Last weekend, on the Fourth of July, Michelle and I welcomed some of our extraordinary military men and women and their families to the White House.

上周末，独立日当天，米歇尔和我在白宫接待了一些特别的军人朋友以及他们的家人。

They were just like the thousands of active duty personnel and veterans I’ve met across this country and around the globe.  Proud.  Strong.  Determined.  Men and women with the courage to answer their country’s call, and the character to serve the United States of America.

他们如同我在国内以及全世界所遇到的成千上万正在服役或退役的军人一样，自豪、坚强、意志坚定，满怀响应祖国号召的勇气，以及为美利坚合众国服务的品格。

Because of that service; because of the honor and heroism of our troops around the world; our people are safer, our nation is more secure, and we are poised to end our combat mission in Iraq by the end of August, completing a drawdown of more than 90,000 troops since last January.

正是由于有了他们的付出，由于我们的部队在世界各地的荣誉与英勇，我们的人民才更安全，我们的国家才更安定，我们才能在8月末顺利结束伊拉克的战斗任务，完成自去年一月来的9万名士兵的回撤计划。

Still, we are a nation at war.  For the better part of a decade, our men and women in uniform have endured tour after tour in distant and dangerous places.  Many have risked their lives.  Many have given their lives.  And as a grateful nation, humbled by their service, we can never honor these American heroes or their families enough.

但是，我们国家仍处在战争中。近十年来，我们的军人们忍受着长途跋涉的艰苦，深入险境，冒着生命危险，有的甚至献出了自己的生命。作为一个满怀感激的国度，我们谦卑面对他们的付出，永远也表达不完我们对这些英雄以及他们家人的崇高敬意。

Just as we have a solemn responsibility to train and equip our troops before we send them into harm’s way, we have a solemn responsibility to provide our veterans and wounded warriors with the care and benefits they’ve earned when they come home.

正如我们有在将部队送上前线前训练和装备他们的庄严的责任一样，我们同样有着在退伍军人和受伤的勇士们回家之后为他们提供照料和福利待遇的庄严责任。

That is our sacred trust with all who serve – and it doesn’t end when their tour of duty does.

这是我们对服役人员的神圣职责，他们的付出不息，我们的职责不断。

To keep that trust, we’re building a 21st century VA, increasing its budget, and ensuring the steady stream of funding it needs to support medical care for our veterans.

为履行职责，我们正在建设21世纪的退伍军人管理局（Veterans Administration，VA），增加预算，为退伍军人的医疗服务提供源源不断的资金支持。

To help our veterans and their families pursue a college education, we’re funding and implementing the post-9/11 GI Bill.

为了帮助退伍军人和他们的家庭获得大学教育，我们正在提供资金实施《后911士兵福利法案》（the post-9/11 GI Bill）。

To deliver better care in more places, we’re expanding and increasing VA health care, building new wounded warrior facilities, and adapting care to better meet the needs of female veterans.

为了在更多地方提供更好的服务，我们扩展和增加了退伍军人管理局的医疗保健预算，为受伤战士新建了便利设施，并为更好满足女性退伍军人的需求做了很多调整。

To stand with those who sacrifice, we’ve dedicated new support for wounded warriors and the caregivers who put their lives on hold for a loved one’s long recovery.

为了与这些牺牲自我的人们站在一起，我们致力于为受伤的勇士以及全身心照料他们康复的护理人员提供新的支持保障。

And to do right by our vets, we’re working to prevent and end veteran homelessness – because in the United States of America, no one who served in our uniform should sleep on our streets.

为公平对待我们的退伍军人，我们正在为避免和结束退伍军人无家可归的状态而努力——因为在美利坚合众国，不能有任何一个曾为国家服务的军人睡在大街上。

We also know that for many of today’s troops and their families, the war doesn’t end when they come home.

我们也知道，对于今天的部队以及他们的家人而言，在他们回家之后，战争依然没有结束。

Too many suffer from the signature injuries of today’s wars: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury.  And too few receive the screening and treatment they need.

大量人员忍受着现代战争典型创伤的折磨：创伤后压力心理障碍症和创伤性脑损伤。但他们很少能得到应得的检查和治疗。

Now, in past wars, this wasn’t something America always talked about.  And as a result, our troops and their families often felt stigmatized or embarrassed when it came to seeking help.

现在，战争过去，人们也不怎么谈论这些话题了。因此，我们的军人以及他们的家人在寻求帮助时常常受到羞辱或遭遇尴尬。

Today, we’ve made it clear up and down the chain of command that folks should seek help if they need it.  In fact, we’ve expanded mental health counseling and services for our vets.

今天，我们已经将这条命令执行链条上下理顺，如果你们需要，尽可前去寻求帮助吧。实际上，我们已经扩大了退伍军人的心理健康咨询和服务。

But for years, many veterans with PTSD who have tried to seek benefits – veterans of today’s wars and earlier wars – have often found themselves stymied.  They’ve been required to produce evidence proving that a specific event caused their PTSD.  And that practice has kept the vast majority of those with PTSD who served in non-combat roles, but who still waged war, from getting the care they need.

数年来，许多患PTSD的退伍军人在尝试争取福利待遇时——当今战争以及以前战争的退伍军人——发现自己陷入困境。他们被要求提供证据来证明某一特定事件导致了他们的PTSD。这种做法使得大量担任非战斗角色患PSTD的人员不能得到应有的照料，尽管他们也参加了战争。

Well, I don’t think our troops on the battlefield should have to take notes to keep for a claims application.  And I’ve met enough veterans to know that you don’t have to engage in a firefight to endure the trauma of war.

好吧，我们的军人总不至于在战场上做个笔记以备今后申请时使用吧。我遇到过很多退伍军人，我知道他们并不是非得参与战斗，忍受战火带来的创伤的痛苦。

So we’re changing the way things are done.

因此我们正在改变做事的方式。

On Monday, the Department of Veterans Affairs, led by Secretary Eric Shinseki, will begin making it easier for a veteran with PTSD to get the benefits he or she needs.

下周一，埃里克·辛塞奇部长领导的退伍军人事务部将使患PTSD的退伍军人更容易地获得应有的福利待遇。

This is a long-overdue step that will help veterans not just of the Afghanistan and Iraq Wars, but generations of their brave predecessors who proudly served and sacrificed in all our wars.

这一拖延至今的步骤将不仅能帮助阿富汗战争和伊拉克战争的退伍士兵，也能给几代为在我们在所有战争中自豪地服役甚至牺牲的英勇前辈们带来帮助。

It’s a step that proves America will always be here for our veterans, just as they’ve been there for us.  We won’t let them down.  We take care of our own.  And as long as I’m Commander-in-Chief, that’s what we’re going to keep doing.  Thanks.

这一步骤见证美国将永远为退役军人在此守候，就像他们曾经为我们所做的一样。我们不会让他们倒下。我们会照顾好我们的同胞。而且只要我当统帅一天，我就会让这项工作不断持续下去。谢谢！


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