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(fanfare music)

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- [Announcer] Ladies and gentlemen,

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the President of the United States,

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accompanied by Medal of Honor recipient,

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Master Chief Special Warfare Operator

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Britt K. Slabinski, United
States Navy, retired.

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("Pomp and Circumstance" by Edward Elgar)

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- Let us pray.

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Almighty God, we come before You

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on this very special occasion
from different backgrounds

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and cultures and expressions
of faith toward You,

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but we all come as Americans
and those who love her,

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those who have sacrificed for
her, who have bled for her,

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and who have died for her.

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Today as we gather in our
nation's most sacred home,

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we have the privilege to
witness, to celebrate,

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and to honor an extraordinary naval career

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and a life that has been set
apart and called to service

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and devotion to this
nation and those in it.

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Today we are among the
most privileged to watch

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as our nation's highest honor
of special trust, achievement,

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and fidelity is both given and received

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from our nation's Commander-in-Chief

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to a leader of naval warriors
who opinion was sought,

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whose sacrifices were selfless,

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and whose dedication to duty

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is unparalleled by any standard.

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Today we lift up and honor our very own

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Master Chief Britt Slabinski
as our nation's Medal of Honor

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is bestowed upon him.

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May he also take with him the
absolute certainty in knowing

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that his days given to this great nation,

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to our beloved Navy, and to the warriors

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of Naval Special Warfare
were of value beyond measure.

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We, as his fellow Americans,
brother and sister warriors,

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friends and family alike collectively ask

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for Your blessing upon
our great president,

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this great naval warrior,
these great military families

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and all they do, have done,
and will continue to do

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from this day forward.

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On this most solemn occasion,
on this sacred ground,

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we as his teammates say, well done.

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And finally, whether swimming the depths,

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climbing the highest of mountains,

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or soaring through the heavens,

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as we walk that lonely road of faith,

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may You always go with us.

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In Your Holy Name we pray, amen.

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- Thank you very much
Chaplain, that's beautiful.

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And thank you to Deputy
Secretary of Defense

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Patrick Shanahan, thank you, Patrick.

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Under Secretary of the Navy Thomas Modly,

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thank you, thank you, Thomas.

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VA Secretary nominee, do
a fantastic job for us,

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Robert Wilkie and Congressmen
Scott Taylor and Brian Mast.

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Thank you, fellas, very much, thank you.

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Members of the Armed Forces
and distinguished guests,

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please sit down.

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That actually worked out very nicely.

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(audience laughing)

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And join me in officially welcoming

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Master Chief Britt Slabinski
to the White House.

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Special man, a truly brave person.

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Today we pay tribute to
Britt's heroic service,

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and we proudly present him

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with our nation's highest military honor.

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And I would go so far as to
say our nation's highest honor.

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Joining Britt today is his son, Bryce.

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Bryce, thank you very much.

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A rising senior at a wonderful school

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known to the world as Ohio State.

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Great place, that's a great school.

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Along with Britt's sisters Brenda and Tika

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and Brenda's husband Tom.

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Thank you very much for being here.

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Here as well are Britt's
significant other, Christina,

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and her two children, John and Megan,

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who we just met in the Oval Office.

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It's a special place too.

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Thank you all for joining us

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for this really special
day and special ceremony,

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thank you very much.

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Finally we're honored to be joined

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by several previous Congressional
Medal of Honor recipients.

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Would you please stand,
would you please stand.

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Thank you, folks.
(audience applauding)

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Very, very special people.

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Your names and your immortal acts of valor

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are forever engraved in
the memory of our nation.

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Our nation will always be grateful to you,

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and you know that.

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Today we induct a new name
into the world's most exclusive

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gathering of heroes, and
that's exactly what it is.

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Britt was raised in
Northampton, Massachusetts.

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He became an Eagle Scout by the age of 14.

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His father was a veteran
who served as a frogman

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in the underwater demolitions
group of the US Navy.

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Those are tough people.

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While Britt was in junior high,

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his dad brought him to their reunion.

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Britt was inspired by
their bond of friendship,

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their stories of service,

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and their boundless love of country.

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As soon as he graduated
from high school in 1988,

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Britt enlisted in the
Navy to become a SEAL.

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that means he is a physically
very strong person,

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and that also means he is a
mentally very strong person.

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That's tough.

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Throughout the grueling
months of training,

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Britt proved himself every
single step of the way.

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In 1990 he graduated the
legendary BUD/S training course

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and he earned that special badge worn only

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by the bravest few, the SEAL Trident.

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In 2002, Britt was called to suppot

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Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.

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In the late evening hours
of March 3rd that year,

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he led an elite team on a combat mission

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to establish a secure position on the peak

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of a 10,000 foot mountain
known as Takur Ghar.

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Britt and his teammates
were preparing to exit

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the helicopter onto the
mountain when their aircraft

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was struck by a machine
gun and machine gun fire

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like they've never seen before

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and a rocket-propelled grenade

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from Al-Qaeda terrorists down below.

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Not a good feeling.

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As the helicopter lurched
away from the assault,

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Petty Officer First Class Neil Roberts

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was flung out of the aircraft.

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Tremendous, tremendous,
horrible thing to witness.

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And onto the side of the
mountain before the helicopter

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crashed into the valley below.

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After surviving, barely,
the violent crash,

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Britt and his team were retrieved

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by a second helicopter,

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also, by the way, piloted
by very brave people.

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At this point, Britt received
information suggesting

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their comrade Neil Roberts, the man thrown

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out of the helicopter,
was probably still alive.

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The team faced a choice to
wait for reinforcements,

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and pretty much safety,

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or to return immediately
to the enemy stronghold

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in the hope of saving Neil's life.

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They would be outmanned, outgunned,

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and fighting uphill on
a steep, icy mountian,

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and every soldier knows you
don't want to fight uphill.

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They learned that at Gettysburg.

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You don't fight uphill.

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But they would face freezing temperatures

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and bitter winds at the
highest altitude of battle

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in the history of the American military.

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This was the highest point
where we ever fought.

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The odds were not good.

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They were not in their favor.

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But Britt and his team didn't
even hesitate for a moment.

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They made their decision.

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For them it was an easy one.

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They went back to that mountain.

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When the helicopter
reached the mountain peak,

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they jumped out into a furious onslaught

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of machine-gun fire like none of them

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had ever seen before.

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Britt and his teammate
Sergeant John Chapman

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charged uphill toward the
enemy where John was shot

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after clearing a bunker.

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Britt continued to engage the enemy

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repeatedly exposing
himself to horrendous fire.

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Two of his other teammates,
Stephen "Turbo" Toboz

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and Brett Morganti both suffered

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very, very serious leg injuries.

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Britt helped them to safety and called

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in airstrikes as
continuous fire drove them

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ever further down the
face of the mountain,

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got worse and worse,
more and more dangerous.

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He kept going.

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In a treacherous descent,
Britt and his men

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carried Turbo through the snow.

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At one point they fashioned
a makeshift harness

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out of their gun straps to hoist Turbo

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down a 13 foot cliff,
in itself treacherous

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because if you missed that little area,

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they go down the mountain,
then no stopping them.

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When they could go no further,

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Britt tended to the wounded
and coordinated their escape

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until his team was finally evacuated

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from enemy territory.

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Seven of the brave men
who fought with Britt

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are here with us today and maybe

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they'll stand up as I call their name.

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Petty Officer Second Class Brett Morganti.

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Pretty dangerous place, huh?

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Way to go Brett.

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Chief Warrant Officer Kyle Soderbergh.

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Thank you Kyle.

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Petty Officer Second Class Stephen Toboz.

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Thanks Stephen.

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Chief Warrant Officer Al Mack.

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Thank you.

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Sergeant Christopher Cunningham.

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Master Sergeant Eric Stebner.

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A Master Chief Petty
Officer still on active duty

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is quietly not with us today.

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I just want to thank you all.

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Unbelievable acts of
bravery, thank you very much.

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(audience applauding)

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Thank you folks, thank you very much.

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Incredible.

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Today we also remember the brave soldiers

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who gave their lives on that mountain.

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Technical Sergeant John Chapman,

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Corporal Matthew Commons,

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Specialist Marc Anderson,

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Sergeant Bradley Crose,

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Senior Airman Jason Cunningham,

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Technical Sergeant Phillip Svitak,

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and of course, Petty Officer
First Class Neil Roberts

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who met a horrible death,

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for whom these events are now known.

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It's called the Battle of
Robert's Ridge, credible event.

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To the gold star family
members of those heroes

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who are here today, please stand up.

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Please stand up.

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(audience applauding)

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It's an honor to have
you accept our accept

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our nation's profound
sorrow, and deep love,

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and everlasting gratitude.

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These were incredible, incredible men

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and you can be proud that
they were in your family

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and they are looking down right now

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and they are very, very proud of you.

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Thank you very much.

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Thank you for being here.

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Thank you.

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To Britt and to all of
the men of Robert's Ridge,

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you waged a fierce fight
against the enemies,

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and these really have become
the enemies of America,

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and the enemies of all civilization.

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Through your actions, you demonstrated

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that there is no love more pure,

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and no courage more great than the love

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and courage that burns in the hearts

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of American patriots.

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We are free because warriors
like you are willing

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to give their sweat, their blood,

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and if they have to, their
lives for our great nation.

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Britt, you went on to
serve many more years

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in the US Navy before
finally retiring in 2014.

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Today he continues his life
of serving by volunteering

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with the Navy SEAL
Foundation and on behalf

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of gold star families.

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Special, special, incredible families.

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And as one of his fellow
service members testifies,

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he is an amazing father to
Bryce who, like his dad,

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is now an Eagle Scout.

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Britt wants the country
to know that for him,

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the recognition he is about to receive

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is an honor that falls on the whole team.

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He wants you folks to know
that, on the whole team.

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On every American warrior who
fought the forces of terror

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on that snowy Afghan ridge.

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Each of them has entered
the eternal chronicle

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00:16:04,666 --> 00:16:08,253
of American valor and American bravery.

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Britt, we salute you.

264
00:16:11,310 --> 00:16:12,940
We thank you.

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We thank God for making
you a United States SEAL.

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00:16:19,610 --> 00:16:22,010
We love our Navy SEALs.

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They're very special,
very incredible people.

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00:16:25,890 --> 00:16:30,890
It's now my tremendous
privilege to present to you

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00:16:31,100 --> 00:16:34,880
the Congressional Medal of Honor

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00:16:34,880 --> 00:16:39,050
and I'd like the military
aide to come forward

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and please read the citation.

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Thank you.

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- [Military Aide] The
President of the United States

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in the name of the Congress takes pleasure

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in presenting the Medal of Honor

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to Senior Chief Special Warfare
Operator Sea Air and Land

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00:17:10,610 --> 00:17:14,910
Britt K. Slabinski, United States Navy

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00:17:14,910 --> 00:17:18,080
for service as set forth in the following:

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for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity

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at the risk of his life above
and beyond the call of duty

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00:17:24,150 --> 00:17:26,750
while assigned to a Joint
Task Force in support

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of Operation Enduring Freedom.

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In the early morning of March 4th, 2002,

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Senior Chief Special
Warfare Operator Slabinski

285
00:17:35,230 --> 00:17:38,030
led a reconnaissance
team to its assigned area

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00:17:38,030 --> 00:17:42,100
atop a 10,000 foot, snow-covered mountian.

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Their insertion helicopter
was suddenly riddled

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with rocket-propelled
grenades and small arms fire

289
00:17:48,140 --> 00:17:51,940
from previously undetected
enemy positions.

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00:17:51,940 --> 00:17:53,830
The crippled helicopter lurched violently

291
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and ejected one teammate onto the mountain

292
00:17:56,470 --> 00:17:58,600
before the pilots were
forced to crash land

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in the valley far below.

294
00:18:01,400 --> 00:18:03,610
Senior Chief Slabinski boldly rallied

295
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his five remaining team members

296
00:18:05,660 --> 00:18:07,846
and marshaled supporting
assets for an assault

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00:18:07,846 --> 00:18:10,053
to rescue their stranded teammate.

298
00:18:11,100 --> 00:18:13,760
During reinsertion, the
team came under fire

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00:18:13,760 --> 00:18:16,540
from three directions, and one teammate

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00:18:16,540 --> 00:18:19,633
started moving uphill toward
an enemy strong point.

301
00:18:20,630 --> 00:18:22,520
Without regard for his own safety,

302
00:18:22,520 --> 00:18:24,827
Senior Chief Slabinski charged directly

303
00:18:24,827 --> 00:18:28,230
toward enemy fire to join his teammate.

304
00:18:28,230 --> 00:18:31,014
Together they fearlessly
assaulted and cleared

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00:18:31,014 --> 00:18:32,853
the first bunker they encountered.

306
00:18:33,990 --> 00:18:36,890
The enemy then unleashed
a hail of machine gun fire

307
00:18:36,890 --> 00:18:40,203
from a second hardened
position only 20 meters away.

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00:18:41,174 --> 00:18:44,470
Senior Chief Slabinski
repeatedly exposed himself

309
00:18:44,470 --> 00:18:46,810
to deadly fire to personally engage

310
00:18:46,810 --> 00:18:49,310
the second enemy bunker and orient

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00:18:49,310 --> 00:18:51,410
his team's fires in the furious

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00:18:51,410 --> 00:18:52,913
close quarters firefight.

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00:18:54,280 --> 00:18:56,840
Proximity made air support impossible

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00:18:56,840 --> 00:18:59,320
and after several teammates
became casualties,

315
00:18:59,320 --> 00:19:01,363
the situation became untenable.

316
00:19:02,350 --> 00:19:04,690
Senior Chief Slabinski maneuvered his team

317
00:19:04,690 --> 00:19:07,970
to a more defensible
position, directed airstrikes

318
00:19:07,970 --> 00:19:11,050
in very close proximity
to his team's position,

319
00:19:11,050 --> 00:19:13,990
and requested reinforcements.

320
00:19:13,990 --> 00:19:16,690
As daylight approached,
accurate enemy mortar fire

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00:19:16,690 --> 00:19:19,996
forced the team further
down the sheer mountainside.

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00:19:19,996 --> 00:19:22,174
Senior Chief Slabinski carried

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00:19:22,174 --> 00:19:26,000
a seriously wounded
teammate through deep snow

324
00:19:26,000 --> 00:19:29,340
and led a difficult trek
across precipitous terrain

325
00:19:29,340 --> 00:19:31,570
while calling in fire on the enemy

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00:19:31,570 --> 00:19:34,782
which was engaging the team
from the surrounding ridges.

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00:19:34,782 --> 00:19:37,280
Throughout the next 14 hours,

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00:19:37,280 --> 00:19:40,130
Senior Chief Slabinski
stabilized casualties

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00:19:40,130 --> 00:19:42,180
and continued the fight against the enemy

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00:19:42,180 --> 00:19:46,420
until the hill was secured
and his team was extracted.

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By his undaunted courage, bold initiative,

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00:19:49,050 --> 00:19:51,430
leadership, and devotion to duty,

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00:19:51,430 --> 00:19:53,898
Senior Chief Slabinski
reflected great credit

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00:19:53,898 --> 00:19:56,840
upon himself and upheld
the highest traditions

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00:19:56,840 --> 00:19:59,770
of the United States Navel Service.

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00:20:02,490 --> 00:20:04,740
(rustling)

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00:20:19,976 --> 00:20:23,226
(audience applauding)

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00:21:06,737 --> 00:21:08,810
- And as we close today,

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00:21:08,810 --> 00:21:11,483
let us close with one final prayer.

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00:21:12,630 --> 00:21:13,463
Let us pray.

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00:21:14,660 --> 00:21:16,130
Oh mighty God, those of use who have had

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00:21:16,130 --> 00:21:19,840
the privilege to witness
this very special ceremony

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00:21:19,840 --> 00:21:21,530
are reminded once again that we serve

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00:21:21,530 --> 00:21:23,540
among the greatest of warriors,

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00:21:23,540 --> 00:21:24,940
among the greatest of Navies,

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00:21:24,940 --> 00:21:27,070
within the greatest of nations.

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00:21:27,070 --> 00:21:29,080
Only because of the brave few

348
00:21:29,080 --> 00:21:31,090
who continue to raise their hand

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00:21:31,090 --> 00:21:32,720
in the protection of this great nation

350
00:21:32,720 --> 00:21:36,060
and those in it, from those
who would wish us harm.

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00:21:36,060 --> 00:21:37,340
Men such as our very own

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00:21:37,340 --> 00:21:39,350
Master Chief Britt Slabinski

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00:21:39,350 --> 00:21:41,790
who personifies that
most cherished of virtues

354
00:21:41,790 --> 00:21:44,663
that we all strive for, which is courage.

355
00:21:45,550 --> 00:21:47,070
Courage for when our moment comes

356
00:21:47,070 --> 00:21:50,360
and we look into the abyss
and we promise ourselves

357
00:21:50,360 --> 00:21:54,010
and others on our honor, to do our best,

358
00:21:54,010 --> 00:21:57,300
to do our duty, for God,
and for our country.

359
00:21:57,300 --> 00:21:59,880
And in so doing forge an unbreakable bond

360
00:21:59,880 --> 00:22:03,130
in the heat of battle, in
the furnace of affliction

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00:22:03,130 --> 00:22:05,060
which strengthens, molds, and galvanizes

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00:22:05,060 --> 00:22:07,940
that bond only to come forth as pure gold.

363
00:22:07,940 --> 00:22:09,420
And in this case, gold in the form

364
00:22:09,420 --> 00:22:10,503
of a Navel Trident.

365
00:22:11,410 --> 00:22:13,080
And as we close this ceremony today,

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00:22:13,080 --> 00:22:14,890
may Master Chief Sablinski take with him

367
00:22:14,890 --> 00:22:17,430
the certainty in knowing
that his days spent

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00:22:17,430 --> 00:22:19,810
in service to this nation, and the pursuit

369
00:22:19,810 --> 00:22:23,470
of freedom for all were
a value beyond measure.

370
00:22:23,470 --> 00:22:25,220
As well as those virtues and values

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00:22:25,220 --> 00:22:27,600
which delivered him to this very moment.

372
00:22:27,600 --> 00:22:30,080
May it never be far from our thoughts,

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00:22:30,080 --> 00:22:31,900
the price that he and
many others have paid

374
00:22:31,900 --> 00:22:33,880
in the pursuit of that freedom,

375
00:22:33,880 --> 00:22:35,600
and may that inspiration be breathed

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00:22:35,600 --> 00:22:37,310
into each one of us and live on in those

377
00:22:37,310 --> 00:22:39,520
in the generations to follow

378
00:22:39,520 --> 00:22:41,464
especially to our brother
and sister warriors,

379
00:22:41,464 --> 00:22:43,490
teammates, friends, and family of

380
00:22:43,490 --> 00:22:45,210
Naval Special Warfare.

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00:22:45,210 --> 00:22:46,770
And so we collectively wish our teammate

382
00:22:46,770 --> 00:22:49,120
and his family, Godspeed.

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00:22:49,120 --> 00:22:51,463
In Your Holy Name we pray, amen.

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00:23:06,750 --> 00:23:07,583
- [Announcer] Ladies and gentlemen,

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00:23:07,583 --> 00:23:09,590
please remain in your
seat until the President

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00:23:09,590 --> 00:23:10,940
has departed the East Room.

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00:23:15,038 --> 00:23:17,538
(piano music)