America’s second family visited troops in upstate New York on Sunday – their last official appearance before returning to private life.
Vice President Mike Pence and Second Lady Karen Pence visited Fort Drum to thank the 10th Mountain Division and their families for serving the country.
“I’m here to deliver a very simple message to all of you on behalf of your commander and chief, and every American: thank you for your service and to the 1st Brigade combat team, welcome home,” Pence told the service members.
The 1st Brigade has recently returned from Afghanistan.
“We all count on you,” said the vice president, “because we know we can.”
As she spoke to the troops, the second lady became emotional and her voice hesitated halfway through a sentence as she spoke to the crowd.
“It’s such an honor to be with you … here I go … for our very last trip as Vice President and Second Lady of the United States,” said Karen Pence.
“We are a military family, just like all of you. Our son is an F-35 Marine aviator. He is married to our daughter-in-law Sarah and we are expecting our first grandchild in April. We are very excited, ”the second lady continued.
The second family will be replaced by Vice President Kamala Harris and husband Doug Emhoff in a swearing-in ceremony on Wednesday.
She will resign her seat in the US Senate on Monday.
Harris will be the first woman to occupy the office as well as the first person of color.