Wiesbaden-Erbenheim Air Base, Federal Republic of Germany Remarks to American and German Soldiers and Their Families.

THE PRESIDENT. Chancellor Schmidt, Minister Genscher, Minister Apel, officers and men of the Armed Forces of the United States and the Federal Republic, ladies and gentlemen, friends:

I'm very proud and happy to be with you today. To all of you, I bring greetings and the gratitude of the people of the United States of America.

I cannot think of a nobler or more important purpose than the one that you serve here. You are here in the defense of the most vital interests of all the countries of the Atlantic Alliance. Above all, Americans and Germans alike, you are here in defense of freedom.

More than economics—more even than the common threat posed by our potential adversaries—it is our commitment to freedom that unites us. We may not always live up to its concepts perfectly, but it is a concrete reality that brings meaning to our lives and which we will defend—that is, freedom—however we must. At the same time, we will continue to pursue the kind of lasting peace that all people want.

For 30 years the mission of NATO has been to prevent war by being ready to fight. That is your mission today. Hundreds of millions of people are depending upon your combat readiness, your bravery, and your capability.

Those of you who serve in Brigade '76 represent the more than 300,000 members of the United States Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps who serve in Europe in support of the NATO Alliance. As the newest contingent of American troops on this continent, you particularly symbolize your country's increased commitment to the strength of the NATO Alliance.

Those of you who serve in the Armored Brigade 14 represent the armed forces of the Federal Republic which supply more than one-half the NATO ground forces available in Central Europe.

And together your two units represent the close cooperation and the coordination that is crucial to the effectiveness of the Alliance and, therefore, to the security of our countries.

Your officers call this coordination interoperability. And after seeing a demonstration of it a few minutes ago, I call it very impressive.

You are the point of the Western sword. That sword is sharp and true, and the people and the Government of the United States are striving to keep it that way. That is why we are introducing improved equipment into the European theater-equipment like the F-15 and the F-10 (A-10) ¹ aircraft and the Cobra helicopter gunship equipped with Tow antitank missiles.

¹ Printed in the transcript.

That is why we have increased and repositioned our forces here. That is why, with our allies, we will meet the future needs of NATO through the 15-year, long-term defense program. And that is why we are improving our ability to provide reinforcements, should that become necessary, through such steps as increased stockpiling of weapons and equipment here in Europe.

This means that when additional troops get here in an emergency, their equipment is already stockpiled and waiting for them. This gives us more flexibility and a faster reaction time.

Military service has always involved sacrifice, even in times of peace, and especially when service is far from home. In this connection, I would like to say a few words directly to the American soldiers who are here today.

I know that many of you are experiencing tough financial hardships, especially those of you in the junior grades who have your families with you. I cannot promise you instant and complete relief. But I do want to assure you that I am acutely aware of your problem, and we are taking steps to make it easier.

These problems are closely related to the value of the dollar and the overall health of the world economy. Chancellor Schmidt and I have been discussing these issues already, and we will be discussing them in depth at the economic summit meeting tomorrow and Monday in Bonn. But we cannot rely on long-term changes in the international economy to do the job of meeting your immediate needs.

We have made some progress in the last few months, particularly the increase in allowances for junior enlisted members whose families join you here in Germany.

There have been and will be other improvements as well. In next year's budget, I have proposed to the Congress large increases in a variety of services ranging from financial counseling to dental care. And I'm asking Congress to let the Government shoulder the financial burden of travel and transportation of goods that junior members now face when your families join you here.

Problems aside, your service here brings you some rare opportunities. Germany is a beautiful and hospitable land, and this part of the Rhine Valley happens to be one of its most beautiful spots. People from all over the world come just to spend a few days here. I hope that all of you will take advantage of this chance to get to know Germany and Europe in depth.

You are here as men and women who are making an indispensable contribution to the security of life around you. I hope that you will become part of that life as much as you can. I hope that you will make German friends, both among the civilian population and among your comrades in arms.

I hope that you will begin to learn the language and something about the way of life of the German people. It will give you a new perspective on our own country and our own way of life as well.

And finally let me say, as President of the United States, as the Commander in Chief of United States military forces, I deeply appreciate the work that you are doing here. That goes for all of you-Germans as well as Americans—and certainly for your families also.

I'm glad to have this chance to visit with you, to see the wonderful demonstration of what you are doing, and I am deeply proud of your patriotism and your courage.

Thank you very much. God bless all of you.

CHANCELLOR SCHMIDT. President Carter, soldiers, distinguished and dear American and German citizens:

I am glad to be with you today, together with President Carter. This occasion of the being together of two heads of government with U.S. and German forces is not merely a matter of protocol. It is intended to underline the fact that the North Atlantic Alliance on either side of the Atlantic constitutes the foundation of freedom and security.

Our friend, the President of the United States, has made it clear in his remarks with great emphasis that NATO is a core of American foreign policy. This is also true to the same extent of us Germans.

Our common security is based on a threefold foundation. First, it rests on the military defense capability of NATO, that is, on our common capability of deterring a potential aggressor.

How good our common defensive capability is, the soldiers on this place gathered here know perhaps even better than we, the politicians. But let me say here that President Carter, as a former naval officer who has seen active duty, and I, as a former Minister of Defense, are not completely without some expert knowledge in this field. So, in other words, the two of us were not wholly uncritical of service when we watched your demonstrations. And I would like to say on my own judgment that I share in the pride which President Carter has expressed to you in his remarks.

Our common security, secondly, is based on the close political cooperation within our Alliance. After the NATO summit meeting which took place last May in Washington, and after my talks with President Carter yesterday and today, I may say that this field of close political cooperation is also all right, and we can also be proud of it. We take the same view of international problems and the same approach, and we are cooperating in seeking solutions to these problems.

And thirdly, our security rests on stable economic conditions, because prosperous economies and an equitable world economic order are essential elements of security.

You know, and the President has just repeated it in his remarks, that the development of the international economy causes us some concern. But I am confident that the meeting for which the heads of governments, heads of state and heads of governments, of the major Western industrialized countries will meet tomorrow in Bonn will enable us to make progress also towards ensuring higher employment figures.

I should now like to address a few remarks in particular to the soldiers of the two nations.

As members of the American and German units assigned to NATO, and on the basis and through your cooperation in your everyday life, you ensure that the Alliance lives up to its defense mission. And for this I should like, speaking on behalf of the German people, to express to you my appreciation and my thanks.

And I address these remarks in particular to the American soldiers who serve on German soil. We are aware that the presence of American soldiers in Europe will also in the future be indispensable for our security. But we are also aware that your service here, thousands of miles away from your home country, is not always easy for you. For many or even for all of you—and this goes for soldiers all over the world—personal sacrifices are involved in your service.

But I do hope that you, the American soldiers, will also feel that you are welcome to us, not only as members of the forces .of an allied power, but that you are welcome to us as friends.

Let me address my final remarks to Americans and Germans alike. We are serving together the same fundamental values—freedom and dignity of man. And I thank all those who together join hands in this service.

Thank you very much.