Posted on Jul 4, 2016
On Independence Day, We Remember that “Freedom is Not Free”
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Summary: The President and First Lady will commemorate this Independence Day with the company of service members, veterans, and their families. .
For the past seven years, President Obama and his family have celebrated the Fourth of July with members of the armed forces, veterans, and their families. This year, the United Service Organizations (USO) - a partner of the Joining Forces Initiative - is observing its 75th anniversary across 180 locations around the world, including the Middle East, Europe, Asia, the South Pacific, and of course at the White House.
The USO will host a special program on the South Lawn featuring remarks from the President, performances by Grammy-award winning musical guests, and a dazzling fireworks display. You can tune in to share the fun at Whitehouse.gov/Fourth-of-July.
In honor of Independence Day and those who fight to keep our nation safe, let's take a look back at a few moments this Administration has celebrated with the USO and our service members.
Without you, we could not enjoy the incredible blessings that we do in this greatest country on Earth. And we are so appreciative to all of you…And Michelle and I, Malia, Sasha -- we could not be more privileged to have gotten to know so many of you, and to know all the sacrifices that you make on our behalf each and every day. So we just want to wish you the happiest 4th of July and remind ourselves that freedom is not free -- it’s paid by all the folks who are here today and all the folks who are around the world. We want to thank those who aren’t with their families on this holiday season because they’re posted overseas. We want to especially remember them.
- President Obama at the 4th of July celebration in 2015
For the past seven years, President Obama and his family have celebrated the Fourth of July with members of the armed forces, veterans, and their families. This year, the United Service Organizations (USO) - a partner of the Joining Forces Initiative - is observing its 75th anniversary across 180 locations around the world, including the Middle East, Europe, Asia, the South Pacific, and of course at the White House.
The USO will host a special program on the South Lawn featuring remarks from the President, performances by Grammy-award winning musical guests, and a dazzling fireworks display. You can tune in to share the fun at Whitehouse.gov/Fourth-of-July.
In honor of Independence Day and those who fight to keep our nation safe, let's take a look back at a few moments this Administration has celebrated with the USO and our service members.
Without you, we could not enjoy the incredible blessings that we do in this greatest country on Earth. And we are so appreciative to all of you…And Michelle and I, Malia, Sasha -- we could not be more privileged to have gotten to know so many of you, and to know all the sacrifices that you make on our behalf each and every day. So we just want to wish you the happiest 4th of July and remind ourselves that freedom is not free -- it’s paid by all the folks who are here today and all the folks who are around the world. We want to thank those who aren’t with their families on this holiday season because they’re posted overseas. We want to especially remember them.
- President Obama at the 4th of July celebration in 2015
On Independence Day, We Remember that “Freedom is Not Free”
Posted from whitehouse.govPosted in these groups: 
Office of the President (POTUS)
4th of July
Office of the President (POTUS) 4th of July
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
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I certainly concur with you SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL The cost of freedom has been more gallons of blood than I would like to think about. This Hallowed Ground applies to battlefields in this nation in Europe, North Africa, southwest, southeast and northeast Asia.
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In this world of instant gratification those who lack a true understanding of FREEDOM and it costs, will never understand why men and women of character VOLUNTEER today to serve a much grater good that leads to the dream of "...a more perfect union..." for a people that everyday must strive to remain worthy of that gift. So, honoring our men and women from all backgrounds that choose to serve is the beginning of what it takes to be - a genuinely free people.
Every President has that responsibility to rally a nation to continue to believe in themselves. We have to continue to remember that POTUS is only - one individual. We are >320 million individuals whose collective responsibility it is to lift up each other to leave our world, our nation, our community, our homes and ourselves just a little better than we found them. But, this takes work and honest dialogue. When we forget the words "We the people...." we forget what the Founders envisioned, not in the short for the nation, but what a vision of "...That nation so conceived in liberty..." must rise to become!
Every President has that responsibility to rally a nation to continue to believe in themselves. We have to continue to remember that POTUS is only - one individual. We are >320 million individuals whose collective responsibility it is to lift up each other to leave our world, our nation, our community, our homes and ourselves just a little better than we found them. But, this takes work and honest dialogue. When we forget the words "We the people...." we forget what the Founders envisioned, not in the short for the nation, but what a vision of "...That nation so conceived in liberty..." must rise to become!
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