AFA commencement address marks Obama’s last as commander in chief
In his final commencement address, President Barack Obama reflected on the last eight years as commander in chief.
“It’s been the highest honor of my life to lead the greatest military in the history of the world,” the president said. “It inspires me every day.”
The hundreds of cadets who shook hands with the president are now our future protectors as members of what Mr. Obama calls the greatest military in the world by a mile.
“We are well positioned,” Obama said. “You enter this moment with a lot of good cards to play. But, we face serious threats. Terrorist networks slaughter the innocent and plot attacks against our nation.
Obama believes sending our troops into harm’s way must always be a last resort.
“We have a responsibility to be guided by intelligence, not ideology,” he said. “We need a commitment to universal values of democracy, equality and human rights and willingness to stand up for these values not just when it’s easy, but when it’s hard.”
For the final time in this role, Obama looked ahead with confidence.
“In the not so distant future, when I’m no longer president, I will sleep well at night because I know that men and women like you serve to keep us free,” Obama said. “Take care of each other, take care of those under your command. As long as you keep strong that long blue line, stay true to the values you learned here, integrity, service before self excellent, do this and I am confident we will always remain one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all.”
