Remarks by President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden at Friendsgiving with Service Members and Military Families

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"Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Please, everybody, sit down. You don't have to be standing.

Thank you all so very much.

You know, I've been saying for a long, long time, we only -- we have a lot of obligations as a government. We only have one truly sacred obligation, and that's to prepare those who we send into harm's way, care for them and their families when they come home, and make sure they're never forgotten.

You literally are -- it's is not hyperbole -- so, you literally are the backbone, the spine, the sinew of this nation. Only 1 percent of you -- and it's important to keep mind -- 1 percent of you -- that's all -- that protects the 99 percent of us. One percent. And the sacrifices you make -- not just those who are in uniform but those who are not in uniform.

You know, there's that famous poet -- an English poet who said, "They also serve…" -- Chaplain -- "…who also only stand and wait."

I watched, for the year our son was in Iraq as a major in the United States Army -- if you excuse the reference to the Army -- in the Army. And I watched every morning that -- when I was home with Jill. She'd get up in the morning, and she'd be standing on the way to teach school. And she'd be standing there with a cup of coffee over the sink, and you could see her mouthing a prayer that one of her -- one of the generals -- na- -- our generals had -- wife had given her. Every day.

And it's hard looking at that empty tab- -- that empty chair, especially for holidays. It's hard watching it. And many of you were right here when you -- not long ago when you sent your -- your troops off, your family off.

But, you know, they're incredible.

Everywhere I go -- and I've been to over 140 nations -- everywhere I go in my career, no one misunderstands that we have the finest military in the world -- not a joke. We have the finest military in the world. And that's not just because of their fighting ability, which is un- -- undisputed, but the way --

That's okay. You're allowed -- she's allowed. In my family, kids rule. So, she can holler, she can scream, do whatever she wants to do.

But, look, I -- I mean it from the bottom of my heart. You know, you family members, you are the heart of this operation. You really are. Not -- not a joke. So, thank you, thank you, thank you.

And like I said, like Jill said, you know, for the -- for the year after our son came home from Kosovo and then headed off to Iraq for a year as an Army Major, I watched his kids every day. And, you know, anyway, I don't want to get to talking about that.

But it's just -- it's just not easy for you all. So, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you.

And as I said -- you know, there's a -- John Milton, English poet -- and I'll end with this -- said, "They also serve who only stand and wait." "They also serve who only stand and wait." And that's what you do. So, thank you, thank you, thank you.

And I love your ears. I love them. They're really cool. What's your name?

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"Catherine. What a beautiful name. That's my mommy's name. Well, nice to see -- how old are you? 17?"

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"Six. And how old are you? Fifteen?"

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"Four? You're a pretty big guy.

Well, I tell you what. Be nice to your sister. You're going to need her someday. At least I did.

Anyway, thank you all so very much. And if I -- I get to give you the dressing. And if you don't like dressing, just come up and pretend to do and say hi to me. Okay?

Thank you all very much. And Happy -- Happy Thanksgiving. May God love you all. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Now I'm going to introduce the Chaplain. Chaplain, thank you. Appreciate it."

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