To each of us falls a task. And all the Emperor requires of us Guardsmen is that we stand in line, and we die fighting. It is what we do best: we die standing.- Lord General Sturnn

Although the Golden Throne of Terra orbits a distant star far from here, the Emperor's hand is on your shoulders today. You have fought and displayed bravery and loyalty far and above your calling as Guardsmen. You have faced the full brunt of an Ork Waaagh! as well as stared down the horrors of the Warp in the fallen Space Marines, and in that I am honoured to have led you.- General Sturnn, Commander Cadian 412th

All of the worlds of the Imperium shall look to their own defense. They shall also look to the defense of the Imperium, and the prosecution of such wars as the Emperor in His wisdom shall decree.
Therefore, each populated planet shall raise and maintain its own planetary defense force, and from the ranks of this defense force it shall provide the best of its troops for recruitment into the Imperial Guard, according to such requirements as shall be imposed by the Administratum.- from the Introit to the Codex Exercitus

Enemies of the Imperium, hear me. You have come here to die. The Immortal Emperor is with us and we are invincible. His soldiers will strike you down. His war machines will crush you under their treads. His mighty guns will bring the very sky crashing down upon you. You cannot win. The Emperor has given us his greatest weapon to wield. So make yourselves ready. We are the First Kronus Regiment, and today is our Victory Day.- Governor-Militant Lukas Alexander, Commander 1st Kronus Regiment

It remains a sad truth of the Imperium that virtually no veteran ever comes back from fighting its wars intact. Combat alone shreds nerves and shatters bodies. But the horrors of the warp, and of foul xenos forms like the tyranid, steal sanity forever, and leave veterans fearing the shadows, and the night and, sometimes, the nature of their friends and neighbours, for the rest of their lives.- Inquisitor Gregor Eisenhorn