i made onli two or three __PUNCT__ a guardsman wife answer and said __PUNCT__ oh __PUNCT__ governor romnei __PUNCT__ i thought that might be you call __PUNCT__ appar __PUNCT__ the first spous i had call __PUNCT__ had call other spous __PUNCT__ or had email their love on in iraq and afghanistan who then email their spous back_home to tell them to expect my call __PUNCT__

so i made __NUM___call on memori_dai __PUNCT__

rememb __PUNCT__ __DATE__ wa a difficult_time in the iraq_war __PUNCT__

mani of you know that from experi __PUNCT__

we were suffer terribl casualti __PUNCT__ and terror wa strain our effort to stand up the iraqi_govern __PUNCT__

the __PUNCT__ surg __PUNCT__ had not yet begun and our polit back_home had becom deepli divid __PUNCT__

as i made those call __PUNCT__ i brace myself for question about why the guardsmen i had met couldn't come home __PUNCT__ right awai __PUNCT__

yet in __NUM___call __PUNCT__ i did not hear a singl complaint __PUNCT__

not on __PUNCT__

on each call __PUNCT__ i express gratitud on behalf of our nation and my state for the sacrific of their famili and of their love on who wa in harm wai __PUNCT__

and then __PUNCT__ from virtual everyon i spoke with __PUNCT__ thei would correct me to sai that it wa an honor to be abl to sacrific for america and to serv the greatest nation on earth __PUNCT__

such is the patriot of the men and women and the famili of our nation_guard __PUNCT__

mani of those call left me with tear in my ey __PUNCT__

i will never forget meet the brave men and women who had volunt for the nation guard in massachusett __PUNCT__ who found themselv on the front_line in iraq and afghanistan __PUNCT__

i will never forget speak with their love on __PUNCT__

and i will alwai hold the greatest admir for everi on of them __PUNCT__

on the campaign_trail __PUNCT__ it ha been my privileg to meet with troop and veteran from just about everi state __PUNCT__

thei come from our farm __PUNCT__ our great_citi __PUNCT__ our small_town and quiet neighborhood __PUNCT__

mani have known violenc so that their neighbor could know peac __PUNCT__

thei have done more than protect_america __PUNCT__ their courag and servic defin america __PUNCT__

on thi eleventh anniversari of __DATE__ __PUNCT__ we rememb the victim who perish in the attack __PUNCT__

we also rememb the men and women serv in danger place around the world __PUNCT__

we will not forget why thei ar fight or who thei ar fight for __PUNCT__

thei ar faith to us and to our countri __PUNCT__ we must not break faith with them __PUNCT__

i want to person thank you for keep us safe __PUNCT__

it is inspir to be in the compani of men and women of courag __PUNCT__ as i am todai __PUNCT__

it is an honor to be among those whose sens of duti and love of countri lift our heart and spirit __PUNCT__

we ar bless to live in a countri where freedom is so highli cherish __PUNCT__ so fierc protect __PUNCT__ and so admir defend by the nobl men and women of the nation_guard __PUNCT__

thank you __PUNCT__

thank you all for your servic __PUNCT__

mai god_bless_america and continu to keep her safe __PUNCT__