WEBVTT 00:00.200 --> 00:02.144 I'm Madison Marsh and I'm a second 00:02.144 --> 00:04.144 lieutenant in the United States Air 00:04.144 --> 00:06.422 Force . And I'm also Miss America 2024 . 00:06.809 --> 00:08.809 I was really honored just to get to 00:08.809 --> 00:10.920 attend the ceremony today . So it was 00:10.920 --> 00:13.031 really cool to be in the audience and 00:13.031 --> 00:15.198 watch everybody . I really think D day 00:15.198 --> 00:14.500 is important because it sets the 00:14.510 --> 00:16.732 precedent for how we need to follow the 00:16.732 --> 00:18.899 service members . We got to watch in a 00:18.899 --> 00:20.954 very , very moving ceremony today to 00:20.954 --> 00:22.899 honor not only those that are here 00:22.899 --> 00:25.121 buried , but those that are still alive 00:25.121 --> 00:25.059 to tell the story of what it means to 00:25.069 --> 00:27.291 give the ultimate sacrifice and what it 00:27.291 --> 00:29.291 means to fight for freedom . We are 00:29.291 --> 00:31.180 always and forever going to be up 00:31.180 --> 00:33.236 against somebody else trying to take 00:33.236 --> 00:35.347 away that freedom . And so we need to 00:35.347 --> 00:35.310 remember what they have done and what 00:35.505 --> 00:37.845 have given to inspire us and to inspire 00:37.854 --> 00:40.076 future generations to get up and defend 00:40.076 --> 00:41.910 not only our country but for the 00:41.910 --> 00:44.187 freedom of the entire world . You know , 00:44.187 --> 00:46.132 I was kind of talking a little bit 00:46.132 --> 00:48.132 earlier about how right after I had 00:48.132 --> 00:50.354 commissioned into the Air Force , I had 00:50.354 --> 00:52.521 come here with my fiance to go look at 00:52.521 --> 00:52.334 the cemetery . And we also went to 00:52.345 --> 00:54.512 Omaha Beach and now getting to be here 00:54.512 --> 00:56.734 again as Miss America just reminds me a 00:56.734 --> 00:58.734 lot of the same feelings that I had 00:58.734 --> 01:00.956 last year . And understand that to me , 01:00.956 --> 01:03.178 the American flag are those people that 01:03.178 --> 01:03.044 are buried here . It's the people that 01:03.055 --> 01:05.488 gave the ultimate to allow us to be the 01:05.499 --> 01:07.332 nation that we are without their 01:07.332 --> 01:09.499 sacrifice . I wouldn't even be able to 01:09.499 --> 01:11.388 put on the uniform today . And so 01:11.388 --> 01:13.332 thinking of everyone that had come 01:13.332 --> 01:15.555 before me set the tone and inspired all 01:15.555 --> 01:17.499 of us to continue to serve today . 01:17.499 --> 01:19.499 That's how I feel every time that I 01:19.499 --> 01:21.443 come here . And I'm just so beyond 01:21.443 --> 01:23.332 honored to get to see some of the 01:23.332 --> 01:25.555 greats from that generation standing up 01:25.555 --> 01:27.721 there today , still holding those same 01:27.721 --> 01:29.888 values that I value as an American and 01:29.888 --> 01:31.888 an airman . I think one of the cool 01:31.888 --> 01:33.888 things that I got to do on the very 01:33.888 --> 01:35.999 first day was going back to the beach 01:35.999 --> 01:38.221 and just standing there . And then also 01:38.221 --> 01:40.332 being here today watching some of the 01:40.332 --> 01:42.388 footage looking at pictures of those 01:42.388 --> 01:44.555 people and the courage that it took to 01:44.555 --> 01:46.610 step outside of those boats to fight 01:46.610 --> 01:46.425 for something so much larger than 01:46.434 --> 01:48.764 themselves . It is truly so inspiring 01:48.775 --> 01:50.719 and I wish that every American and 01:50.719 --> 01:52.886 especially all of our military members 01:52.886 --> 01:55.108 could get to see it in person because I 01:55.108 --> 01:57.331 don't think that you can really get the 01:57.331 --> 01:59.553 full understanding , looking at it from 01:59.553 --> 01:59.214 the photos , but going and looking at 01:59.224 --> 02:01.280 the beach , going and looking at the 02:01.280 --> 02:03.335 headstones here , just bring so many 02:03.335 --> 02:06.339 more emotions and honor and legacy to 02:06.349 --> 02:08.460 them because we look at how important 02:08.460 --> 02:10.627 it is , what they did , how they stood 02:10.627 --> 02:12.793 with allies and what that means for us 02:12.793 --> 02:14.905 present day to continue to stand with 02:14.905 --> 02:17.127 our allies , to fight against something 02:17.127 --> 02:19.349 that's trying to take away our values . 02:19.349 --> 02:19.220 And so I just love getting to be here 02:19.229 --> 02:21.118 and I wish more people could have 02:21.118 --> 02:20.970 gotten to see it .