Text 4275, 132 rader
Skriven 2007-03-27 23:31:04 av Whitehouse Press (1:3634/12.0)
Ärende: Press Release (0703278) for Tue, 2007 Mar 27
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Mrs. Bush's Remarks at the 2007 USO of Metropolitan Washington Annual
Awards Dinner
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For Immediate Release Office of the First Lady March 27, 2007

Mrs. Bush's Remarks at the 2007 USO of Metropolitan Washington Annual
Awards Dinner Ritz-Carlton Arlington, Virginia



7:41 P.M. EDT

MRS. BUSH: Thank you all very much, and thank you, Connie, so much for your
very warm words. I appreciate it a lot. Let's see if I can find my speech
in here. (Laughter.) Thank you, everybody. Please be seated.

Thank you, Connie, for your very kind introduction, and thank you for your
work and your great service for our troops. Thank you very much for that.

I want to recognize Secretary Jim Nicholson, the Secretary of the
Department of Veterans Affairs; General Peter Pace, Chairman of the U.S.
Joint Chiefs of Staff; Elaine Rogers, President of the USO of Metropolitan
Washington. Elaine, you do such a terrific job. John Marselle, the Chairman
of the USO of Metropolitan Washington, USO board members and staff,
military leaders, service members and spouses, government officials,
honorees and distinguished guests. I'm so happy to be with you here
tonight, and I'm honored to receive this year's USO Service Award.

For 66 years, the USO has lifted the spirits of our troops. USO clubs have
hosted dances, movies, and parties, and supplied coffee and doughnuts. Bob
Hope's USO tours brought our enlisted men witty one-liners for half a
century. Rita Hayworth's performances brought Hollywood glamour to our
troops during World War II. Marilyn Monroe serenaded GIs in Korea, and Ann
Margaret distributed pin-up photos in Vietnam. Clearly, the USO brings our
troops the hottest stars in entertainment. (Laughter.)

Today, the USO caters to an all-volunteer military. USO audiences include
more women. Our troops are more likely to be married -- although USO tours
with the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders remain as popular as ever. (Laughter.)

Americans have the responsibility to support our troops, and certainly no
one does that better than the USO. Here in Washington, USO-Metro reaches
more than half a million service members and their families. USO volunteers
boost morale at troop-appreciation events. They provide career support for
spouses at job fairs. USO-Metro distributes thousands of phone cards, so
that the reassuring voices of loved ones can reach our troops deployed
overseas.

Just last year, USO-Metro volunteers gave 60,000 hours of service. In every
capacity, they've gone above and beyond for our troops. One night, an
exhausted Marine arrived at USO-Metro's Lounge at BWI. On emergency leave
from Iraq, this Marine came straight home from the field after learning
that his mother had died. Her funeral was being held in New Jersey the next
day. But after 42 hours of travel, the Marine arrived at BWI with no
tickets or money, and too late at night to make travel plans.

The USO volunteer staffing the lounge was determined to get that Marine
home. This volunteer called the Maryland police, and arranged for a state
trooper to drive the Marine to the Delaware border. There, a Delaware state
trooper picked up the Marine, and brought him to the New Jersey border. He
was met there by a New Jersey state trooper, who drove that Marine home.
Thanks to these police officers -- and to a resourceful USO volunteer --
the Marine arrived in time to comfort his family, and pay his respects to
his mother.

One of USO-Metro's most important jobs is cheering our wounded troops at
Walter Reed and Bethesda. USO volunteers bring recovering soldiers to local
sporting events and concerts. They arrange visits by celebrity
entertainers, who fill the hospital wards with laughter and music. USO also
makes sure no soldier has to face the recovery process without their moms
and dads, sons and daughters, wives or husbands by their side. Through its
hotel-voucher and apartment program, USO provides free housing for the
families of our wounded troops.

USO-Metro also gives families crucial emotional support. In 2004, Ashley
Grady's high school sweetheart, Joe, enlisted in the Marine Corps. He was
stationed at Twenty-nine Palms, and three-hour drives across the California
desert couldn't stifle Joe and Ashley's romance. It wasn't long before
these two were engaged.

On the Fourth of July, 2005, Joe deployed to Fallujah, and Ashley turned to
the business of planning their wedding. She spent all of December 1st on
the phone with Joe's dad, booking the church and the reception site and the
photographer. At 9:30 that night, Ashley got another call. This time, Joe's
dad had bad news: Joe had been wounded in an IED attack.

At first, no one knew whether Joe would survive. He lost his right arm, and
he suffered severe internal injuries. Joe was eventually transferred to
Bethesda, where his family stayed with him during the day, and Ashley kept
vigil at night. But to remain by Joe's side throughout his rehab process,
this military fianc e needed to be a military wife.

When Vice Admiral John Morgan, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations, visited
Bethesda, he heard Joe and Ashley's story. Vice Admiral Morgan arranged for
the Marine Corps chaplain to marry Joe and Ashley, and even walked Ashley
down the aisle. Vice Admiral Morgan is with us tonight. (Applause.)

Joe couldn't leave the hospital, or eat wedding cake. So the newlyweds
celebrated by exchanging spoonfuls of ice cream. But shortly after their
wedding, Joe and Ashley were contacted by the USO. With help from FunJet
Vacations, USO-Metro sent the couple on a real honeymoon to the Mexican
Riviera. After living in hotels and hospital rooms for 11 months, Ashley
said the best part of their trip was just getting to be with her new
husband by herself.

Throughout Joe's recovery, Ashley recalls the kindness and the support of
USO volunteers and staff was overwhelming. Today, Joe and Ashley are
building their life together in Wisconsin. Ashley is studying to become an
elementary school teacher, and Joe is preparing to teach high school
English.

Our armed forces are filled with courageous young people like Joe Grady.
They're supported by loving parents, children, and spouses like Ashley. By
supporting organizations like the USO, the American people can show their
gratitude to these troops and families, who sacrifice so much to keep us
safe.

Thanks to each and every one of you for your outstanding work for our men
and women in uniform. Thanks for showing the compassion of the American
people. And thank you very much for this award.

Thank you all. (Applause.)

END 7:49 P.M. EDT
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