An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Home : News : Article View
NEWS | April 17, 2009

Biden praises Guard members during Whiteman AFB visit

By Gerry J. Gilmore American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. servicemembers' combat missions over the years -- in Bosnia, Afghanistan and Iraq -- have earned them the support and thanks of a grateful nation, Vice President Joe Biden told troops at Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., today.

Today's generation of American warriors, Biden said, are "the most powerful, best disciplined, best-trained warriors America has ever, ever produced. And for that I thank you and we owe you -- and that is not an exaggeration."

So, the U.S. government is working hard to "improve the quality of life on bases all across America," Biden said, noting that $17.8 million is being invested at Whiteman to modernize the base and improve the quality of life for its servicemembers.

Additionally, Biden said, recent legislation includes more than $7 billion for military construction projects, including hospitals, child care centers, and upgraded housing.

The government also has expanded GI Bill benefits to make college more affordable for servicemembers and military veterans, Biden said.

"All in all, this administration is wholly devoted to serving the brave women and men in uniform," the vice president said. "As you sacrifice to serve our country, we should do a little sacrifice serving you."

And funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs, Biden said, has been boosted by $25 billion.

"That's never happened before," he said. "It's the biggest (VA) budget increase in a generation."

Thousands of wounded warriors "will need the most modern medical health care for the rest of their lives," Biden pointed out. "The cost of that will be in the tens of billions of dollars. But it's a sacred, a sacred commitment."

Increased health care coverage, he said, will provide 5.5 million veterans with timely and high-quality health care.

"We're providing services to veterans with the efficiency and quality they deserve, and keeping that deep debt that we owe that you should and have a right to demand," Biden told servicemembers.

"We owe you a particular obligation today," he said, "because there's tens of thousands of men and women who have already fought and continue to fight bravely for our country in Afghanistan and Iraq."

Biden also saluted National Guard members who deploy overseas and the families -- reserve and active component -- who support them at home.

"It's become a day job for tens of thousands of Guardsmen, in addition to all your families," he said.

Biden also praised the families of servicemembers who gave their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as the families of wounded warriors.

"I say to the families, thank you, thank you, and we owe you -- we owe you as deeply as we owe your kin, your blood," Biden said.

Servicemembers' "unyielding commitment" to the defense of their nation, Biden said, is part of what "makes each and every one of you so special."

Biden's son, Joseph "Beau" Biden III, an Army National Guard captain, is serving in Iraq.

"So from the bottom of my heart, on behalf of every one of those young men and women on the ground, like my son in Iraq, I say to all of you, I admire you, the president admires you, and we are putting our money where our mouth is in terms of seeing to it that you have everything you need as you deploy, when you deploy, and when you come home," he said.

 

 

Related Articles
U.S. Air National Guard members assigned to the Air National Guard Air Force Reserve Component Test Center conduct preflight checks during Resolute Force Pacific 25, in the Indo-Pacific region, July 24, 2025. The exercise’s comprehensive nature with thousands of participants across multiple Indo-Pacific locations provided optimal conditions to validate the enhanced KC-135's data systems under operational stress.
AATC Delivers Rapid KC-135 Modernization During Indo-Pacific Exercise
By Staff Sgt. Guadalupe Beltran, | Aug. 4, 2025
PACIFIC OCEAN, Japan – The Air National Guard Air Force Reserve Command Test Center, or AATC, demonstrated how warfighter-driven innovation rapidly transforms proven platforms into next-generation weapons systems during...

Pilots and boom operators assigned to the 106th and 99th Air Refueling Squadrons swim for their rescue raft during water survival training in Trussville, Ala., August 2, 2025. Airmen assigned to the 117th Operation Support Squadron provide the training twice a year for the regular Air Force and Air National Guard flyers assigned to the 117th Air Refueling Wing, Alabama Air National Guard.
Alabama Air Guard Completes Water Survival Training
By Paul Mann, | Aug. 4, 2025
SUMPTER SMITH JOINT NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Alabama — Operating a military aircraft and being a U.S. Air Force aircrew member doesn’t just mean knowing what to do inside the cockpit or inside the boom pod; it also means knowing...

Airmen from the 155th Security Forces Squadron train on shoot, move, and communicate tactics at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, June 25, 2025. The exercise focused on developing critical combat skills, including accurate engagement, tactical movement, and effective team communication. Offsite training at JBER enhances operational realism and reinforces deployment readiness.
Nebraska Air Guard Squadron Conducts Deployment Training in Alaska
By Senior Airman Jeremiah Johnson, | Aug. 4, 2025
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska - In the dense woodlands of Alaska, far from the familiarity of their home station, Airmen from the Nebraska National Guard’s 155th Security Forces Squadron honed their skills - one...