Veterans Celebration - March 31, 2012

Just by way of introduction briefly, my name is Tulsi Gabbard. I currently serve on the Honolulu city council and also am a candidate for Congress. I am also a captain in the Hawaii Army National guard and have served on two deployments for the 29th brigade combat team to the Middle East. I see my Sergeant Major here from the first deployment, who I haven’t seen for a few years, and it’s this kind of connection and these kind of days that are really so special to me and that give me the motivation and inspiration to try to be in a position to fight for all of you. As people who have sacrificed so much for our state and for our country and who don’t often enough have strong advocates and voices, who understand really what it means to wear the uniform, who really understands the sacrifices that you have gone through, the sacrifices that your family has gone through, and to really be able to speak for you, something I think for veterans whether you have served in previous conflicts, whether you are recently returned veteran, the value of your service to our community cannot be stated enough. You know what self-sacrifice means. You not only know what it means, you’ve lived it, and you have done it and that value of putting others before yourself, of working towards a purpose that is greater than all of us, that is something we need more of in every sector of our community, to improve the quality of life, to improve the future that value of self-sacrifice, is absolutely where we need to bring the focus back to, and that’s something that each of you know and embody through your service. So I want to just share with you today my thanks and gratitude to all of you for your service, for what you do, for what you have done both for you and your family and to just remind how valuable you really are to our community here. Thank you, it’s truly, truly a privilege to be here. Thank you to U.S. Vets, the Military Order Purple Hearts for putting this together, and I look forward to being a part of this annual event as it continues to grow and build every year. So Mahalo Nui Loa enjoy rest of your lunch and Aloha.

Speech from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6y9gI-y-IrQ&index=44&list=UUBTNyrZoiTweJ1PZsJgdWTA.