Donald J. Trump

Over my military career, I lost too many friends, including my best friend, Commander Bobby Ramirez.

All of them are now part of the eternal flame of American freedom.

It is up to all of us to ensure that flame never burns out.

For 250 years, the torch of American freedom has burned.

It's been carried by sailors from all walks of life, all races, all colors, and it has been seen all around the world.

Warriors have carried it with them crossing the beaches of Normandy, on Iwo Jima, Korea, and in the jungles of Vietnam.

It has been held high in Grenada, Panama, Bosnia, Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, and across Western Africa.

When a hero falls and their flame is extinguished,

Every American's torch back home burns just a little brighter.

Every American citizen of the United States is entrusted with a small part of this flame.

Most Americans feed their flame and ensure it burns brightly for all to see.

Other Americans, they take their freedom for granted, attacking the very ideals that built our nation, and they allow their flames to burn out.

Thankfully, there are those of us who wear the uniform,

who are entrusted with an oath and presented at the start of our naval careers with a part of the flame to keep the torch of American freedom always burning.

Seventeen years ago, I lay on the battlefield in Iraq, pouring my blood into the soil.

And I looked up, and I saw that dark angel standing over me.

And he said it was time to go.

And I thought he was right.

But then I realized I wasn't finished.

I had a torch of American freedom to preserve and forever keep burning.