c-span.org. again, we've been showing many sounds of ts and related to veteran's day across washington, d.c. this ve seen a couple morning and then this is the national world war ii memorial. we will leave you on veteran's day. another edition of "washington at 7:00 coming your way tomorrow morning, we will see you then. >> president elect to donald trump back in new york city after a busy day yesterday with the meetings and washington and back on twitter.

coming up in 45 minute -- president obama will lay a wreath at the two of the unknown soldier for the last time as the commander of chief. the crowd at the arlington national cemetery. ,head of the lame-duck section many members of congress taken to twitter. virginia congressman bob goodlatte tweeting -- and from alabama, democrat tweeting -- two veterans adjoined does this morning on washington journal and served in afghanistan and iraq and talked about the military experience and the transition to civilian life.

host: the vietnam veterans memorial. many people visiting that memorial not only remember friends and family who served in wartime and honor their commitment, but also walking around washington, d.c. as well. g around washington, d.c. as well. and our studios in washington, we have the honor of talking to to veterans of wars in iraq. to learn about what it is like to be a soldier, not only during a period of in active service but as they transition to civilian life. whoed by ashley nicolas served in afghanistan from 2012-2013. and brennan mullaney, an iraq veteran. both of you, happy veterans day. you think is the perception of soldier and active life by most people and what is the reality? everything with think

about veterans is depicted by the media and in movies and if that depiction is not exactly the truth. i know from my time in active service which i valued very much. i did a couple of tors to iraq and some of the things did not look like that. 80%-90% did not look like that. a lot of hanging around with my guys and our hurry up and wait mantra. -- metric -- it does not look sexy. ands grinding it out improving day after day. spending time with your team and getting to know each other and practicing. host: what did you do? guest 1: i was at calvary scout. i spent my time in fort hood, texas. i was lamenting with ashley when

she asked me what i did. i was assigned to be in front of the main elements looking for the enemies and scouting and that is not what happened. most of us on the ground were doing similar jobs, working with the iraqi security forces. anding on governance economic development projects. building a rapport with the nationals. same ashley nicolas, question, what is the perception, what is the reality? guest 2: brennan is right. it is the hard work of leadership and building trust and relationships and building teams which is not a flashy stuff you see in movies. taking care of soldiers, especially leaders, they spend a lot of time doing. does not stop it when we leave active-duty service. work was the of my hard work behind the scenes as an intelligence officer and make

sure our teams and soldiers were informed and prepared to be successful in the battlefield. that is not what you see. guest 1: it is a great point. there is a credible cast of individuals, their collective efforts makes it work. thesee whether it is special operators, the navy seals, the army rangers, you see the league teams. a host of people behind them that are doing their jobs and must do it effectively. host: both of you talk about teamwork. this teame have with work that is already established, is that the case? or is it more needed to submit that -- see meant that? guest 2: you are fortunate because you start with, and a shared mindset. you have a baseline.

there's camaraderie that gets built that does not start from the beginning and it does not happen by magic. it happens through long days in cold weather and long nights and being a miserable, that shared misery is magic for teamwork. guest 1: definitely. the experiences that forged that camaraderie and units and get stronger whether training experiences, difficult decisions , situations, i am sorry. or the point you are deployed. that heightens of those experiences and strengthen those bond. tot: our guests joining us tell their service and give you the viewer a sense of what a military person does day today. you can ask them questions. we divided the lines for veterans. regionally, give us a call at --

we are joined by ashley nicolas who served in afghanistan and brennan mullaney who served in iraq. fivesure it is not a 9 to job. tell us what your day. guest 2: every day is a very long day. most days is long. it starts in the dark in a formation where you will work out and do some sort of physical fitness, prepare you for the long days ahead. and from there, it is job depended. what is your main task? some of my days were spent preparing intelligence for units from our home state. some were spent in the field prepare for deployment ourselves. some days were spent expect -- inspected vocals and taking care of soldiers. beauties of military service. it is never boring. guest 1: there is definitely that task and the things you

have to accomplish day-to-day, i was an officer. the paperwork side of things and the administrative side of things, building training plans and executing that training. it is about leadership. that is the full-time job. it is not a 9 to 5. i was responsible for a number of phenomenal soldiers. if they needed help, whether after-hours or early morning, i was there for them and they knew that. they would have been there for me. there must chemical things that happen whether you are stateside . -- mechanical things that happen when you are stateside or abroad. the sense of team and a sense of purpose that is not replicated in many civilian jobs. that is one of the challenges civilians have from the transition to whatever else is next and they miss those things. host: let's hear from callers.

this is arkansas. good morning. you are first up. caller: good morning. i want to mention the door did after. the president should take up the information from wounded warriors and cannot do anything after the military or need help, that can put them back into the military but not military situations. that would help immensely for many of them instead of putting them out. and to help the military personnel, put them in places where there do not have to have combat. there are people who want to be warriors. let them do that. after military, i personally would like to see our military come home from places we don't need to be like japan.

which would help our benefits and our country by taking care of their country. we have been doing there for 40, 50 years. i do not know the exact time. us. money could be for host: dusty, thank you. guest 2: absolutely. there is a tremendous need at home for service. i think it is lost sometimes when we talk about what the typical image of a bitterness, their services done. i do not think that can be more untrue. your service continues. that is already happening. , theirimage of a veteran services done. like the pat tillman foundation, these organizations take the unique experiences of veterans and put them at work at home. that is already happening. veterans are feeling a huge need. a huge need.

guest 1: dusty had a few questions and we appreciate them. the one i would tease out is after the military peeves. -- peace. that is why work today. does a, the military good job of making your soldier, navy, airmen. sometimes they do not do nearly as good of a job as transitioning you back into society. there been tremendous stride to bolster that. it is something we have a responsibility to servicemen and women to be thinking about. the reality is whether you do your four-year enlistment and get out or you do 30 or 35 years and are a general or something. there is something beyond that military service. if we are not doing the things to prepare ourselves even when

we are in uniform, we are doing ourselves and fellow serviceman a disservice. host: here is ken from south carolina. caller: how are you don't? -- doing? my question is different. i am a veteran. id. i permanent duty station was in new york. my concern is the war in iraq. -- i did my permanent duty station in new york. after desert storm, we went in and hussein was back and george bush in dick cheney said it was dangerous because the country is difficult. we invaded and we saw how difficult. we assisted our soldiers for 10 years but when it was time to

fight, they ran. i am worried about the soldiers. we cannot fight for country if they do not fight. we relinquishul, it again and have to go back and take it again. i do not wantht, any more soldiers dying in a foreign land when we know down deep, like egypt, they wanted a change. it was chaos. libya, saddam hussein. even though they were dictators, they kept the lid in. host: we will let our guests respond. brennan mullaney it was difficult -- guest 1: it was difficult. 15 years of combat in iraq. i do not think anybody anticipated the conflicts to drive on a that long. there is an important policy component to that question. one i am not qualified to answer.

it is something that we as a country needed to be very cognizant of. when our civilian leadership makes these decisions and decided to send our sons and daughters into the phone for -- intoo conflict, conflict, it means a lot more what plays on the maybe a -- major media networks. their transition back from these combat experiences and that lives on for years and decades. it is not until 40 years after the actual service or conflict that the repercussions of that really take place through the body or mind. it is an important thing for us to consider. when we make those decisions, there is in effect. guest 2: absolutely. it is important to realize after these years of conflicts,

veterans in a unique position to provide a policy position. for some of the veterans to step up and be involved of some of the moves as a nation so we do not repeat some of the mistakes. host: when it comes to redeployment, what is it like when you get the notice? tim arango i never -- guest 2: i never got that. once i was home, i was home. guest 1: we were on a year on, year off cycle. i was in 2 of them. i spent 15 months in my first deployment in baghdad. home, which was -- it is an incredible feeling. that elation of being back home here in the country. there are so many things we take for granted, you really realize what we have when you are in other environments. try to embrace that in hold on to that feeling as long as you can.

it starts the cycle of training and you go back. therek i knew all along would be a second or even third tour. you understand it. in some ways, you look forward to it. the experience, that sense of personal -- purpose, the people you're sharing with it, that part is phenomenal. that is something all servicemembers really value. host: you get a phone call, e-mail, how does it work? guest 1: you get it through the rumor mill first. you start to hear. the dod, it is all out there. you get orders. sayinga piece of paper you are going wherever. and the same thing when you come home. a date everybody is waiting for the first sergeant. forward to both aspects

of it. you are excited to go and frankly, you are relieved and stoked to go home. host: let's hear from james and arkansas. caller: hi. hi. retired from the years.y with a 21 i served in 1974 to 1994. i appreciate your program. years. question? is your caller: my question is, after you get out of the military, you do not get enough pay to make your bills. i served 21 years and -- host: the idea of pay, how does it work? you're on active

duty as an officer, a comfortable life. he is a challenge for many. that be aeave, it's challenge if that transition is not clear. a clearo not have understanding of where you are going, it can be a challenge. that is where it is important to have a community supporting of veterans to help lift up and bridging that gap between you leave uniform and find your new direction on the civilian side. host: how often are you paid? guest 1: you can take either option -- tim arango you can take -- guest 2: you can take either option. i was paid every two weeks. guest 1: once you make the transition, why are there not high paying jobs for veterans? i know there are a number of organizations who are very aware of this. a number of private companies who have hiring veterans initiatives.

let peopled to do is understand veterans are assets. as they are people who want to continue to serve. be rock star performers in your organization. they know how to perform under duress. they know how to solve difficult problems. as long as we shake that narrative, you want to hire veterans and pay them a salary they deserve. they are capable of so much more. and giving them an opportunity and compensating them appropriately is what we're striving to do. we hope that conversation continues. they may veterans edition transition, can have opportunities and continue to walk the two jobs that will provide them the resource. host: when you are serving outside of the united states, do you get hazardous pay? receive that pay

when you're deployed and also skill base pay. you jumpe airborne and out of airplanes, you get additional pay. you have a unique skill. you will receive a stipend for that. of base pay beyond that pay if you're qualified for it or serving in the area that qualifies you. guest 1: something that is important with a pay, you tend to be paid in a manner in which you live quite comfortably. whether you are a lower listed soldier and live in the barracks or an officer like we were. the really interesting thing is what you consider, you perform in your job in the military, get ,romoted, get a pay increase qualified with a different skill or a pay increase. when you make the transition, all of the stability you had in terms of pay and life insurance and health care for you and your family and the resources that sat and the military

installation you had access to, goes away. whoou think about somebody lost their job, imagine everything you relied on, that is a daunting proposition. that's why a lot of veterans in this transition are looking for those things are struggling. there are organizations trying to provide all of the stability. host: that is brennan mullaney who served in iraq. also joined by ashley nicolas who served in afghanistan to give you a look in the life of a military person not only in active duty but transitioning. orlando in colorado. caller: good morning. yeah i'll have to bear with me. i have short-term memory loss. , i was with the first airborne division. -- i didn't 9.5 months in the jungles of vietnam. our mission is basically where

to go and, search and destroy and whenever there was an emergency and we had a bunch of choppers down somewhere, they dropped is in their -- there. we went through quite a bit of -- what happens after we get back from vietnam? people are flipping us off. nobody spit in my face or i would have decked them. now, they treat me like -- i waited one year and two months for an appointment one time. the only reason they did that, a couple of reasons was being -- i would argue with them. said, they quit giving me

travel pay because they said there was a glitch in the system. saying i chose that is he a split -- the v.a. specifically and i tried to drive that far. host: thank you for telling us your story. guest 2: a lot of challenges we face with his v.a., a large with aation and people lot of needs. we have seen improvements. care has been largely positive. one of the bigger challenges, one of the biggest is met the shores of the v.a. is inclusive and address needs like the caller had. a long way org you feel like you're not a valued member. that is something women face a lot, it's a male driven organization and women do not always feel like they belong or assumed they do not. certainly, we are going to face

challenges in addressing multi-generations and why varying needs. it is something we will have to keep an eye out and address. guest 1: i think it is, the point i would like to address is the climate of the veteran came back to. our generation has came back to welcoming public and has been able to decouple the conflict and the politics with the service of the individual or the service member. we have been fortunate and i know the vietnam generation was not as fortunate. one we arend that, getting better at that. it is needed. in a country as how we welcomed our generation of the enough veterans was wrong. i hope it would never happen again. the more interesting point is the way the vietnam generation has welcomed us as veterans home.

they have been the was advocating for veterans issues for so long. they have said, no, this will not happen again. i cannot beteran, more thankful to the vietnam veteran and grateful for what they have done in shaping the space. host: i am sure when you are back home in your civilian life, you hear the phrase "thank you for your service." what goes through your mind? guest 2: it can sometimes be at loaded statement. you will be hard-pressed to find does not enjoy the sit there. sometimes, it can be seen as an empty statement. for an action. i appreciate you thanking me for service a but follow-up. start the conversation, ask me about my experience. go to an event. go to vietnam veterans memorial

and ask questions. ask for stories. those are the ways you can show gratitude. be involved. that goes a lot further. sometimes it can be an empty statement if it is not followed up. guest 1: i would agree. it is a start. i'm personally very uncomfortable when people say thank you, i am not sure how to respond. there's a lot of great things and experiences i have had. i am very proud of it. it is the start of a conversation. thank you for your service, followed by what did you do? what are you doing now? how can i help you? the knowledge i am a veteran, but having transitioned into the local community, i'm facing a lack of the same things you are. who am i going to vote for, the election went past. where my kids are going to go school. what my next job is going to be. to be involved in a veterans life is a powerful thing.

it validates of their service, hey, the best way to thank him is to welcome him back. the organization i work for is a fact has a medium. we bring veterans and civilians together over simple activities and to build those relationships. that is a very human thing. we all need that. whether transitioning from war or going to rely. relationships are really the glue that keeps it together. host: have you ever been criticized for your service? guest 2: i do not think so. it is a lesson although vietnam generation. i will get comments that are policy questions. you will hear, we love the troops or preshow what you did, but we do not agree with what is going on. aat can be the start of conversation. among the veteran population, there is a nuanced understanding of what we participated in.

be prepared to get answers you do not necessarily expect. guest 1: i do not think i've been criticized but misunderstood, probably at better characterization. i had of the opportunity to grasp all after the army. i was in a fantastic program and i was amazed at the many my colleagues who would going on to be decision-makers and will never spoke one on one to a veteran who served in iraq or afghanistan. it was amazing. all of my friends, as i go through my iphone, 90% of them served. a different thing, it is so important to have those conversations. if you do not have a service your life, brother, whoever, seek someone out and have a conversation and learn. ask them about their service and what they did. the same questions you are asking us, these are important things for people to know.

sort of brigid that divide between our military and civilian community. guest 2: do not be afraid to ask. arele of never served scared to ask the questions because a day do not know if they are asking something offensive or difficult to talk about. to start a willing conversation, it is never going to change. host: let's go to john. he is in louisiana. good morning. caller: 50 years ago, i started my air service career. i was a pilot and flew for delta airlines. you mentioned people come of assaying me for my service and my response is i was blessed by god with the abilities to become a pilot. it is my honor to have been selected to do that. am in northwest louisiana neared airport and i am close to it. whenever i go to the base and the man or woman checked my id,

havenk them for what they started to do. something i did for 28 years and i wish them well in their career. i hope they stay. the way i feltn in the 20th years i spent. i served in combat from vietnam to desert storm and everything in between. i try to encourage young people to look the military. i think it is a wonderful thing they can do for their country. it makes my heart feel good to see these young people serving. they are every bit as good as i was when i started. i hope they continue forward and serve the country. i am active in several organizations were we go to high schools, the rotc in the area. we have a huge military retiree population in this part of the state. we always try to go out and encourage others to follow in our footsteps whether one tour

or spent a career. it is service to their country. host: gotcha, john. we are running a little short on time. guest 2: absolutely. after i left uniform, i became a high school teacher. i was always encouraging of my students to consider the military. there are very few ways to start your life that will give you such a great set of values and the lessons and support you in a way that sets you up to be successful forever. said, one term or 35 years, it will be valuable. it is something that should still be considered. guest 1: my military experience was phenomenal. i learned things, met people and learned lessons and expresses i rely on today. i was a 22-year-old platoon leader responsible for 30 soldiers. there is not leadership like that in in other organization in this country.

is important for people to consider service -- if service is right for them. and it is in for people serve to provide them with the ability to ask questions asked the us out in our communities serving. like the call mentioned with the vfw. my organization in the d.c. area, we are going to read in elementary schools today. i'm going to all project, which is another phenomenal organization. andjust any veterans service a uniform but making the transition and still being leaders in their church, their kids' school, coaching, teaching. these are the important things and that will shape our future generation's view of service. host: bill from pennsylvania. caller: thank you so much for having me on. i served in vietnam, 1968, 1969.

overtake. operation i was there for 15 months. i was very proud to do my duty and i was very lucky. and the lord was with me. what waseally realized going on until i got back to oakland, california and we were met by thousands of people with eggs, throwing rocks, bananas. we were treated to terrible the first 20 minutes i set foot on american soil. and the same thing with the job market. when i got home, i put everything away and forgot about my military service of 440 something years. then i started to become deal. went to my local doctors and i

already had information on agent orange. -- and then i started to become ill. i asked about agent orange and they shrugged their shoulders. we know nothing about agent orange. they treated me like a regular patient. host: thank you so much. the first 20 minutes i was in the u.s., we were greeted by is in no veterans. those lessons that were learned. -- we were graded -- greeted by vietnam veterans. those people were treated so terribly and they make sure it is not like that for current generations. i am so grateful for what they have done. guest 1: it is beyond the welcome and the health care providing to our veterans. agent orange, which was one of the elements on the vietnam conflict we knew nothing about. you juxtapose of with today's conflict and our knowledge of

traumatic brain injury and posttraumatic stress. aribale bit of lag in his holistic league we are in a position where we know a lot holistically winter position where we know more and provide appropriate care. learned hope we have our tough lessons from vietnam and we do not have to learn again. host: you mentioned transition. what there something that took you by surprise? or was it a difficult? guest 2: i think you missed the camaraderie. thatse of shared mission you are custom is surrounded by people of that share the same ideas and values and mindset. uniform, you lose that a little bit. for me, i became an educator. i had a sense of mission and surrounded by people doing the same. if it takes you lose that support.

you lose that feeling of being part of a team all the time. it can be jarring. guest 1: i had somebody tell me when you enter the military, with your team a uniform, eua cup compass things you never thought was possible. when you leave, they take them away. -- your team and uniform, you accomplish things you never thought was possible. you lose that team. , what on wherever you are ever community, whether a month after, a year after, you start to miss that. maybe that is an important point. finite.on is not not the day i took uniform off and put on a suit or whatever. it happens over a prolonged period of time. for some, it is years and years. for me, it is still happening. i left years ago and i am still thinking about what my life ahead is going to look like.

these are very humid things. knowingsome consolation some of the struggles or things i'm challenged with, my neighbor has been through. host: when you went to go looking for jobs, what happens when the potential employer sees that line of your service? guest 1: i think it is a changing sort of discussion. a lot of people see that essay it is great, you are a veteran insert. a lot do not know what that means or translates into. get it translated from the military jargon into normal, civilian resume speech can be difficult. from what i can tell, a number of employers who welcome that. is it an advantage while jobhunting? guest 2: it can be. if you could describe your services and and access to that ploy or and understand, it can

be to a great advantage. there is a challenge in making sure you were able to translate that jargon as speaking the language the employer understands. guest 1: just say you were a mechanic in the military, that may not be what you are in civilian. working under the rest and teens and solving problems, those are what you want to highlight. host: arthur from virginia, good morning. caller: good morning. thank you for taking my call. host: go ahead. caller: a little background. 20 years in the army. 70 years on the -- seven years lookingeel look -- hill at the v.a. issues. a couple of thoughts on transitioning. i had the opportunity to travel to the v.a.. i look at the v.a. budget. year,$182 billion this

this coming year. a huge growth that was $90 billion when i came to the hill in 1995. there is now 325,000 people working. it is not a money issue. both your guests have a great perspective. i got to talk to a lot of people on a trips to afghanistan and iraq. i think we need to take care of arthur verrilli wounded soldiers and every body, ptsd and the issues and we do not address those correctly. i do not think the military addresses tbi. i interviewed someone it in iraq, a national guardsman, he allegedly had been, he had been 07 different tors and was in 4 different ied's pre-we need to look at the symptoms. i am stepping back a little bit.

president-elect, i would hope that his cabinet selections that he picks some veterans. to be the new secretary of the v.a. secretaries i had where secretary peaks. it offers a unique perspective on what needs to be done. the procurement issues in the v.a. in the job opportunities needed to be explored and worked on. said there wass tremendous opportunity. i think it is. host: we will leave it there. i am sorry. guest 2: the tremendous opportunity that exists when you leave uniform, a lot and the nonprofit around. organizations outside of the the a to help the -- of the v.a. to have the transition. one of the may at first is to translate -- one of the main

aspects is to help translate the jargon and make it an asset. there are organizations that exists inside of the v.a. and outside. guest 1: the caller talked about the jump of the v.a.'s budget and as the manifestation that the full effects of the conflict are not seen until 40 years later. largely taking care of our vietnam veterans and there are still going to be over time and will see the different elements of our iraq and afghanistan veterans. something to be pretty too. point, whether the head of the v.a. or on the hill, whitney veterans to step up. -- we need of interest to step up. we needed them to be leaders. your service is now where it ends. i would encourage veterans to

find ways to serve this country. mentioned ptsd issues. there is an op ed by mark jackson. he writes about what it means to be a veteran. he says -- does it reflect your experiences considering what you did? guest 1: not to mind. that is the point. veterans are all different. our lives are going to be different. have been because i deployed and i have seen combat and been with these weapons, the fireworks on the fourth of july would cause me to put the sign that of veteran lives here, it is not true. does it mean there is not another veteran that experiences

this? obviously, it does. when we start painting with these broad brush strokes, we are doing all of us a disservice. we are people. serve people who chose to this country. our experiences will be different. west 2: it is dangerous when paint the broad strokes about what service and maintenance. being deployed is not the only servicemembers. or theplane mechanic sailor on the ship is serving legitimate as anybody on the front lines. that service look different and have different consequences. we get into a dangerous area where their service is painted as less than that what somebody did on the combat zone. host: david. go ahead. caller: top of the morning. i have a couple of things. one is, exception of the

gentleman about we learned from our mistakes. from agent orange. burningiraq, we had tips that have affected our soldiers that we have not addressed. the other thing i would like to .ring up is the general his name was butler. honor thatmedals of everybody in the service and everybody thinking of going to disservice should think. it will tell you exactly what we are doing over 4 wars. thank you very much. have a good day. host: one more call. good morning. caller: good morning. love your show. militarypoint is

misdiagnosis. i was diagnosed with one disease . all of the doctors, everybody out of the v.a., including the v.a. said they misdiagnosed but they rejected my claims. ofsecond point is, the theft the v.a. stole $400,000. were not prosecuted. veterans put to their kidney on the table. host: thank you, caller. anything from those calls? guest 1: i will clarify my previous comment. i do not know for we completely, but i hope we have. if we stop learning, we are doing ourselves a disservice. v.a. a lot about the of times. i am not a user of the a care so -- v.a. care so i cannot speak.

one, the challenges that the v.a. are dealing with is incredibly complicated. if they were easy, they would have been solved. nuance, itracy, the is not a very easy. in my professional capacity with the team at the central office. i have seen things change in the past few years. i know people go to work there every day are committed to veterans and making the change. if people have grievances, have them -- the v.a. wants to improve. guest 2: my experience with the v.a. has been positive. the providers of the v.a. and people who work, the day-to-day work with veterans are dedicated civil servants that value and want to do good. i think a lot of times, the flashy headlines and the failures are what get attention. it takes away from the fact with

a lot of civilians and veterans working in the v.a. trying to do good and being successful everyday. a sense of the life of military person in active duty and outside of it and civilian life. ashley nicolas who served in afghanistan. tell us about your organization. guest 2: i am a law student at georgetown area a member of the pat tillman foundation. it was established to honor the legacy of pat tillman by his andly and enable veterans military spouses to pursue education after their service to continue to change the world. who: and brennan mullaney served in iraq with the team red, white, and blue. regionali serve as a director 14 red, white, and blue to enrich the lives of veterans through physical and social

activity. we have hundreds of chapters across the country breaking the veterans and their civilian communities over positive events. and getting to know each other and building relationships. you can learn more about us at -- host: announcer: coming up in a few minutes, we will take you to arlington national cemetery where for the final time as commander-in-chief, president obama will lay a wreath at the tomb of the unknown soldier and speak to the gathered crowd live on c-span per -- c-span. this is from politico, howard dean who announced to run to head the democratic party saying representative keith ellison cannot serve in congress and cheer the democratic national convention. in an interview today, former hisrnor dean restate

interest in chairing the dna is saying "i am interested in the chairmanship." and he tweeted the organization need to focus on a 50 state strategy. minority -- senate members of congress also tweeting their activities on veterans day. kittingern bob sweeting -- -- tweeting -- and from a veteran and nebraska and senator, saying -- he also posted a video. exceptionalism is rooted in the ideas that government exists to secure our god-given right. we do not exist to serve

government. government exists to serve the people. america's best have dedicated themselves to the defense of that precious idea. have an of us obligation to pass the inheritance of freedom to the next generation, it is our veterans who have given the most of themselves. sacrifice and the sacrifice of their family -- we [inaudible]enduring on this day, we thank our veterans for their service. thank you. ♪ announcer: we take you live to

arlington national cemetery at the center of your screen is defense secretary ashton carter. president obama will arrive in lay a wreath at the tomb of the unknown soldier for the final time to honor the men and women who have served. the ceremony began as pharmacist day to mark the end of world war i. more than 116,000 americans died in the great war. after the wreath laying ceremony, the president will walk over to the amphitheater where the crowd is gathered and they will hear him speak all live here on c-span.

>> ladies and gentlemen, president obama has arrived and is being greeted by the host, the honorable robert a mcdonald. director,k, executive or me national -- or me national cemetery. swan.berts want -- robert and commanding general of united states army.

>> ♪ playing] anthem

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thine alabaster cities gleam undimmed by human tears america! america! god shed his grace on thee and crown thy good with brotherhood from sea to shining sea! america!

america! america! ♪ [applause]

>> ladies and gentlemen, please rise for the rise of the official party. pleaseand gentlemen, welcome the commanding general of the united states military district of washington. [applause] mr. patrick j hallinan. [applause] wan.robert s american legion of polish veterans. [applause] mcdonald, secretary of veterans affairs.

[applause] ♪ >> ladies, the president of the united states. [applause] >> please remain standing for nation'ssion of our colors. as we march on the colors, the navy band will play the national emblem march.

please place her hand over your heart or render a hand salute. [playing "national emblem march"]

please remain standing for the prayer for all veterans.

, almighty and eternal god, who gives us the freedoms we enjoy in this great nation. come visit us in this most sacred garden of where many of our veterans have gathered and many of our veterans and nation's heroes rest. so our hearts with thankfulness for our veterans who answered the call to defend the honor and just causes of our nation. we thank you for their patriotism, their devotion to liberty and justice, human dignity and rights, compassion and self giving. we thank you for their diversity and unity and mission. let all who would beget war reach out and compassion to those who must remember, made

the nightmare of all wars cease so healing can take place. may each american find a reason to love, not hate, and strength to build than to destroy. her new our sense of unity, give us hope, faith, the joyous spirit of celebration of our veterans and their families. bless us now with your presence. in the name of our god, who challenges us to care a men. >> i would like to invite mr. robert swan to lead us in our pledge of allegiance.

>> i pledge allegiance to the flag of the united states of forica and to the republic which it stands, one nation, under god, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> please be seated. it is my distinct pleasure to introduce the meant -- the members of the veterans day in national committee. it was formed in 1954 to plan this observance in honor of america's veterans and to support veterans day observances throughout the nation. please hold your applause until high -- until i have introduced the guests. swan. stevens.

angel. david, chief executive officer. john roe when, president, vietnam veterans of america. -- veterans ofl america. brian duffy, commander in chief, veterans of foreign wars of the united states. harold chapman, national commander. dale stamper, national president, blinded veterans us is nation. richard gore senior, national commandant.

larson, national president, fleet reserve association. rinaldo, national commander. valor, united states of america. donald youngblood, national commander, army and navy union john, executive director. noncommissioned officers association. douglas bolt, national vice commander, the american legion. david riley, national commander, disabled american veterans. .ike plummer clay junior. john adams, national president.

herschel, national commander, military order of the purple heart. national president, military officers association of america. of theociated members khamenei are located in the boxes to my left. ask them to be stand -- to stand and be recognized. please recognize them with your applause. [applause] it is my pleasure to introduce our veteran organization host for 2016.

polish legion veterans of america, usa. in his honor to serve as the host organization for the 2016 veterans day national observance at arlington national cemetery. it was founded after the end of firstwar i, holding its convention in 1920 one. today, they celebrate over 95 years of providing assistance to veterans and their families. it was chartered by congress and represents over 3 million veteran americans of polish the scent who have served in all wars and conflicts of the united states since its inception. with knowledgeable and train in washingtonrs dc. they continue to provide assistance to deserving veterans and their families. with post chapters around the country.

veteran and ladies auxiliary volunteers donate and less hours of service and help in v.a. medical centers, providing aid and support to hospitalized heroes. they also have scholarships available at the national as well as state-level departments, providing financial aid to qualified students. they are represented today by their national commander. welcome mr. robert swan. welcome, mr. president, mr. secretary, veterans, friends, all of you gathered here today. it is a great honor i am able to speak to you on this special day. it marks the 95th anniversary of the polish legion of american

veterans. congress unanimously voted to declare -- an honorary united citizens. signed publica which proclaimed him the seventh in history to receive this honor. we would like to recognize contribution -- contribution of all men and women that was provided while they were on active duty. it helps many veterans in need at the v.a. hospitals and homes and individual families in need. thevalues gained in military offers many a pathway to success. friend, we know

what they go through while serving and we know how hard it was when our service members return home. we are interested in helping in many ways. -- v.a. hospitals and homes are always in need of support. the organization's that are declining, i am pleased to see younger veterans are newer,oining or creating more specific organizations, where they are able to continue to help our veterans. now, may we salute our military servicemembers and their family that made that ultimate sacrifice. thank you for the honor of speaking to you today. [applause]

mr. cornish: please welcome the honorable ronald mcdonald, secretary of veterans affairs. [applause] savinghe last scene of private ryan, he kneels in front of captain miller's grave. he gave his life in combat to save private ryan. miller, i have tried to live my life the best i could. i hope, in your eyes, i have earned what all of you have done for me. i am a veteran. arlington, io imagine myself saying that to every veteran resting here.

in your eyes, i have earned what all of you have done for me. to kneel at any one of these markers and repeat ryan's words. to ask if ido well am earning this. 17 years ago, president obama made a vow to veterans area america will not let you down, he said. we will take care of our own. then, he fulfilled that vow. president obama and congress provided the largest single year the a budget increase in over three decades, his very first year. [applause]

he supported presumptive conditions for veterans exposed to agent orange. today, there are nearly 1.2 million more veterans receiving some type of v.a. care and services. [applause] one point 2 million more veterans are enrolled for v.a. health care. receiveion more disability compensation. half a million more have v.a. home loans. a 76% increase in veterans receiving benefits. benefits inhomeless

half since 2010. unemployment has dropped. [applause] has dropped by over half in the last five years. unemployment for post-9/11 veterans has dropped by 70%. america will not let you down, the president said. we will take care of our own. he stood by that commitment year after year after year. and for good reason. cory remsburg when president obama introduced him during the 2014 state of the union address. the president met corey 4.5 years earlier in france. one of the elite rangers who parachuted into commemorate the d-day landings.

afghanistanurned to for his 10th tour. the president next saw corey in a hospital bed in bethesda naval. he had been wounded by a 50 pound roadside bomb outside of --. corey could not speak. he could barely move. he gave the president a thumbs up. later, when the president and i traveled to phoenix, president obama quietly took a detour. he needed to see corey. corey had made miraculous progress. this time, with help, corey , and said what you would expect. rangers lead the way, sir.

the academy of the rare combination of qualities that characterizes the best among us. duty,ed sense of courage, plain, american grit. president obama admires that in corey. he admires it in all american veterans. it is why he loves them. ladies and gentlemen, honored the commander-in-chief and the 44th president of the united states, barack obama. [applause] [cheers] pres. obama: thank you. thank you so much. thank you. thank you very much.

thank you so much. thank you. thank you very much. please. thank you. thank you. thank you. mcdonald, distinguished guests, most of all, our extraordinary veterans and your families. the last time i still on these hallowed grounds on memorial day, our country came to together to honor those who had fought and died for us. a few days before, our nation observed armed forces day. honoring all who are serving under that flag at this moment. day, we honorrans those who honored our country

with its highest form of service. you, who once wore the uniform marines,my, air force, or coast guard. we owe you our thanks. weowe you our respect and owe you our freedom. to profess ourr profound gratitude for the sacrifices and contributions you and your family made on the , and ateld, at home outposts around the world. ourica's gratitude towards veterans is always grounded in something greater than what you did on duty. appreciation of the example that you continue to set after your service has ended.

your example as citizens. often follows a hard-fought political campaign. an exercise in free speech and self-government you fought for. bare disagreements across our nation. the american instinct has never to find isolation in opposite corners. it is to find a strength in common creed. to forge unity from our great diversity. sustain strength and unity, even when it is hard. over,en the election is we search for raise -- we search for ways to come together, to reconnect with one another, with the principles that are more enduring and transitory politics , some of our best examples are

the men and women we salute on veterans day. of young example americans, our 9/11 generation, into first responders win -- and then ran to a recruiting center and signed up to serve. the example of a military -- all getting each other's backs. it is the example of the single most diverse institution in our country. airmen, whoilors, represent every corner of our country, every shade of humanity. immigrant and nativeborn. christian, muslim, jew, nonbeliever alike. all forged in the common service.

that is the example of our veterans. patriots, who when they take off on theatigues, put back camouflage of everyday life in america and become our business partners and bosses, teachers, , citys, first responders councilmember's, community all stillole models, serving this country with the same sense of duty and with valor. a few years ago, a middle school student entered an essay contest about why veterans are special. this is what he wrote. when i think of a veteran, i think of men or women who will be the first to help an elderly lady across the street. i think of someone who will defend everyone, regardless of their race, age, gender, hair

color, or other discriminations. office, it years in appreciate he included haircolor. that middle school or is right. our veterans are still the first to help, still the first to serve. like thewomen, or retired military policewoman who founded an american veterans post and is building a safe place for homeless female veterans would children. [applause] they are men like the two veterans from tennessee, one in his 50's, one in his 60's, who wrote me to say they would suit up and ship out if we needed them. we might be a little old, they

wrote, but we will be proud to go and do what we were taught to do. whenever the world makes you trueal, whenever you seek humility and selflessness, look to a veteran. irving lerner. he was born in chicago to russian immigrants during world war i. he served as a bombardier in the air corps, flying dozens of missions towards the end of world war ii. he returned home, he did what a lot of veterans do. and kepts medals away humble about his service, started living a quiet life. day, walking on chicago's north side, a stranger stopped him and said thank you for your service, and handed him a ticket to see the cubs play in the world series.

[applause] it is a good thing he took that ticket. it would be a while until his next chance. keywords worked hard, managing warehouses for his brother-in-law's tire company. he got married to a sergeant. he raised four children, the oldest of whom is celebrating her 71st birthday today. morning, -- called to check in. we can't talk, she said, your father is being honored and we are late. carol asked, honored for what. came, for his heroism in the skies above normandy exactly 50 years earlier.

his children never knew they flew over the french beachheads. he never mentioned it. now they call a check in and say thank you for saving the world. , sharp as ever always replies, well, i had a little help. whenever the world makes you cynical, whenever you doubt the courage and goodness and selflessness as possible, stop and look to a veteran. they don't always tell stories of their heroism. ask, to to us to listen, to tell those stories for them. values for which they were prepared to give theirs. it is up to estimate sure they get the care they need.

when i announced my candidacy for this office almost a decade ago, i recommitted this generation to that work. we have increased funding by more than 85%. more veterans have access to health care and fewer are unemployed. , weelp disabled veterans are delivering more mental health care services because we know not all wounds of war are visible. together, we began this. together, we must continue to keep that sacred trust with our veterans and honor their good work with our own, knowing that our mission is never done. is still a tragedy 20 veterans a day take their own lives. helpve to get them the

they need. we have to solve problems like long wait times at the v.a. privatizingesist the health care we owe america's veterans. [applause] on veterans day, we acknowledge that we could never serve them quite the same way they served us. but we can try. we can practice kindness, pay it forward, we can volunteer, we can serve. we can respect one another. we can always get each other's backs. that is what veterans day asks us to think about. the person you pass as you walk down the street might not be wearing our nation's uniform today. , asider for a moment

generation ago, he or she might have been one of our fellow citizens who was willing to lay down their life for strangers like us. we can show how much we love our country by loving our neighbors by loving ourselves. serve andall who still do. god bless the united states of america. applause]d >> please remain standing and

joined the band in singing god bless america. ♪ while the storm clouds gather far across the sea let us swear allegiance to a land that's free let us all be grateful for a land so fair as we raise our voices in a solemn prayer

god bless america land that i love stand beside her and guide her thru the night with a light from above from the mountains to the prairies to the oceans white with foam my home sweet home

god bless america my home sweet home ♪ [applause] >> ladies and gentlemen, please remain standing as we retire the colors. retire the colors. [playing "national emblem march"]

> this concludes the 2016 national veterans day observance. please be seated for the departure of the president of the united states. thank you for joining us as we celebrate and honor all who served. [applause] ♪

[cheers and applause] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2016] [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. visit ncicap.org]

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