Speaking to a group of roughly 6,000 3rd Infantry Division soldiers and their family members here, Bush pledged an additional $5.7 billion in 2002 to be spent between military pay increases and improving military housing and healthcare.

The president got a rousing round of applause when he announced he plans to spend $1.4 billion on a pay raise for service members -- "pay increases on top of the increases the Congress passed (during) the last couple budget cycles," he said.

Bush also said he plans to spend $400 million on military housing and an additional $3.9 billion to improve healthcare.

But he really gained the crowd’s support with a well-timed "hoo-ah!" The soldiers’ responding shout was deafening.

"Because of you, America is secure. Because of you, the march of freedom continues," Bush said. "Our nation can never truly repay our debt to you. But we can give you our full support, and my administration will."

He said the nation owes its service members and their families a decent quality of life, necessary training and equipment, and solid defense policies.

"When we send you into harm’s way, we owe you a clear mission with clear goals," he said.

Bush called the soldiers the foundation of America’s military readiness. "But while you’re serving us well, America is not serving you well enough," he said.

The president said problems like low pay and poor housing reach across the services with predictable results. Frustration is up, while morale and recruitment are down, he said.