The President My fellow Americans, I'm joining you
today from the deck of what will be our nation's newest
aircraft carrier, the soon to be commissioned,
Gerald R. Ford.
And as you can see, I'm wearing a jacket and a hat
that they just gave me.
I'm not really used to it, but it feels awfully good.
I'm very proud of it actually.
Our carriers are the centerpiece of American
military might, projecting power, and our totally
unparalleled strength at sea.
This beautiful new warship represents the future
of naval aviation, and she will serve as a cornerstone
of our national defense for decades and decades to come.
A famous aviator once wrote that, "To build a truly
great ship, we shouldn't begin by gathering wood,
cutting boards, or distributing work.
But instead, by awakening within the people a desire
for the vast and endless sea."
So, true.
In the same way, we must continue to renew the
American spirit in order to rebuild our country,
and rebuild it we will.
On Tuesday, before a joint session to Congress, I laid
out a version -- I hope you all watched, for how
to accomplish that national rebuilding.
My vision includes the elimination of the defense
sequester, which has imposed steep cuts on our military.
We must give our sailors, soldiers, Airmen, Marines,
and Coast Guardsmen the tools, equipment, resources,
and training they need to get the job done and get it
done right, especially in these very dangerous times.
The active duty army has been reduced by more than
85,000 men since 2009, and we have over 18,000 fewer
active duty Marines.
Air Force, is the smallest it's been since 1947, and
their planes are, on average, nearly 30 years old.
If you can believe that.
Our Navy's fleet is the smallest it's been since
World War One, and that's a long time ago.
Front line Navy and Marine strike fighter aircraft are
more likely to be down for maintenance
than to be in the sky.
We cannot afford to continue down this path.
My budget will give America's armed forces the
resources they need to achieve full and total
military preparedness to meet any and all global
challenges, and meet them, we will.
Investing in the military means investing in peace
because the best way to prevent war, as George
Washington said, is to be prepared for it.
Most importantly, an investment in the military
is an investment in the incredible men and women
who serve our country in uniform.
They are the best of us, they are the greatest force
for peace and justice the world has ever known, and we
will support them every single step of the way.
These are truly exciting times.
Amazing opportunities are unfolding before us.
To strengthen our military, to reboot our economy, and
to bring back our jobs -- if we all work together and put
our country first, then anything is possible.
Let us seize this moment and make the most of this
incredible opportunity for national renewal.
May God bless the men and women of our military, and
may God bless the United States of America,
the country we love.