Bill Clinton: “Alaska June 24, 1998 Thank you very much. Let me begin by thanking all of you for your service and for giving Hillary…”

“Alaska June 24, 1998 Thank you very much. Let me begin by thanking all of you for your service and for giving Hillary and me and our entire delegation-- including Secretaries Albright , Rubin and Daley, and my Chief of Staff, Mr. Bowles , and National Security Adviser, Mr. Berger--all of us feel so welcome--and for welcoming this very distinguished delegation of Senators and Members of the House of Representatives as we embark on this trip to China. And thank you for our service here, and thank you for bringing all the children. I always look forward to these stops at Elmendorf. You know, I couldn't go to China without stopping at Elmendorf--literally, of course. [Laughter] But I don't want to anymore. Of all the times I've been here, I've seen so many people I've had a chance to express personal thanks--I've never come here a single time and met with our service families that I haven't met at least one person, and usually more than one, whom I knew in my previous life when I was Governor of Arkansas, or whom I had met traveling around the country in their previous service at another base. So for all of that, I thank you. I'd like to thank Colonel Gration and you, General McCloud , for your distinguished remarks here and your service. General Simpson , thank you. I thank the members of the 3d Wing, the men and women of the Air Force, the Army, the Navy, the Marines, the Coast Guard, and the National Guard, all of whom make up the Alaska Command.…”