Office of the Press Secretary
___________________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release May 1, 2009
East Room
1:27 P.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. Thank you so much. This is a lot of fun.
This makes so much of the hard work we do worth it, to see this
ceremony here today. It is my honor and my personal pleasure to be the
first to address you as my fellow Americans. (Applause.) And welcome
to your White House. (Applause.) Now, I know this day carries a lot
of meaning not only for you, but for your family members and your
fellow service members who join you today.
Each of you has a unique story to tell about the journey that led you
here. You hail from every corner of the Earth -- from Southeast Asia
to Central Europe, from West Africa to South America. Some of you came
to this country as young children, because your parents wanted to give
you a better life in the land of opportunity. Others traveled here as
adults, enduring hardship and sacrifice, to provide for your own
families.
But all of you have one thing in common: You're here because you have
not merely chosen to live in this country; you've chosen to serve this
country.
You're here for the same reason that Jeonathan Zapata is here.
Jeonathan recently returned from serving as part of our efforts in
Afghanistan. He actually helped man the 400,000th aircraft landing
aboard the USS Kitty Hawk. And Jeonathan wanted to serve the country
he considers his own -- even though he was not yet a citizen -- because
America had been so good to him, from the time he came here from
Nicaragua as a child. "By serving in the military," Jeonathan says, "I
can also give back to the U.S."
So, Jeonathan, I'd like you to stand. (Applause.)
You're here for the same reason -- you can sit down now, Jeonathan --
(applause.) You're here for the same reason that Chryshann Pierre is
here. Chryshann, where are you? There you are. (Applause.)
Chryshann is an Army Specialist returning from service in Iraq late
last year. Originally she joined the military because she wanted to
provide stability for her three children. But then she discovered
something she did not expect: She loves being in the Army.
(Laughter.) In fact, she even said that she loved basic training.
Chryshann, you've got to be pretty tough to love basic training.
(Laughter.)
You all have your own stories -- you can sit down, Chryshann --
(applause.) You all have your own stories of how you came to this
country. And you all have your own personal reasons for why you joined
the military. But in the service that you render, in the sacrifices
that each of you have made and will continue to make, in the commitment
you've shown to your adopted nation, you're part of a larger story --
America's story.
For more than two centuries, this nation has been a beacon of hope and
opportunity -- a place that has drawn enterprising men and women from
around the world who have sought to build a life as good as their
talents and their hard work would allow. And generation after
generation of immigrants have come to these shores because they believe
that in America all things are possible.
So you are not only living examples of that promise; you're also
serving to defend that promise for future generations. And your
service reminds all of us that much of the strength of this country is
drawn from those who have chosen to call it home. It's not lost on me
or anybody here today that at a time when we face an economic crisis
born in many ways of irresponsibility, there are those who are actively
pursuing greater responsibility.
And one person here today who fits that description well enough is
Jeanne Ebongue Tapo -- right here. She grew up in a poor family in
Gabon, Africa, the daughter of a single mother raising five children by
herself. And Jeanne immigrated to the United States to provide for her
family and to pursue her dream of becoming a dentist. And that's why
she joined the Navy. And she hoped she'd have the opportunity to work
and see the world and also earn her education.
And that's exactly what she has been able to do. She has started
college; she's had the chance to travel. And even though she's had to
make sacrifices to be apart from her loved ones, the people she's met
in the Navy have become like a "family away from home." And she's had
the chance to be a part of what it feels like -- what feels like a
small community and, at the same time, to be part of something much
larger than herself. So Jeanne, thank you. (Applause.)
Despite all the -- all that she's faced, despite all the obstacles that
she's overcome, Jeanne has made it her mission to serve others. "At
the end of the day," she said, "the only thing that matters is that I
helped."
As our newest Americans, all of you remind us just how precious our
citizenship is -- of how much it's worth and why it's worth
protecting. You all remind us that citizenship is not just a
collection of rights, it's also a set of responsibilities; that
America's success is not a gift, it is hard-won. It depends on each of
us doing our part.
So thank you all for your service. I am extraordinarily proud of you. And your nation is grateful to you.
So now it is also my privilege to present a distinguished American with
an award in recognition of the many contributions of naturalized
citizens like all of you. It's called the "Outstanding American by
Choice" Award. It's given to -- it's given by U.S. Citizenship and
Immigration Services, and it is my honor to award it to Peter Lemon.
And let me tell you a little bit about Peter. Peter was just 19 years
old, and a citizen for just seven years, when he and his platoon came
under fire in the Tay Ninh Province of Vietnam.
Wounded by shrapnel from a mortar that exploded near his foxhole,
Specialist Lemon kept fighting to protect his position against wave
after wave of attack. The battle raged for hours. He was wounded a
second time, and then a third. But he refused to give up, even leaving
his foxhole and exposed himself to enemy fire in order to continue to
defend his fellow Rangers.
In fact, once the fight was over, Specialist Lemon refused to be
evacuated until others had been taken to a field hospital. And Pete
would spend a month in the hospital himself to recover from his
injuries. Soon after he returned home, he would be presented with the
Medal of Honor by President Nixon.
Today, Peter Lemon is a proud father and a proud veteran -- as well as
an author and a filmmaker. And he has devoted his time and energies to
talking about what his own experiences have meant to him and what he
has learned -- to encourage each and every one of us that the way to
make the most of our talents is to make a difference in the lives of
others.
His experience is a testament to the men and women who have come to
this country to build a better life for themselves and their families
-- and who have, by their commitment and contribution, made America a
much better place as well.
So it is my honor to present this "Outstanding American by Choice"
Award to Peter Lemon. Peter, will you please come here? (Applause.)
(The award is presented.)
One of you might win this someday. You're already well on the way.
END
1:34 P.M. EDT
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