The first lady of the United States has thanked U.S. service members at a military base in Virginia for their efforts.

Flanked by two F-22 Raptor stealth fighter jets, Melania Trump spoke to a crowd Wednesday inside a hangar at Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Hampton.

She noted that many in the crowd had just returned home from deployment. Some had been responding to natural disasters such as Hurricane Michael.

Trump said she was honored to welcome them home and thanked them “for answering the call of duty.”

The first lady high-fived children from local elementary schools and spoke to a young girl in a wheelchair. She also got a close-up view of an F-22.

The base serves the U.S. Army and the Air Force.

(AP)