大家好。本周，美国人民齐聚一堂向我们的退伍军人致敬—向所有参军服役使我们得以过上自由的生活的人们表示我们的感谢。但是我们的感谢应该超过我们的退伍军人们过去为我们做的。我们应该牢记我们的责任：向他们服务我们一样服务他们。这种感谢促使我们把我们的退伍军人放在我们国家正在进行的事业的中心。

最近几年，我们已经创纪录地投资支持了退伍军人事务预算，增加了退伍军人的福利，并且改善了对生病军人的医疗。我们已经把残疾申请积压从其高峰大幅降低了百分之90。我们减少了无家可归的退伍军人数量，使成千上万的退伍军人有了自己的房子。退伍军人的失业率降到了百分之3.9—比全国的平均数还要低。

Of course, we’re not satisfied.  We’ve still got more work to do – and I’ve directed my Administration to keep doing everything it can to fulfill our promise to our veterans.  But this isn’t just a job for government alone.  We all have a role to play.  Less than one percent of Americans are serving in uniform.  So it’s true most Americans don’t always see and appreciate the incredible skills and assets that our veterans can offer.  But every American should know that our veterans are some of the most talented, capable people in the world.  They’ve mastered skills and technologies and leadership roles that are impossible to teach off the battlefield.  They know how to get stuff done.

当然，我们并没有满足。我们仍然有很多事要做—我已经指示本届政府继续尽一切可能兑现我们对退伍军人的承诺。但是这不仅仅是政府一家的事。我们所有人都可能发挥一些作用。不到百分之一的美国人参军。所以的确大多数美国人不是总能看到和领略我们的退伍军人所能奉献的高超技能和资产。但是每个美国人都应该知道我们的退伍军人是一些世界上最具天赋和才能的群体。他们熟谙那些从战场之外学不到的技能、技术和领导才能。他们知道如何完成任务。

And as our veterans will tell you themselves, they’re not finished serving their country.  They’re teachers and doctors, engineers and entrepreneurs, social workers and community leaders.  They serve in statehouses across the country and in Congress.  As I tell small business owners and CEOs on a regular basis, if you want to get the job done, hire a vet.  Every sector, every industry, every community in this country can benefit from the incredible talents of our veterans. 

正如我们的退伍军人告诉你的，他们还要继续为国家服务。他们中有老师、医生、工程师和企业家，有社工和社区领导人。他们遍及全国各州的议会和国会。正如我经常对小企业主和CEO们讲的，欲善其事，雇老战士。我国的每个板块、每个行业、每个社区都将从我们的退伍军人们的不可多得的天赋中获益。

Our troops and veterans give us their very best.  That’s what a soldier named Captain Florent Groberg proved.  Three years ago, on patrol in Afghanistan, Flo saw a suicide bomber coming toward his unit.  Without hesitating, Flo grabbed him by his vest and helped push him to the ground.  When the bomb went off, Flo was badly injured, and four of his comrades were killed.  But many more were saved because of Flo’s sacrifice.  Flo represents the very best of America – and this week, I was proud to present him with the Medal of Honor for his actions. 

我们的军人和退伍军人为我们奉献了一切。Florent Groberg上尉所做的一切就是证明。三年前，在阿富汗的一次巡逻中，Florent 看见一个人体炸弹攻击者冲向他的队伍。Florent 毫不犹豫地抓住他的马甲把他按到在地。炸弹爆炸了，Florent 身受重伤，他的四个同志牺牲了。但是因为Florent 的付出更多的人得救了。Florent 代表了美国的最美一面—本周，我将荣幸地为他颁发荣誉奖章奖励他的行动。

Veterans like Flo, they deserve our undying gratitude.  They deserve the chance to keep serving the country they risked everything to defend.  And so we must come together to keep giving them that chance, not just on Veterans Day, but on every single day of the year.  May God bless all those who serve and all who have given their lives for our country.  And may God bless the United States of America.

其他退伍军人们和Florent 一样，理应得到永远的感谢。他们理应得到机会继续为他们付出一切保卫的国家服务。所以我们必须共同努力给他们这样的机会，不仅仅是在退伍军人节这一天，而是在一年里的每一天。愿上帝保佑所有参军的人们和为我们的国家献出生命的人们。上帝保佑美利坚合众国。

来源：大耳朵英语