Again, the great state of New Mexico is on board with raising, educating and recruiting the highest quality people for our military s future. His wife is, of course, with us tonight. Marcia, thank you for being here, and for the support that you have given our armed forces over the years. The city of Albuquerque itself knows the value of an early start to building quality people for our armed forces. The Character Counts campaign, which began as an initiative in a local school, has spread to encompass many more aspects of life and business here in the Southwest.
Character does indeed count, and as a result, New Mexico counts for our military.
And, as Mark Twain once said, Few things are harder to put up with than the annoyance of a good example. There are so many more examples of our outstanding men and women in uniform serving all over the world tonight. Our Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Coast Guard are busy today, shaping the international environment, responding to crises, and preparing for an uncertain future. Their impact is felt, in the stability we enjoy, in the economy we are experiencing, and in the promise of lasting peace for the future. New Mexico s role in securing this for our military is unquestioned.