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　　U.S. President Barack Obama on Thursday awarded retiring Defense¹ Secretary Robert Gates the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The award came during a military tribute to Gates on his final day in office.
奥巴马总统星期四授予即将退休的国防部长盖茨总统自由奖章。星期四是盖茨在任的最后一天，奥巴马总统是在赞扬盖茨对军队的贡献时颁发这一奖章的。
It was an elaborate farewell ceremony outside the Pentagon with President Barack Obama joining Defense Secretary Robert Gates at the end of his more than four years in office.
这是在五角大楼外精心准备的一次欢送仪式，在盖茨担任国防部长4年多时间的最后一天，奥巴马总统和他一道出席了欢送会。
Gates is the only defense secretary in U.S. history to be asked to remain in office by a newly-elected president. He was first sworn in under Mr. Obama’s predecessor², George W. Bush, at a crucial point during the Iraq war.
盖茨是美国历史上唯一一位被新当选的总统留任的国防部长。他最初是在伊拉克战争的关键时刻，在奥巴马总统的前任布什总统的领导下宣誓就职的。
Gates oversaw³ a surge of American troops in Iraq and later in Afghanistan that analysts⁴ say helped turn around both military campaigns.
盖茨监管了美军在伊拉克以及后来在阿富汗的增兵行动，分析人士说，增兵扭转了美军在这两个战场的局面。
At Thursday's ceremony, President Obama called Gates a "humble⁵ American patriot⁶, a man of common sense and decency," and one of the nation’s "finest public servants."
在星期四的欢送仪式上，奥巴马总统称他是美国一位谦虚的爱国者，一位通情达理的人和一位正派的人，还说他是美国最好的公职人员之一。
“Bob, today you are not only one of the longest serving secretaries of defense in American history, but it is also clear that you have been one of the best,” he said.
奥巴马说：“鲍伯，你今天不仅是美国历史上任职时间最长的国防部长之一，而且很清楚，你也是最好的之一。”
As defense secretary, Gates made numerous trips to Afghanistan and Iraq, always making a point to visit the American men and women in uniform who put their lives on the line.
在担任国防部长期间，盖茨多次前往阿富汗和伊拉克，而且总是要去看望在前线冒着生命危险的美国男女军人。
President Obama said Gates made it his mission to ensure the Defense Department serves troops in the field as well as they serve the nation.
奥巴马说，盖茨要确保国防部像美军为国服务一样为美军服务，把它视为己任。
“And today, we see the lifesaving difference he made - in the mine resistant⁷ vehicles, in the unmanned aircraft, the shorter medevac [medical evacuation] times in Afghanistan, in our determination to give our wounded warriors⁸ the world class care they deserve,” Obama said.
奥巴马说：“今天，我们看到他在保护美国人生命方面所做的贡献。这包括使用抗地雷车辆和无人驾驶飞机，在阿富汗采用短期空中医疗疏散，以及决心让我们受伤的军人获得他们应该享有的世界级的医疗护理。”
Mr. Obama then awarded Gates the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian⁹ honor.
奥巴马随后授予盖茨总统自由奖章，这是美国文职人员能够获得的最高荣誉。
In his address, Gates said he is proud of the cooperation the Pentagon has had with other federal agencies, especially those dealing¹⁰ with intelligence, development and diplomacy¹¹.
盖茨在讲话中说，他对五角大楼与其他联邦机构展开的合作感到骄傲，特别是与情报、发展和外交部门的合作。
“The blows struck against al-Qaida, culminating in the bin¹² Laden¹³ raid, exemplify the remarkable¹⁴ transformation¹⁵ of how we must fuse intelligence and military operations in the 21st century,” Gates said.
盖茨说：“打击基地组织的行动在对本.拉登的突袭行动中达到高潮，并且为我们提供了一个最好的范例。它告诉我们，在21世纪我们必须把情报工作与军事行动结合在一起。”
Gates said serving as defense secretary has been the greatest honor and privilege of his life. In a farewell message to the men and women of the military and their families, he thanked the service members, saying that their dedication¹⁶ and courage have kept America safe.
盖茨说，担任国防部长是他一生最大的荣誉和荣幸。在向美国男女军人及其家人发表的告别辞中，盖茨说，他感谢美国军人，并且说他们的献身与勇气使美国得到安全。
“I'll just say here that I will think of these young warriors - the ones who fought, the ones who keep on fighting, the ones who never made it back - 'till the end of my days,” Gates said.
盖茨说：“我在这里只是要说，我会一直想着那些年轻的勇士，那些作战的军人，那些继续打仗的士兵，那些一去不复返的阵亡将士，直到我自己离开人世为止。”
The 67-year-old Gates will be succeeded by another veteran of Washington public service, Leon Panetta, who has been leading the CIA.
67岁的盖茨将由另一位经验丰富的华盛顿公职人员、中情局局长里昂.帕内塔接任。
Panetta says his first task at the Pentagon will be to ensure the United States prevails in the conflicts it is engaged in, including Iraq and Afghanistan.
帕内塔说，他在五角大楼的第一个任务，就是确保美国在它从事的战争中获胜，其中包括伊拉克和阿富汗战争。