Biden honoured the service and sacrifice of America’s military veterans, including those who paid the ultimate price, and their families, during what was his final time speaking at the cemetery’s memorial amphitheatre in his capacity as commander in chief of the US military.
He reminisced about trips to US military installations around the world, and to such historic military sites as Valley Forge and Gettysburg in Pennsylvania.
Biden also announced that the Department of Veterans Affairs is expanding the types of cancers covered under the PACT Act, legislation he signed to expand health-care services for veterans who served at military bases where toxic smoke billowed from “burn pits”.
More than 1 million veterans and families have been helped under the law, he said.
The president opened his brief remarks by saying that America’s “truly sacred obligation” is to prepare those it sends into harm’s way and care for them when they come home, or do not.
