During the press conference, President-elect Obama praised General Shinseki's service to his country, and reinforced the importance of the sacred trust between America and her troops.

General Shinseki is the first Asian American to reach the rank of four-star general. He served two combat tours in Vietnam, where he was wounded in action.

On the anniversary of the attacks on Pearl Harbor in 1941, President-elect Obama stressed the importance of the post General Shinseki would hold.

"We owe it to all our veterans to honor them as we honored our Greatest Generation," the President-elect said. "Not just with words, but with deeds."

General Shinseki sat down for an interview with the Transition team to talk about his commitment to military families and the critical issues facing the VA.

Pressler, who said that in addition to casting an absentee ballot for Obama he'd donated $500 to the Illinois senator's campaign, cited the Democrat's response to the financial crisis as the primary reason for his decision.

"I just got the feeling that Obama will be able to handle this financial crisis better, and I like his financial team of [former Treasury Secretary Robert] Rubin and [former Federal Reserve Chairman Paul] Volcker better," he said. By contrast, John McCain's "handling of the financial crisis made me feel nervous."

The former senator added that he hoped the next president would help place restraints on executive pay, and said: "I don't think [McCain] will take action in that area, or he's as likely to."

Pressler joins a continuously growing and long list of Republicans to support Senator Barack Obama.

My name is Roy Gross. I’m a proud member of Teamsters Local 299 in Detroit, Michigan.

When I was a young man and wanted to start a family, I went to Detroit and landed a job as an automobile transporter. I delivered new cars from the assembly plants to dealerships around the country.

It was a great job, a Teamsters union job. You worked hard and it paid good wages, plus health care and pension. I worked there for 18 years. Working class families were doing well in Detroit until the Bush Administration took office, then everything changed.

Manufacturing jobs were exported by the hundreds of thousands and replaced with minimum-wage jobs in the so-called “New Economy.” I’m one of the lucky ones; I still have a job. But many of my friends and co-workers have lost their jobs and their homes.

If you ask me, this so-called “New Economy” is not working. We need a renewed economy. That’s why I’m seeing so many of my friends in Michigan - Democrats, Republicans and Independents - putting aside their differences to join this campaign.

Barack Obama will enact fair trade policies and work just as hard for us as we work for America. I will do everything I can, from now until Election Day, to put Michigan in the Obama column.

Monica Early, Ohio

I’m Monica Early from Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. Last January, someone sent me an e-mail containing so-called “facts” about Senator Obama. The e-mail painted a scary picture, questioning his faith and patriotism. I decided to do some fact-checking on my own and learned the truth.

What I discovered is that Barack Obama is a man of faith, a man of values and a man of action—someone who has shown his love for America by fighting for our people, helping communities left behind on Chicago’s South Side, fighting today for working families and the tax breaks we need to purchase a home, pay for college and save for retirement.

I am grateful for the e-mail that tried to scare me. It brought me here, an ordinary citizen, empowered by a leader who told me I could make a difference. Ohio is home to four of the fastest-dying cities in America. John McCain promises to continue the Bush economic policies that got us there.

Einstein said a definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result. If we elect John McCain, then, according to Einstein, we surely would be insane.

We need change. We need President Barack Obama!

Wes Moore

Hi, my name is Wes Moore. Twelve years ago, I took an oath on the Bible to defend, support and protect the United States of America. Today, I cannot fathom a more perfect expression of my allegiance as a soldier and citizen than giving my full support for Barack Obama to be my next commander-in-chief.

Before I deployed for Afghanistan, my grandparents gave me a Bible. Inside, they wrote four simple words: have faith, not fear. Those words protected and guided me and the soldiers under my command during some of the most trying days of my life.

I want a president who has a comprehensive strategy for Iraq and Afghanistan, and who can rally young people to serve, both in and out of uniform, and sees these as complementary, not contradictory goals. I want a president who believes in supporting our troops while we are fighting overseas, and supporting us with proper health care and education when we come home.

This election is not about history. Nor is it about making history. It’s about seizing history.

The charge my grandparents gave me—have faith, not fear—is the same challenge I issue tonight. A faith that this nation can rise to meet any challenge.

Tonight, Senator Obama is not asking you to have faith in him. He is asking you to have faith with him. Let’s make Barack Obama our next president.

The Honorable Janet Monacco, Florida

I’m Janet Monaco from Rockledge, Florida, by way of Long Island, New York. Fourteen years ago I moved to Florida to pursue my vision of the American dream. Within five years, I had bought a house and opened two pet stores. I was living well.

Then disaster struck: back-to-back hurricanes, and rising costs of food and gas. Today, I’m a struggling small-business owner who is diabetic and without health insurance. I work 70-hour weeks at the store and more hours in a part-time job and still can’t afford insurance.

I don’t tell this story to get sympathy. Everyone has challenges. But what gets me angry is that George Bush and John McCain have done nothing for people like me—and, in fact, have done plenty of things that make it even harder to get by. Huge tax breaks for those at the top. Looking out for the lobbyists and not the little guy. And billions spent in tax cuts for big corporations, but not enough for small businesses like mine.

I’m supporting Barack Obama, because we can’t afford four more years of the same. Yes, we can make a change!

Nathaniel Fick

Good afternoon. I’m Nathaniel Fick. My Marine platoon landed in Afghanistan on a moonlit night in 2001. A little more than a year later, we rolled into Iraq. I’ll never forget one dawn after a vicious gun battle. We’d just medevaced one of our wounded Marines, and I turned to see a small American flag hanging from a humvee’s antenna. For a second, it reminded me of the line we all know so well: “And our flag was still there.”

I registered as a Republican at 18 and voted for John McCain in 2000. It took seven years of hard experience to get me on this stage. But we cannot afford more of the same. That’s why we need Barack Obama and Joe Biden to lead us beyond the tired divisions of the past. They have the judgment to make the right decisions, leading our military, and uphold our highest ideals.

Everyone who fought in Iraq or Afghanistan has left something: a friend, a limb, a piece of their youth. In those palm groves and on those ridge lines, this is personal for us. I don’t want to retreat; I want to win.

The past seven years have been hard, often heartbreaking. Our flag, however, is still there. Let’s move forward in our quest to live up to the idea of America.

Teresa Brito-Asenap, New Mexico

Buenas noches, good evening.

I am Teresa Brito-Asenap from Albuquerque, New Mexico. The first nine years of my life my grandparents worked with me to study and learn. They always talked about the importance of education. But it was not until third grade that I realized that mi abuelita, my grandmother, could neither read nor write.

But because of them, today I hold a doctorate in education. I owe them and my parents everything. Strong families raise strong students. All they need are world-class schools and dedicated teachers. Yet because of George W. Bush and John McCain, our schools don’t have the resources they need to meet the high standards of No Child Left Behind.

We don’t need four more years of the same. We need to turn the page and put our kids at the head of the class. Barack Obama will invest $10 billion a year in early education funding and give any student who wants to go to college a $4,000 tax credit. That’s the change we need and the change Barack Obama will bring as president of the United States.

Arriba y adelante – si se puede!

Pamela Cash-Roper, North Carolina

I’m Pam from Pittsboro, North Carolina. Wait till you hear what’s happening to me.

You might find my story familiar. Maybe it’s happening to you.

My husband, Keith, and I used to have a modest home we could afford, cars, money in a 401(k) plan, health insurance, and our health. We educated ourselves, got good jobs with benefits, worked night and day, raised four happy children, and saved some money.

It was the American dream. We did everything we thought you were supposed to do to live it. We really felt America was working for us.

Then, eight years ago, our American dream turned into a nightmare. Keith needed open-heart surgery. He lost his job and with it the family’s health insurance. I couldn’t afford to pay for health insurance on my nurse’s income, so we don’t have any.

Having no health insurance works – as long as you stay healthy.

Five years after Keith’s surgery, I had a quadruple bypass, and our medical expenses grew.

I’m a lifelong Republican who voted for Nixon, Reagan, Bush, and Bush. But I can’t afford four more years like this.

That’s why I am supporting Barack Obama as my president.

Barney Smith, Indiana

My name is Barney Smith.

For most of my life, I was a proud Republican.

Growing up in the Indiana heartland, America was a place of boundless opportunity. You could go to the town factory and get a job the same day. You could start a family and buy a house with your salary.

My father started at Marion’s RCA plant in 1949, manufacturing picture tubes for TV sets.

I started in 1973. My wife worked in a high school cafeteria. Together, we made a living and raised a family.

Then, in 2004, the plant closed. Today, a foreign worker does my job.

After 31 years, I received 90 days’ severance pay and was unemployed.

Thirteen months later, I got a job at a distribution center.

Republicans talk about putting “country first,” but tell that to Marion, Indiana. They sent my job overseas.

America can’t afford more of the same. We need a president who puts the Barney Smiths before the Smith Barneys.

I’m going to put country first by voting Barack Obama for president.

The heartland needs change. And with Obama, we’re going to get it.

I know this stadium is filled with many veterans who have sacrificed for our country. I’d like to ask everyone who has worn the uniform of the United States to please stand and be recognized. Join me in a round of applause in appreciation for their service.

Thank you.

Before I go any further, I have a confession to make: until recently, I was a Republican. But you’ll be happy to know that I’m looking forward to voting for Barack Obama in November.

Let me tell you about the journey that led me to Mile High. I moved to Congo when I was a year old. My parents were missionary teachers. The first words I learned were in Swahili. My family had to be evacuated and we ended up as refugees. So I learned at an early age to value freedom and the ideals of America.

I am proud to have served in the United States Air Force for over three decades. I’ve served in combat with many who are here tonight. We know what America needs in our next commander-in-chief.

In 2005, I was director of strategy, plans, and policy at United States European Command. That’s when I met a leader unlike any I had met before. That’s when I met Barack Obama.

Senator Obama wanted to know what the military was doing in Europe, Eurasia, and Africa and he wanted to know why we were doing it. He asked tough questions, and he didn’t settle for easy answers. It was this same way of thinking that led him to get it right, when he opposed the war in Iraq, when he warned of its consequences. That’s the judgment of a leader.

In 2006, I went with Senator Obama to Africa, and experienced firsthand the leadership that America needs. In the shadow of Nelson Mandela’s prison cell, I saw a leader with the understanding to build new bridges over old divides. That leader is Barack Obama. In Nairobi, I saw a leader with the courage to confront corruption directly with the president of Kenya. In Chad, I saw a leader who listened to the stories of refugees from Darfur – a leader committed to end that genocide. In Djibouti, I saw a leader who relaxed with our troops on the basketball court, who won their respect and admiration in discussions around the dinner table, and who appreciates their service.

That leader is Barack Obama. Leadership does matter. And we can’t afford four more years of more of the same.

When I consider who should be commander-in-chief, I ask four questions.

First, who has the judgment to make the right decisions about when to use force? In his words of caution before the invasion of Iraq, and in his consistent calls for more force against al-Qaida and the Taliban, Barack Obama has shown the judgment to lead.

Second, who grasps the complex threats of the 21st century? Barack Obama understands these challenges. He has a strategy to use all elements of our power to keep America safe.

Third, who has the integrity, vision, values, and patriotism to inspire Americans to serve? I have seen firsthand this man’s capacity to inspire. It is second to none. I know he will inspire a new generation of Americans to serve our country.

And fourth, who has the dedication to take care of our wounded warriors, veterans, and military families? Barack Obama is a friend of our military. He improved care for wounded warriors. He fought to make disability payments fair. He took on the battle against homelessness among our veterans. As president, he will fully fund the VA and make it more effective.

This grandson of a soldier who marched in Patton’s army understands America’s sacred trust with those who serve. He will keep it as our commander-in-chief. Yes, leadership does matter. Our men and women in uniform perform superbly around the globe. We need a commander-in-chief who respects them as our most precious resource.

I cannot forget that night in 1996 when terrorists attacked our barracks at Khobar Towers. Nurses and doctors worked frantically to save lives. I remember seeing a para-rescue crewman putting stitches in a patient while a friend held a compress on the corpsman’s forehead to stop his bleeding. Our men and women at Khobar towers made me proud to be in the military, proud to be an American. Nineteen men died that night. Eighteen of them worked for me. It was a poignant reminder that “life itself is a gift,” and no, freedom is not free.

I have served under six commanders-in-chief. My journey led me here because I know that leadership does matter. That is why I am enthusiastically supporting Barack Obama to be our next president. He is the leader our military needs. He is the leader our country needs.

Thank you, and may God bless America.

Barack Obama had the judgment to know our forces should have been focused on Afghanistan where they could have been fighting terrorism at its core after 9/11. Barack Obama is a reliable advocate for our veterans. As a member of the Senate, he’s worked to make sure America keeps its obligation to our veterans by making sure they get the care they need and deserve.

As the Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, my obligation was to protect the Marines, sailors and their families. My obligation didn’t stop when I retired and that’s why I support Barack Obama.

I ask all Americans to come out and vote in November. Say no to business as usual in Washington. Vote for change. Vote for our soldiers. Vote for Barack Obama!

When people see me, sometimes they’ll ask, “Iraq?” Regardless of their politics, they’ll often say: “Thank you for your sacrifice,” which I appreciate. But I never forget that many have paid the ultimate sacrifice, making my own trivial.

Marines do not pick and choose missions; our leaders do.

I believe the war was a bad idea and poorly planned at the highest levels. Despite my views, I, as most Marines, would proudly serve my country again. But our sense of duty and our sacrifices do not validate our leaders’ decisions. The notion that criticism of the war dishonors our sacrifices makes no sense. Nor should past sacrifice compel us, as Senator McCain seems to think, to pursue a badly-defined notion of victory at any cost.

Our president, with the support of Senator McCain, has made decisions that have set America on a course unsustainable in dollars, lives and military readiness. President Bush made a disastrous gamble in Iraq in 2003. Now, Senator McCain proposes to double down with money and troops we cannot afford to lose.

America is ready for a different approach.

It’s time for a change.

We need a president with the judgment to make tough decisions about where and when to risk American lives. Barack Obama showed that judgment in 2002. He’s showing that judgment now, in planning a reasonable and responsible drawing down of the war.

On November 4, America will elect a new commander-in-chief. The best way you could thank me for my service and sacrifice—the best way we can ensure a safer and stronger America—is to vote for Barack Obama.

Acts of courage like theirs happen everywhere American troops serve. They are happening right now. I know that—so does my family. My father served in Vietnam, my brother served in the Coast Guard, my husband just returned from Operation Iraqi Freedom. We served because we believe in this great nation and the opportunities it has given us. And because our service members support us, we must always keep the faith with them.

The administration of George Bush—supported by John McCain every step of the way—has let our warriors down. Our troops are courageous, strong and fierce. This administration has re-deployed them until they are overstretched, stressed and strained.

Our warriors should fight in Afghanistan where al-Qaida and the Taliban are on the offensive.

But instead of destroying the enemies who attacked us on 9/11, we have diverted our military might to Iraq, which had nothing to do with 9/11. When our warriors come home they deserve the best VA medical care, but too often they get bureaucracy, not benefits. They find inadequate access, inferior facilities and infuriating paperwork.

And now, John McCain wants to ration care. Under his plan, the VA will serve combat injuries, but everyone else gets an insurance card. Barack Obama and the Democrats have a different idea. Barack Obama will live up to their tradition of honor and sacrifice. Barack Obama will use war not as a first choice, but a last resort. Barack Obama understands that for a commander-in-chief to support the military, he needs more than a “Mission Accomplished” banner, more than wearing a borrowed flight suit, and definitely more than four more years of the same failed foreign policy.

President Obama will restore the might of the military, invest in our troops and only send our sons and daughters to war if they have a clearly defined mission and the tools they need to succeed.

I speak from more than a gut feeling on this. I know Barack Obama. I met him when he visited me and other wounded troops at Walter Reed. He came without reporters. He wasn’t looking for credit. He just cared about how we were doing. He knew that wherever you stand on the war, you must love the warrior, and he does.

I testified before his committee; I listened to him talk, but then I watched what he did and how he voted. As a Senator, Barack Obama worked to improve the lives of all our veterans. He fought to fix our rundown hospitals. He fought to cut through the red tape. Unlike John McCain, Barack Obama fought for a new GI bill—and won—so that every veteran has the same opportunity to pursue their American dream just like his grandfather had after World War II. So I know what he’ll do as president.

An America with President Obama will have a 21st century VA. He’ll improve access to health care. He’ll speed up disability claims. He’ll increase services for nationwide post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injuries as we have already done in Illinois under Governor Blagojevich’s leadership.

And Barack Obama will have a simple principle for homeless veterans: zero tolerance, because we are all dishonored when those who’ve worn the uniform sleep on our streets. But here’s what he won’t do: President Obama will reject John McCain’s plan to privatize the VA system. We won’t force veterans to search for medical care with nothing but a plastic card and the promise of payment. We won’t have means testing for access to the VA. Why? Because Barack Obama knows this: no one asked us where we lived or how much money we had when we enlisted, and no one should ask us that after we’ve bled for our country.

Fellow Democrats, fellow Americans: I believe in this nation that I love more than my own life.

Today we have an opportunity to honor our military men and women by living up to that soldier’s creed. Today we have an opportunity to give our veterans the benefits they rightfully earned. Today we have the opportunity to change our relations with the world.

I believe that America will elect the leader who has always fought to keep our nation’s promise to our veterans. I believe America will elect the leader who can best keep this nation strong.

Barack Obama is right for our military. Barack Obama is right for our veterans. Barack Obama is right for our country. And that’s why Barack Obama will be our next commander-in-chief.

God bless you, and always, God bless America.

We also salute the unsung heroes in our nation's defense: the spouses, children, and loved ones of our troops and veterans. Maybe they haven't worn our nation's uniform, but they have surely served us all through their daily sacrifice.

Barack Obama has honored our sacred trust with veterans through his service on the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee. In the last two years, Senator Obama helped pass the new GI education bill and voted for the budget that provided the largest increase in veterans' health care funding in the 77-year history of the Veterans Administration.

As president, Barack Obama will responsibly bring our troops home from Iraq, and he'll make better health care and benefits for veterans a higher priority than tax cuts for Exxon-Mobil and the wealthiest Americans. That's the change we need and the change our veterans deserve.

I have the greatest respect for the military service and sacrifice of John McCain in the Vietnam War. Yet, millions of veterans and Americans would be surprised and disappointed to find out that Senator McCain has received failing grades from some of our nation's most respected veterans' organizations. He has repeatedly voted against health care funding and benefits for his fellow veterans. And if elected, his plan could lead to the rationing of veterans' health care. The fact is, our veterans can't afford more of the same from John McCain.

Under Barack Obama, we'll have a president who will honor the service of every veteran, fully fund the VA, and respect their sacrifice by giving them the benefits they've earned.

The record is clear: our veterans can't afford more of the same from John McCain.

Barack Obama is the change we need.

Last month my wife and I took our 11- and 12-year-old sons to Walter Reed Army Medical Center to visit wounded soldiers. We met a young soldier in a wheelchair. He had lost both of his legs in combat in Iraq, and this courageous father was holding his infant child lovingly in his lap.

As we talked, I held tightly to my sons' hands, overwhelmed by a father who will sacrifice every day for the rest of his life because he served his country. We can never give that soldier his legs back, but he should never have to give up on the dreams he has for his child.

As we watch this Steven Spielberg film, let us remember that in the 21st century, we are the land of the free, because we are still the home of the brave.

And I see in Senator Obama the leadership, judgment and knowledge that will bring the change we need in the United States. Senator Obama asked ordinary Americans to answer his call to service. I answered, and here I am!

As Michelle Obama said, military families know the pain of an empty seat at the table. We endure the uncertainty that comes from deployments and war. But we do not complain. With unquestioning devotion, we proudly serve our nation.

Military families are grateful for our medical benefits. But I am appalled by the state of the health care system in our country and frustrated by the limitations of military health care, which is inadequate and underfunded.

Barack Obama extended health care benefits for military spouses in the Senate and will honor our nation’s commitment to military families as president. And I know that President Obama will make health care affordable and accessible for all Americans.

Military families frequently receive orders to move and do so without hesitation. Yet the lack of quality housing on bases has caused distress and financial burden. The state of our economy has left many service members facing foreclosure or financial ruin.

America’s respect for our service members must be reflected in how our government cares for them. Equitable pay and retirement benefits, access to quality housing, health care and counseling, consistent availability of on-base childcare and schools, accessible referral and support services for active duty troops, reserve, veterans and their families are not negotiable. These will be Barack Obama’s priorities as president.

Senator Obama recognizes the importance of military families and has asked for our input. He started military family roundtables to give military families the chance to communicate our concerns. As president, he will create a military families advisory board and actively support family readiness groups as part of his vow to “keep faith with those that serve.”

That’s the change that our military families need. He will restore America’s role as the world’s moral leader. Barack Obama is the commander-in-chief we’ve been waiting for.

Thank you.

As someone who had the privilege of commanding paratroopers, I know the tremendous sacrifices our troops and their families are making. They deserve leadership worthy of their sacrifice. Leadership that unites us, drawing on that unique American spirit which, at every stage in our nation's history, has enabled us to turn adversity into advancement, and tragedy into triumph. That's the type of leadership that President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden will provide.

Each day, our servicemen and women risk their lives and do everything in their power to seize the objective. But the strength and security of our nation is not solely the charge of those who serve in uniform. It rests with each and every one of us-in the choices we make; the values we teach our children; the commitments we keep to family, community, and country. The power of American ideals will always remain unsurpassed, so long as we, as citizens, accept the responsibility to advance the causes of freedom and equality.

My father was a school janitor, after serving in the Navy during World War II. Like many parents, he and my mother valued education and civic duty. My dad would often go in early to help kids get to school safely, and stay late so folks could hold community meetings. They taught me there is heroism in every citizen willing to sacrifice to strengthen our society. Barack Obama shares these values. He was raised with these values. And he lives them every day - through his storied career in public service.

Recently, I joined Senator Obama and Senator Chuck Hagel on a bipartisan trip to Iraq and Afghanistan. We were all impressed with the heroism and dedication of our troops. What also struck me was the astounding level of admiration, enthusiasm, and respect that our troops have for Senator Obama. Everywhere we went Barack was surrounded by soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines who simply wanted an opportunity to shake his hand and thank him for his efforts and leadership. Our men and women in uniform know a leader when they see one.

During our trip, our days were filled with visits to forward operating bases, military hospitals, meetings with troops, and briefings with senior officials. Barack Obama demonstrated, like he has time and again, that he will be a superb commander-in-chief.

There is a clear choice in this election: For eight years, John McCain has fallen in line with every one of George Bush's national security decisions, and now he offers up four more years of the same failed policies.

Barack Obama has proven he has the judgment to deliver the change we need.

While Senator McCain was a cheerleader-in-chief for the Bush Administration's rush to a war against a nation that posed no imminent threat, Barack Obama and I opposed the war in Iraq from day one.

While Senator McCain said that we'd be greeted as liberators in Iraq, Barack Obama warned of an "occupation of undetermined length, with undetermined costs, and undetermined consequences."

While Senator McCain supported policies that took the pressure off al-Qaida and allowed bin Laden to remain at large, Barack Obama said as early as 2002 that we needed to focus on finishing the fight against bin Laden and al-Qaida.

And as commander-in-chief, he will keep that commitment.

The courage of our soldiers and the generosity of the American people is limitless, but after eight years of the Bush Administration, our national security resources are limited. We cannot keep sending our troops to fight in Iraq, on tour after tour, without a clear mission and a strategy for success. Our military is overstretched, our military families are overburdened and other pressing security threats go unchecked.

But Senator McCain wants to stay in Iraq indefinitely, spending $10 billion a month while Iraqi politicians sit atop a $79 billion surplus. We cannot afford more of the same from John McCain.

It's time to responsibly end the war in Iraq, and that's what Barack Obama will do.

Barack Obama will work with our military commanders to begin the phased redeployment of our troops out of Iraq in 16 months. He will only keep troops in Iraq to target al-Qaida, protect our forces, and train Iraqi troops. Barack Obama will restore our military and shift more resources to finish the job George W. Bush has failed to do: hunt down bin Laden and destroy his network.

Barack Obama and Joe Biden have laid out a strategic vision to end the war in Iraq and strengthen our nation at home. They will use every tool in our diplomatic, economic and military power to meet these goals. And after eight years of a politics based on division, they will once again summon Americans to a common purpose.

And together, with Barack Obama and Joe Biden at the helm, America will rise to meet the challenges of our time and turn the page to a new, more hopeful, more prosperous and more secure chapter in our nation's great history.

Thank you.

I could not vote in the United States, but for 20 years as a member of the U.S. Coast Guard, I served the United States. Like others who have worn the uniform, I know what it is like to serve in harm’s way—you need the right leadership, the right equipment. And I know that after eight years of George Bush, our military cannot afford being overstretched and underequipped. And John McCain is more of the same.

Our military cannot afford more of the same. They need a Commander-in-Chief Barack Obama who had the judgment to oppose the Iraq war from the start and is determined to end the war and bring our troops home and win the fight against the terrorists who attacked us on 9/11.

I know how hard it is to serve your country while raising your family, in my case, a daughter and stepdaughter. At times, duty took me away. Other times, I stayed at home when my husband, David, also in the Coast Guard, deployed overseas. And I know that after eight years of George Bush, our military families cannot afford the long, repeat deployments and short visits home. And John McCain is more of the same.

Our military families need a change. They need a Commander-in-Chief Barack Obama who will ease the burdens on their families, support spouses back home and ensure that military paychecks can support military families.

Barack Obama is the change we need. Now that both my husband and I are retired, we know it is not enough for a president to simply be a veteran; we need a president who truly serves veterans.

We cannot afford John McCain. He thought a new GI Bill for today’s veterans was too generous. He wants to limit health care at the VA to only combat injuries.

We need a commander-in-chief Barack Obama committed to a world-class education and affordable health care for every veteran. As a veteran, I know something else—true patriots, like Barack Obama, never challenge the patriotism of others for political gain.

For America, the stakes are high. For us veterans, the choice is clear. We need Barack Obama as the next commander-in-chief, the next President of the United States of America.

Thank you, gracias.

I was proud to serve my country as a noncommissioned officer in the greatest army in the world. And for the last five of those years, I served as the Ninth Command Sergeant Major of the Army Reserve, representing all enlisted men and women in the Army Reserve and their families within the Department of the Army and Department of Defense, and before Congress and the media.

It is without hesitation, and with much conviction, that I endorse Senator Barack Obama for President of the United States of America. I am endorsing Senator Obama because I believe he is the best, most qualified and able candidate to serve as my commander-in-chief. He is the type of commander-in-chief that America’s soldiers need and deserve. Barack Obama will bring America the change we need.

Senator Obama’s record speaks for itself, supporting America’s soldiers and families in every stage of their service. And he’ll continue to make sure that the men and women risking their lives for us in Iraq, Afghanistan, around the world and here at home have the equipment, training and resources they need to accomplish their mission.

Senator Obama understands veterans and our needs—all veterans, active and reserve—and knows the differences between the two. He’ll fully fund the VA, so all our returning heroes get the quality care they deserve. And when it comes to the national shame of too many homeless veterans, Barack Obama has one simple policy: Zero tolerance.

Senator Obama truly exemplifies what a commander-in-chief should be: a leader who understands the threats we face and who cares for every young man and woman under his command.

I first became impressed with Senator Obama when he took the time to call a young soldier who was unable to complete his initial training, not because he was injured but because he was terminally ill with brain cancer. Senator Obama did not do it for the publicity or a photo op.

He did it because I asked, and he did it because he cared.

America’s service men and women need a president and a commander-in-chief with the courage to serve, the gift to lead and the ability to get things done. That president is Barack Obama.

Ladies and gentlemen, God bless each and every one of you. God bless Senator and Mrs. Obama. And God bless America.

We train them hard. We tell them, “You have to know who you are and what you stand for.” I’m here today because I know who Barack Obama is and what he stands for. He has the judgment, the resolve and the vision to be a superb commander-in-chief who will keep our military strong and America safe.

Barack Obama knows the commitment of our troops and their families and the debt our nation owes them—patriotic Americans, like the grandparents who helped to raise him. His grandfather enlisted after Pearl Harbor and marched in Patton’s army. His grandmother worked on a bomber assembly line. After the war, his grandfather went to college on the GI bill and bought their first home with a federal loan.

Barack Obama knows that today’s generation of servicemen and women deserve the same leadership, respect and support of his grandparents’ generation. In Barack Obama, our troops will have a commander-in-chief who has the judgment to use them wisely, sending them into harm’s way as a last resort, not a first resort; who listens to intelligence, doesn’t exaggerate it; who will bring our troops home from Iraq responsibly, not keep them there indefinitely; who knows that torture is not only morally repugnant, it’s militarily ineffective. It doesn’t work. It puts our troops at risk. It endangers our national security.

In Barack Obama, our military families will have a leader who will ease their burdens, ensure predictable deployments, offer more support to spouses back home and ensure military paychecks keep pace with the private sector. Our veterans will have a president who finally makes veterans’ benefits and health a priority, caring for their body, mind and spirit.

Early in the Iraq war, I visited Walter Reed Army Medical Center. I was riding the elevator with two wounded soldiers. Both had lost a leg. I watched in silence as they stood there. No despair, just determination. No pity, just pride. Those two soldiers—like so many others—have made sacrifices few Americans can imagine.

They did their duty. Now, it’s time to do ours—to keep faith with our troops, to repay the debt.

With President Barack Obama, we’ll have a commander-in-chief who always will.

The town I grew up in is one of those places with two stoplights, one church, a McDonald’s and about 600 families who are proud to call it home. I first left when I joined the Air Force and served for eight years as a medic, much as my dad did in the Army and my grandfather before him during World War II.

During my time in the Air Force, I served with the 387th Air Expeditionary Group in northern Iraq, in Kirkuk, where we did our best to treat our comrades who’d been wounded by suicide bombs, IEDs and mortars. One night we got a call that a helicopter was bringing in a team of five guys who’d been hit by a suicide bomber. The guy I was working on, all he would ask me was, “Where are my other guys? Are they okay?” As a medic, you just look them in the eye and tell them, “Let’s get you taken care of first and we’ll talk about your buddies later.” We were able to save two of them. Three others died.

I’ve seen war up close—not as a political slogan or some think-tank theory. I support Barack Obama because America needs a president who has the strength, wisdom and courage to talk to our enemies and consult with our allies. A president who has the judgment to use war as a last resort, not a first resort. A president who can adapt to new situations as things change, instead of being stuck in the past. And a president who will respect our veterans when they get back home, instead of letting them languish without the medical care and services they deserve.

You know, there’s an old saying: “If you always do what you did, you’ll always get what you got.” America needs new leadership in the White House, and that leader is Barack Obama.

Ladies and gentlemen, it’s my distinct honor, as an Iraq war veteran, as a lifelong Republican, and as a proud citizen of this great democracy, to nominate the next President of the United States of America, Barack Obama!

But today I have traveled from my home in New Hampshire to declare myself a proud member of the Democratic Party and to endorse Barack Obama for President of the United States. Why? Because the Republican Party I once knew has become something different, something I no longer recognize. The “Grand Old Party” is no longer grand. It’s just old. The same old, failed policies. The same, old Washington culture.

Instead of new ideas and innovation, they offer trillion-dollar tax breaks for the very rich at the expense of the middle class, a deficit out of control and a government unable to help its most vulnerable citizens after Hurricane Katrina. Instead of inspiring the world with the power of American ideals, they offer war as a first resort, an overstretched military, justification for torture and trampling of civil liberties.

From the invasion of Iraq to the devastation of Katrina, I see arrogance abroad and incompetence at home. And I simply cannot tolerate, and America simply can’t afford, more of the same. Any other time, I might have given up on politics, convinced that nothing would ever change. But this year, a new leader offers the change we need.

Barack Obama’s ideas and ideals are not tired and old. They are rooted in the timeless values that define our great nation: unity, optimism, faith. He is a leader who challenges us to put aside old divisions of party and region and race and unite around a common purpose. A leader who will replace the old politics of special-interest influence with fiscal responsibility and shared prosperity, including freedom from the tyranny of foreign oil.

A leader who as commander-in-chief will keep our military strong, stop spending $10 billion a month in Iraq, start bringing our troops home responsibly, and win the war against those who attacked us on 9/11.

As an old Navy veteran, I know change isn’t always easy. But sometimes it’s necessary. And this is such a time. In Barack Obama I see judgment, character, courage, and principle over politics and partisanship. In Barack Obama, I see the change America needs.