President Obama spoke in front of more than 3,000 senior leaders and federal managers Dec. 9, to give a simple message – thank you for your service.
"I'd like to come bearing raises and perks. But I can't. But what I can do is tell you how important you are not just to me, but to the country," Obama said.
While part of the speech served to outline his new initiatives to reform the senior executive service, he also spent time thanking federal employees for the work they do – and that all too often is criticized by people looking to score political points.
"You work under tough circumstances, whether it's sequestration, pay freeze, shutdown, and, more importantly, a political climate where folks too often talk down government for cheap applause," Obama said.
He also took the time to highlight achievements by federal managers and their teams, including:
■Gary Penner and the State Department medical services team, who transported American aid workers with Ebola to the United States to receive life-saving treatment. Penner then traveled across Africa education American personnel there on how to stay safe.
■Kevin Tokarski at the Transportation Department helped transport chemical weapons out of Syria so they could be taken away and destroyed.
"You probably never heard of Kevin's team at the Transportation Department -- that's what happens when you do your job well," Obama said. "Fortunately for the world, they did their job well, and we thank you, Kevin, for not making news and getting those chemical weapons out."
■Julie Kramer White at NASA, the chief engineer for the Orion spacecraft, which saw its first successful test flight in early December.
"America was already the first nation to land a rover on Mars; when an American is the first human to set foot there, we'll have Julie and her team to thank," Obama said.
Obama said the senior leadership across the government is the best of the best, and that private sector companies and leaders talk about the high level of competence shown by federal employees and managers.
While federal managers and employees might not be recognized for their hard work, Obama said he wanted to let federal employees know that he is thankful for their service.
"I want you to know that I've got your back, because I know that for many of you, this job is more than just a paycheck -- it's a chance to serve the country that you love," Obama said.
