WEBVTT

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- Good afternoon.

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Thank you, Major General Whiting.

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That was a very nice introduction.

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I am a proud mom of a Marine,

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so I'm a military mom.

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But it is so great to be here today

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at Vandenberg Air Force Base,

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home to the 30th Space Wing
and Air Force Space Command.

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The men and women here are
making our country proud.

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Thank you for your countless sacrifices

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and your tireless devotion
to our great nation.

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Your mission, to protect
and defend military assets

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in space, is critical, and I know

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that you wouldn't be able to do it

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without your spouses, your
children, and your families.

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I can say without a doubt that
the strength of our nation

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does not just come from
the people in uniform

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who fight to protect our
freedoms, but the spouses

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and the families who
serve right alongside them

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also make tremendous sacrifices

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to the betterment of our nation.

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Last year, I kicked off
an awareness campaign

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to elevate and encourage military spouses.

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Military spouses play a significant role

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in the defense of our country.

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They are the backbone
of military families.

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(audience applauding)
Yeah.

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They contribute directly to the strength

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and readiness of our Armed Forces.

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Not indirectly; they contribute directly.

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I like to say that they
are the homefront heroes.

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I know we don't have many
spouses with us today,

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but I had the opportunity
to sit with about 10 spouses

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for the last half hour,
and I was so encouraged

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by these brave women.

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Let's honor all of our
spouses, even if they're not

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with us today, men and women.

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(audience applauding)

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We know that it's
important that we take care

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of the spouses and children so that you

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can stay focused on your mission.

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And speaking of missions,
it is now my great honor

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to welcome someone who I know firsthand

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is behind you all the way.

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He has one of the biggest
hearts for the space mission,

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and one of the biggest hearts

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for military service
members and their families.

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It is my honor to introduce my husband,

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the Vice President of the
United States, Mike Pence.

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(audience applauding)

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("Hail Columbia")

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- Well, thank you all for
that very warm welcome.

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And before you sit down, would
you just join me in thanking

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an incredible woman who does
so much for this country?

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She's a Marine Corps
mom, she's an aviator,

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she's an art teacher at
an elementary school.

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But as you just heard, she is a champion

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for military families
and military spouses.

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Would you thank our
Second Lady, Karen Pence,

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my wonderful wife?

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(audience cheering)

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Great job, thank you.

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To Major General Whiting,
Brigadier General Burt,

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Colonel Hough, Colonel
Bongiovi, Colonel Brodeur,

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to all of you extraordinary men and women

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who've chosen to serve in the Armed Forces

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of the United States of America,
the greatest force for good

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in the history of the world.

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It is my honor to be
here today at the home

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of the 30th Space Wing,
Vandenberg Air Force Base!

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(audience cheering)

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Thank you all.

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Now you can sit down if you want.

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And while you're relaxing,
my wife just called him out,

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but I have to tell you, you know,

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our son's in the Marine
Corps, he's an aviator.

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He's married.

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And why don't you have
another round of applause

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for all the spouses of
all of you who serve.

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We couldn't do this without our families,

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and we couldn't be more
grateful to each and every one

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of you, spouses, and
moms and dads, and kids.

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(audience applauding)

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You know, for so many of
you, you serve as a family,

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and we want to thank your families.

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We want to thank your families
for the sacrifices they make.

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We are truly grateful.

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And speaking of gratitude,
let me bring gratitude

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from a friend of mine, who happens to be

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your Commander-in-Chief,
who is a great champion

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of securing American
leadership here in our country,

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around the world, and in the
boundless expanse of space.

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I bring greetings and gratitude
from the 45th President

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of the United States of
America, President Donald Trump.

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(audience applauding)

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I talked to the President on Air Force Two

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when we were just a little
bit before wheels down

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at Vandenberg, and he wanted
me to tell you how proud

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he is of all of you and
the work you do here

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at this vital Air Force base, and the role

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that you play in our national defense.

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He and I are truly grateful.

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You know, in the President's
inaugural address,

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he proclaimed that the United
States stood, in his words,

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"At the birth of a new millennium,

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"ready to unlock the mysteries of space."

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So it's a particular privilege
for me to be here today,

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where for more than 60
years, the men and women

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of our Armed Forces have played
a vital role in protecting

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America's interests in
the vast expanse of space.

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It's amazing to think of it,
the very year I was born, 1959,

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Vandenberg Air Force Base was responsible

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for an essential step in our
effort to win the "Space Race,"

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launching the world's first-ever
polar orbiting satellite

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in the Discoverer 1 mission.

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I think that's worth a round of applause.

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(audience applauding)

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One of the first jobs in the Space Race

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came from right here.

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And Vandenberg made history
in the Discoverer 14 mission:

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the first successful
recovery of photographic film

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from an orbiting satellite
and the first-ever

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mid-air recovery of an
object returning from orbit.

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And, more recently, you made
history this past March,

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when the 30th Space
Wing here at Vandenberg,

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working closely with missile
defense, completed nearly

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a decade of work and
successfully intercepted

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a test intercontinental ballistic missile.

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It was like a bullet hitting a bullet.

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And, Vandenberg, you did it, well done!

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(audience applauding)

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General, I remember hearing
about that at the White House,

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and we were all pleased and all impressed.

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In this time of widening
and unknowable threats,

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it gives the American people,
and those of us privileged

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to serve them, great, great
confidence when we see

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your professionalism in the heavens above.

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Today, each one of you,
too, are working closely

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with our commercial partners here.

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And you're setting the
pace for America's dynamic

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commercial industry, modernizing
our space infrastructure.

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You've helped SpaceX, I'm told, to conduct

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eight different launches
to put $3 billion,

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second-generation Iridium
Next constellation into orbit.

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And all aspects of American
space activity come to life

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here at Vandenberg Air
Force Base, and it's thanks

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to men and women like all of you.

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And I really did come here
just to say thank you.

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You know, when I got asked
to run with the President

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back a little bit more
than three years ago,

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I'll never forget the day, and we were out

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on the campaign trail
together, and I was headed

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down to Florida, and he
said to me, now, he said,

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"You know, we're gonna go
and win this campaign."

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And he said, "After you become
Vice President," he said,

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"I was kind of wondering,"
he said, "you know,

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"previous Vice Presidents have chaired

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"the National Space Council."

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And he said, "I was wondering
if you might be willing

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"to chair the National Space Council

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"and restart that organization."

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It lain dormant for about
a quarter of a century.

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Now, he didn't know that
I was that wide-eyed kid

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sitting in the basement
of our house, 50 years ago

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next week, when one small step for mankind

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became one giant leap,
right, for mankind, rather.

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He didn't know that the
Pences actually vacationed

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at Cape Canaveral when
our kids were little,

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just so we could walk around

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those old rockets at the museum.

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He didn't know that the only
committee I ever asked to be on

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in my 12 years in Congress
was the NASA Subcommittee

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and the Science Committee.

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So when then the candidate
asked me if I'd be willing

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to chair the National Space Council,

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I just looked at him and said, "Would I!"

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And it is a great, great
honor for me to chair

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the National Space Council
and see America's leadership

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in space renewed under
President Donald Trump.

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And, Vandenberg, you're leading the way.

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(audience cheering)

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True.

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Looking out at all of you,
I couldn't be more proud.

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And I know the President,
if he was standing here,

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wouldn't be more grateful.

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But I know each one of
you serves individually.

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And I want to name a couple of you.

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Like a missile defense duty operator

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who hails from Palm Springs.

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The military service, I'm told,

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is a proud tradition in his family.

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Both his grandfathers served in the Army.

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And today many of his relatives also serve

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in United States Navy.

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I'm told he's actually the
first sailor to complete

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the Space 200 and the Advanced Overhead

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Infrared Radar Course in Colorado.

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And he's working now to become
the first naval enlisted

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member to get an advanced
qualification in Space Operations.

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This is a space entrepreneur
whose is making us all proud.

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Join me in thanking Petty
Officer Ralph Salas.

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Where are you, Ralph?

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(audience cheering)

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I told you.

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I told you I was hearing good things.

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Great job.

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(audience applauding)

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I just met Ralph in the
Operations Center and I said,

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"I'm hearing good things about you."

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And I don't think he believed me.

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(audience laughing)

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I'm proud of you, Ralph, well done.

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Way to lean into it.

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Let me also recognize
another great, great airman,

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senior intelligence duty officer
who is with us here today.

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She was born, I'm told, in Riga, Latvia.

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And after coming to United
States, she decided to give back

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to the country that gave
her so much by joining

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the United States Air Force.

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Today, I'm told, she
acts as a liaison between

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current operations,
Intelligence, and Surveillance,

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and Reconnaissance Division,
providing real-time

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intelligence support to
the operations floor,

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where I just was.

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So join me in recognizing
another great, great airman,

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First Lieutenant Katrina Hartman.

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Katrina, where are you?

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Stand up and take a bow, will you?

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(audience applauding)
Great job.

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Great job.

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Proud of you.

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You know, both of these
airmen are emblematic

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of each and every one of you
who serve here at Vandenberg.

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You're really setting the
standard for professionalism.

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You're setting the standard
for military service.

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And you're doing it at
the tip of the spear

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of a vital element of
our national defense.

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And we're grateful to
each and every one of you

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for the way and the dedication
that you're going about it.

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It's all of you who
make our country proud.

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You all represent us so well.

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On behalf of your Commander-in-Chief
and a grateful nation,

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let me just say to all of
you clearly and plainly.

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Thank you for your service.

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Give yourselves a round of
applause, you all are heroes.

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(audience applauding)

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You are.

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And rest assured, just as
Vandenberg has been at the center

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of American leadership in
space in the years past,

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so too I promise you, Vandenberg
is going to be crucial

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to ensuring American dominance
in space for decades to come.

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(audience applauding)

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This base is proof that
in today's space age,

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the public and private sectors can achieve

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far more together than
they ever did apart.

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It's really remarkable.

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The American companies that
you are working with here

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are on the cutting edge
of the space industry,

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developing new rockets,
spaceships, satellites,

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technologies that will
take us higher, further,

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faster into space than ever before.

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But for too long, as American
industry and technology

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leap toward the future, the
truth is, and you know it,

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government agencies
seem stuck in the past,

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or at least moving at a
much, much slower pace

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than the entrepreneurial
energy of our private sector.

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But under President Trump's
leadership, that's all changing.

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As you know, we've taken decisive action

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to unleash America's space
industry like never before.

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The President puts it fairly plainly,

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we want to see the private
space industry grow,

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because as he said,
"Rich guys love rockets.

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"And we're gonna let 'em build 'em.

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"And we're gonna let 'em fly 'em.

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"And they're gonna fly right out

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"of Vandenberg Air Force Base."

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(audience applauding)

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That's what he said.

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So I know the Secretary
of Commerce was here

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not too long ago and you've
heard about what we're doing.

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We've been cutting red
tape, making it easier

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than ever before our private
partners to launch into space

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from right here at Vandenberg.

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We developed our nation's
first comprehensive

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space traffic management
policy, and Vandenberg

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is gonna play a critical
role in this effort.

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Frankly, you already are.

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Late last year, when the
Secretary visited here to discuss

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necessary steps toward combining
the awareness capabilities

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of our military with the
Department of Commerce,

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it really was a historic step.

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And we want to thank and
commend all your leadership

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here for helping to
facilitate that partnership.

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And I'm told that Department
of Commerce personnel

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are gonna be arriving here
permanently fairly shortly.

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Earlier today, as well,
I received a briefing

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from your senior leadership
on a critical data

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generated here through this brand-new

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Combined Space Operations Center.

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"Right effect, right place, right time."

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Where superiority starts
for Americans in space.

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(audience applauding)

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JSpOC.

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Just one year old, JSpOC is
invaluable in our efforts

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to identify threats in and from space.

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And your mission here, in unpacking JSpOC

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and making it fully operational,
is absolutely essential.

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And we commend all of you
for your efforts today

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to create a stable environment for public

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and private partners, including
our international allies

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who we're grateful to have
partnering with us here

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at JSpOC and throughout this base.

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In fact, why don't we
give a round of applause

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to Canada, the UK, and Australia

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for being such great partners in space?

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(audience applauding)

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We're proud to have you here.

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Proud to have you along.

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And to support combat
operations of our men and women

17:53.410 --> 17:57.230
across the globe that you
make a difference as well,

17:57.230 --> 17:59.340
all of you here are making it possible

17:59.340 --> 18:01.100
for the American space industry

18:01.100 --> 18:02.700
to succeed like never before.

18:02.700 --> 18:04.638
You're making it possible
for our war fighters

18:04.638 --> 18:07.390
to have better information
than ever before.

18:07.390 --> 18:10.540
And President Trump and I
couldn't be more grateful.

18:10.540 --> 18:13.610
But as we talk about the private sector,

18:13.610 --> 18:16.940
we have to recognize,
as our industries grow,

18:16.940 --> 18:21.900
as our capabilities grow, and
they grow around the world,

18:21.900 --> 18:26.580
truthfully, the threats to
our security grow as well.

18:26.580 --> 18:28.940
We've literally watched as
nations around the world

18:28.940 --> 18:32.310
have pursued weapons to
jam, to blind, to disable

18:32.310 --> 18:35.900
our navigation and
communication satellites.

18:35.900 --> 18:38.710
You know all about it,
through electronic attacks

18:38.710 --> 18:42.100
from the ground or surface-to-air.

18:42.100 --> 18:44.190
And recently, our adversaries
have even been working

18:44.190 --> 18:48.440
to bring new weapons into space itself.

18:48.440 --> 18:51.060
As President Trump said in
our first year in office,

18:51.060 --> 18:53.750
and as all of you at Vandenberg know well,

18:53.750 --> 18:56.467
space is "A warfighting domain,

18:56.467 --> 18:59.560
"just like the land and air and sea."

18:59.560 --> 19:04.560
And the United States of America
is going to be as dominant

19:04.560 --> 19:08.319
in space as we are on
land and air and sea.

19:08.319 --> 19:11.486
(audience applauding)

19:20.657 --> 19:22.870
To meet these emerging
threats and the challenges,

19:22.870 --> 19:26.560
the new challenges on Earth
and in the heavens above,

19:26.560 --> 19:29.700
in the 21st century, under
the President's leadership,

19:29.700 --> 19:32.900
I'm proud to report to you
that we're strengthening

19:32.900 --> 19:37.540
American power, strengthening
our national defense.

19:37.540 --> 19:41.190
After prior administrations
managed with Congress

19:41.190 --> 19:44.280
to deplete military
spending through budget cuts

19:44.280 --> 19:47.700
and so-called sequestration,
I'm proud to report to you

19:47.700 --> 19:50.460
that President Trump has
taken decisive action

19:50.460 --> 19:52.410
to rebuild our military.

19:52.410 --> 19:55.670
We're restoring the arsenal of democracy.

19:55.670 --> 19:59.490
And this President has already
signed the largest increase

19:59.490 --> 20:02.482
in our national defense since
the days of Ronald Reagan.

20:02.482 --> 20:05.649
(audience applauding)

20:09.057 --> 20:11.537
$700 billion in our first year.

20:11.537 --> 20:15.360
$716 billion in our second year.

20:15.360 --> 20:17.240
We're currently working
with members of Congress

20:17.240 --> 20:21.620
to continue the pace of
strengthening our military

20:21.620 --> 20:24.210
and giving you all the
resources that you need

20:24.210 --> 20:27.330
to accomplish your mission
and keep this country safe.

20:27.330 --> 20:31.300
And I'm also happy to
mention that in all of that,

20:31.300 --> 20:33.370
there was largest pay
raise for our military

20:33.370 --> 20:35.565
in about 10 years.

20:35.565 --> 20:36.534
And you deserved every penny.

20:36.534 --> 20:39.701
(audience applauding)

20:40.554 --> 20:42.304
Deserved every penny.

20:44.590 --> 20:47.240
And finally, President Trump
also recognized that the time

20:47.240 --> 20:50.450
has come to write the next
great chapter in the history

20:50.450 --> 20:55.070
of our military; to prepare
America to meet any challenge

20:55.070 --> 20:58.540
in the next great battlefield,
where America's best

20:58.540 --> 21:01.730
and bravest will be called
to defend our nation,

21:01.730 --> 21:04.660
and for generations to come.

21:04.660 --> 21:08.950
President Trump made it
clear, the time has come

21:08.950 --> 21:13.100
to establish the sixth
branch of our Armed Forces.

21:13.100 --> 21:18.100
And soon the United States
Space Force will be a reality.

21:18.128 --> 21:21.295
(audience applauding)

21:31.545 --> 21:32.730
We're working with members of Congress,

21:32.730 --> 21:34.930
and I'm proud to report
legislation is already moving

21:34.930 --> 21:36.670
through the House and
the Senate to establish

21:36.670 --> 21:38.050
the United States Space Force.

21:38.050 --> 21:40.363
And it'll soon be a reality.

21:41.330 --> 21:43.610
Our nation's Armed Forces
have always been a vanguard

21:43.610 --> 21:48.370
of advancing American leadership
beyond the bounds of Earth.

21:48.370 --> 21:51.230
And the Space Force,
we believe, is the next

21:51.230 --> 21:55.383
and natural evolution of
American military supremacy.

21:56.577 --> 21:58.670
So get ready, folks.

21:58.670 --> 22:00.270
The United States Space
Force is gonna be here

22:00.270 --> 22:01.435
before you know it.

22:01.435 --> 22:04.602
(audience applauding)

22:11.660 --> 22:14.260
You all know just as well as
I do, we've already stood up

22:14.260 --> 22:16.070
the U.S. Space Command.

22:16.070 --> 22:20.360
And we're laying a foundation
to ensure that all of you

22:20.360 --> 22:23.110
that are charged with securing this nation

22:23.110 --> 22:25.520
in the heavens above have the resources

22:25.520 --> 22:29.010
and the command structure to
be able to support the mission.

22:29.010 --> 22:31.230
It makes a lot of sense, though,
the first American rockets

22:31.230 --> 22:34.070
in space were launched by the military.

22:34.070 --> 22:36.270
The first American
satellites to orbit the Earth

22:36.270 --> 22:38.700
performed reconnaissance
missions, and many of them

22:38.700 --> 22:40.850
were launched from right
here at Vandenberg.

22:40.850 --> 22:43.160
And the next generation of
Americans who will provide

22:43.160 --> 22:46.750
for our common defense in the
boundless expanse of space

22:46.750 --> 22:50.550
will also be wearing the
uniform of the United States,

22:50.550 --> 22:53.053
the uniform of the United
States Space Force.

22:53.970 --> 22:58.259
You are the people who have
made this nation secure,

22:58.259 --> 23:00.780
and we'll always be grateful.

23:00.780 --> 23:03.180
You know, next week is
gonna be a historic week.

23:04.830 --> 23:08.810
We mark the 50th anniversary
of the day that Apollo 11

23:09.730 --> 23:13.600
set down on the moon, and Neil Armstrong,

23:13.600 --> 23:17.987
with a few short steps,
spoke those timeless words.

23:17.987 --> 23:22.610
"One small step for man,
one giant leap for mankind."

23:22.610 --> 23:25.733
It's hard to believe a
half a century has gone by.

23:26.710 --> 23:28.270
But I want to promise you, as you see

23:28.270 --> 23:30.850
renewed American leadership evident here

23:31.690 --> 23:34.640
at Vandenberg Air Force
Base, this President

23:34.640 --> 23:37.410
also made it clear,
even just a few days ago

23:37.410 --> 23:41.710
at the Salute to America,
we're going back to the moon

23:41.710 --> 23:43.480
and then to Mars, and it's gonna be

23:43.480 --> 23:45.712
Americans leading the way.

23:45.712 --> 23:48.879
(audience applauding)

24:01.430 --> 24:04.080
Now, the really cool thing is
Karen and I get to fly down

24:04.080 --> 24:07.330
to Kennedy Space Center next Saturday

24:07.330 --> 24:10.250
for a celebration of the 50th anniversary.

24:10.250 --> 24:14.453
And we're gonna be giving a
ride to a couple former airmen,

24:15.630 --> 24:18.410
a couple former Air Force pilots

24:18.410 --> 24:20.610
by the name of Buzz
Aldrin and Mike Collins.

24:22.900 --> 24:26.803
And it's gonna be our great
honor to take two of the three,

24:27.650 --> 24:30.800
two of the three men on
the Apollo 11 mission

24:30.800 --> 24:33.100
down to celebrate that
extraordinary occasion.

24:34.100 --> 24:36.200
I mention it because
they are historic figures

24:36.200 --> 24:37.350
and they're courageous.

24:39.080 --> 24:41.702
But I also mention them
because they were Air Force.

24:41.702 --> 24:44.869
(audience applauding)

24:54.780 --> 24:56.540
So we got a lot to do in the present

24:56.540 --> 24:57.900
and we got a lot to do in the future,

24:57.900 --> 25:00.250
and you all are going to
be a part of all of it.

25:00.250 --> 25:02.300
Don't doubt it for a second.

25:02.300 --> 25:04.290
And you young people wearing the uniform

25:04.290 --> 25:07.640
of the United States,
serving here at Vandenberg,

25:07.640 --> 25:10.810
serving in the Air Force,
keep your powder dry,

25:10.810 --> 25:12.750
keep your options open.

25:12.750 --> 25:15.600
We might need you a little
bit higher up before too long.

25:16.730 --> 25:18.157
But I want to thank all of you.

25:18.157 --> 25:20.003
You know, I stand before you today,

25:21.960 --> 25:24.620
you're the men and women that stand guard.

25:24.620 --> 25:26.020
You stand guard at the gate.

25:26.890 --> 25:31.650
You volunteered to stand
watch on the highest frontier

25:31.650 --> 25:34.793
of the American people, to
keep the American people safe.

25:35.700 --> 25:39.083
So as you go forth, on behalf
of your Commander-in-Chief,

25:40.260 --> 25:43.780
I just want to admonish
you, as you do your duty,

25:43.780 --> 25:46.023
do it with professionalism and diligence,

25:47.360 --> 25:51.023
respect the chain of command,
take care of your people,

25:52.170 --> 25:53.070
mind your mission.

25:54.820 --> 25:56.600
And never doubt that the
work you're doing here

25:56.600 --> 26:00.573
at Vandenberg is vital
to our national defense,

26:01.490 --> 26:03.543
to America's dominance in space,

26:04.402 --> 26:05.852
and to our national security.

26:06.970 --> 26:08.170
Believe in your mission,

26:09.430 --> 26:11.430
know the American people believe in you.

26:12.670 --> 26:14.930
I know we can count on you when I look out

26:14.930 --> 26:17.300
at all your bright, shining faces.

26:17.300 --> 26:20.250
When I look at the
extraordinary record in the past

26:20.250 --> 26:23.530
and in the present here at
Vandenberg Air Force Base,

26:23.530 --> 26:24.880
I know you'll do your duty.

26:27.430 --> 26:29.210
And I want to thank you for that.

26:29.210 --> 26:32.410
So thanks for the honor
of being with you today.

26:32.410 --> 26:36.700
Karen and I are truly privileged to serve

26:37.740 --> 26:41.743
as your Vice President and to
serve in your Second Family.

26:43.182 --> 26:45.940
And I leave here today
with renewed confidence

26:45.940 --> 26:48.140
that as long as we have men
and women with the courage

26:48.140 --> 26:53.140
to serve, to step
forward, of your caliber,

26:56.140 --> 27:00.790
to put your lives, your
careers on hold to serve

27:00.790 --> 27:05.490
this nation, to be
willing to count our lives

27:05.490 --> 27:09.540
as more important than
your own, I know that we're

27:09.540 --> 27:12.680
gonna forge a future
of security and freedom

27:12.680 --> 27:13.880
for the American people.

27:14.780 --> 27:17.750
And we're gonna deliver
that security and peace

27:17.750 --> 27:20.543
for ourselves and for generations to come.

27:22.280 --> 27:24.180
So God bless Vandenberg Air Force Base

27:25.356 --> 27:28.590
and all who so nobly serve here.

27:28.590 --> 27:29.573
God bless you all.

27:30.630 --> 27:33.060
And God bless the United
States of America.

27:33.060 --> 27:34.458
Keep up the good work.
(audience applauding)

27:34.458 --> 27:36.958
(horns music)