be >> is and gentlemen, at more mullen. -- ladies and gentlemen, admiral mullen. >> mr.s, secretary shen said he and members of congress, distinguished guests, of veterans, fellow americans, and most especially, families of our fallen warriors. , welcome. if it is true that a nation defines itself by those it honors, then on this day and in this place let it be known that america still defines itself as the most noble of nations. we have been represented and we have been defended and we have been made free, not solely by the mayor's strength of our ideals, but by the courage of young men and women who have been willing to die to preserve those ideals. soldiers in battle will tell you and they will mean that that they fight primarily for each other, that they are driven forward under fire by an earnest desire not to let each other down. they would not have been placed in that horror and they would not have been so ready to sacrifice themselves or enough for a deeper love of country, a fondness for home, and a heart beating with ardor for the lives and livelihood of their

we talked to admiral mike mullen earlier, the chairman of the joint chiefs., so good. and each day, they're getting better, as well. they're taking -- they're realizing all the men and women coming home that are injured, mentally and physically. and they're really looking forwards the mental part now to. because everyone sees the physical disabilities, but no one ever sees the inside scars and the hidden scars we come home and carry with us. >> ptsd? >> and traumatic brain injuries. >> chad, you've seen in the nfl, obviously, discipline and hard work. what do these warriors -- what kind of a glimpse did you get into the military discipline and hard work of these people you were climbing with? >> just how much absolute courage they had, to get to the top. nancy was walking without any depth perception. brian wagner, who was walking as a lower leg amputee, he had to dig so deep to get to the top of the mountain. and then once we got to the top, we were only halfway, and he had to come down, and walking down on his stump, on his prosthetic leg, was excruciating.

in 20 minutes we will hear from joint chiefs mike mullen, robert gates. looking at the intrepid air and sea. 100 foot american flags. new york mets general manager vietnam veteran will place the memorial wreath in the hudson river >> just this past hour, martin dempsey nominated to be the next chief of staff. he served two tours in iraq and is the highest ranking army officer. he would replace mike mullen who retires on october 1st. >>> sarah palin's east coast bus tour takes her to mt. vernon and gettysburg. she revved up as they took part in an annual motorcycle ride saturday. she remains cryptic about her plans. >> best tour is to remind americans about our foundation, our constitution and historical sites that should be a reminder every day to every american how important it is to stand strong our our foundation. >> they are spending their memorial day cleaning up after a tremendous thunderstorm. 75-mile-per-hour winds brought down trees and cut electricity to 100,000 customers. >> our sign blew off above us. a lady is freeinging out, screaming. our m

in the news secretary of state hillary clinton and admiral mike mullen are in pakistan working to soothe relations ruffled by the way osama bin laden was taken down last month. clinton urged them to renew security interests or risk losing billions in aid from washington. meantime the cia searched bin laden's compound today for the first time. >>> congress and president obama extended portions of the patriot act set to expire last night at midnight. president obama who is in france used an auto pen to sign the four-year extension which gives the government broad powers to spy on terror suspects. >>> an air traffic controller and a pilot are hailed as heroes for a dramatic mid-air save over colorado. a private pilot became incapacitated forcing his wife to fly the plane. tom costello has more. tom? >> reporter: ann, good morning. the plane is not pressurized so

he will be replacing admiral mullen.en. >> theirs was the ultimate sacrifice. every man and woman who wears an american uniform is prepared to make it so that we can live a free. the men and women of our armed forces are the best that our nation has to offer. they deserve nothing but our best in return. that includes leaders that will guide them in support to their families with wisdom and strength in compassion. that is what i expect as commander in chief as we work to keep our nation secure and our military the finest in the world. i announced last month leonora -- leon panetta as our defense secretary who will replace bob gates, who joins us today. i found a leader that will complete our team at the pentagon. i am proud to announce him today as chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, the vice chairman, and to succeed in general dempsey as chief of staff of the army, general ray odierno. this is important to me and my national security defense team. i have been very grateful of the leadership of the admiral mike mullen

general cartwright's term ends this summer, admiral mullen's term ends this fall.for their successors today because it's essential this transition be seamless and that we stay focused on the urgent national security challenges before us. and i want to thank the secretary of defense bill lynn for the continuity i'll provide in this transition. with nearly 40 years in uniform, martin dempsey is one of our nation's most respected and combat-tested generals. in iraq he led our soldiers against a brutal insurgency, having trained iraqi forces, he knows the nation's must ultimately take responsibility for their own security, having served as acting commander of central command, he understands that in iraq and afghanistan, security gains and political progress must go hand in hand. and just as he challenged the army to embrace new doctrine and tactics, i expect him to push all our forces to continue adapting and innovating to be ready for the missions of today and tomorrow. i was proud to nominate marty as army chief of staff, and i realized he only assumed that position

. >> i want to -- admiral mike mullen, who, as you know, the outgoing chairman of the joint chiefs ofommencement address at west point last weekend. i want to play you a bit of what he had to say. >> i fear they do not know us. i fear they do not comprehend the full weight of the burden we carry or the price we pay when we return from battle. this is important, because a people uninformed about what they are asking the military to endure is a people inevitably unable to fully grasp the scope of the responsibilities our constitution levees upon them >> this is a frequent theme of admiral mullens, there is a growing disconnect between the bulk of the civilian population and the military. i'm trying to figure out if there is any connection between that and between the fact that at the moment our veterans seem so underserved. >> well, i think admiral mullen's comments are, as we say, spot son. that's a concern of all of ours. that's why he, as well as the white house, is leading this dialogue to connect veterans with the local communities. you know, there's always a tendency to try to do

mullen's this fall.ecause it's essential that this transition be seamless and that we stay focused on the national security challenges before us. i want to thank the secretary of defense bill lynn for the continuity he will provide during this transition. with nearly 40 years in uniform, martin dempsey is one of our nation's most respected and combat tested generals. in iraq he led our soldiers goodness a brutal insurgency. having trained iraqi forces he knows the nations must ultimately take responsibility for their own security. having served as actor commander of central command he understands in iraq and afghanistan political progress and security gains must go hand in hand. just as he challenged the army to embrace new doctrine and tactics, i expect him to push all our forces to continue adapting and innovating to be ready for the missions of today and tomorrow. i was proud to nominate marty as army chief of staff. i realized he only assumed that position last month. marty, your tenure as chief may

adams mullen was important in seting the phone for the military. the other thing is he's the principal advisor to the president onish you ooze like afghanistan and pakistan. finally and perhaps most importantly, you know, in a time when we're cutting defense budgets it's his job to sort of mediate and lead discussions among the chiefs. the chiefs of the army, navy, air force and the commandant of the marine corps and help bring them to a consensus and bring that to the president. i think that's really important when the president is asking the military leader to do something that is relatively unpopular among them which is to make significant cuts. >> brown: joining a team now and it's a largely new team of incoming people at defense. leon panetta in c.i.a., general petraeus. is the chair of the joint chiefs expected to just be a team player, to express his own views? what does history tell us and what do we know of this general? >> well, i think in fact part of the rationale behind tt 1986 gold-water nichols act that refined the role of the chairm

the senate will need to confirm him before he steps up to replace admiral mullen. danielle notingham, cbs news, the white house. >>> will she or won't she? sarah palin keeping everyone guessing about 2012. and whether she will run for president. the former alaska governor kicking off her east coast tour in washington, d.c. this week. palin and her family traveling by bus to all of the historic sites, on their way to the politically critical state of new hampshire, and what she is calling her one nation tour. today, she visited the national archives. home of the u.s. constitution. palin though says the trip is not political. >> this is not a campaign bus. this is a bus to be able to express to america how much we appreciate our foundation, and to invite more people to be interested in all that is good about america. >> palin began her tour yesterday in washington by taking part in the rolling thunder motorcycle ride. to pay tribute to those who died serving their country. >>> some new warnings about toxic chemicals in bay area seafood. the fish that is safest to eat

clinton and joint chiefs chairman admiral mike mullen met with pakistan's president and other officialst the tense session today. it's meant to repaired badly frayed relations after the killing of bin laden in pakistan this month. clinton says the u.s. maintains very strong support for the relationship with pakistan, but clinton and mullen showed pakistan it must show renewed commitment to eradicate safe-haven for militants or usa aid to pakistan could dwindle. >>> the republican presidential field are filling out. mitt romney and michele bachmann are expected to announce their plans next week. and as john hendren reports there are signs of a run from a former governor of alaska. >> sarah palin shows the signs of a second coming. a bus. don't call it a campaign bus. there is the house. newly bought $1.7 million estate in arizona, which just happens to be more accessible for a candidate than alaska. there is the upcoming movie. >> not a single drop of oil. >> then there is this -- >> the fire in the belly, it's there! >> republican voters seem to want new candidates. polls show nearly ha

, -- mike mullen, jim cartwright, today and yesterday would not happen.eadership has an extraordinary. i could not be prouder of them and i am grateful they are part of our team. [applause] i especially want to welcome some of those who fought so bravely 60 years ago. our inspiring korean veterans. korean war veterans who have made the trip here, and i also want to acknowledge those who are welcoming two more american heroes into our ranks, members of the national medal of honor society. thank you so much. [applause] this past november, i paid a visit to south korea, a visit that coincided with the 60th anniversary of the start of the korean war as well as the number 11, a veteran state. and i was privileged to spend part of the day with our troops and with dozens of veterans of the korean war. members of a generation who in words of their moral in washington fought for a country they never knew, a people they never met. it was a generation that included private first class anthony kaho'ohanohano. tony grew up in maui. he learned early that we have a duty

we'll get reaction from joint chief chairman admiral mullen and ask him about the state of tloops on this memorial day. paying respects. president obama mourns with tornado survivors in missouri telling americans will be with them every step of their recovery. we'll go live to joplin for the latest one week after the disaster that took more than 130 lives. >> and on the road, sarah palin joins the rolling thunder motorcycle rally in washington. kick starting a road tour of key political states. is she closer to joining the presidential race? we'll tell you early this monday morning, memorial day, may 30th, 2011. >>> good morning to you everyone. on this 30th of may, it is memorial day. i'm jeff glor. >> it is memorial day. we remember all of those who served. i'm rebecca jarvis. erica and jeff are off. >> we honor our forces. american troops are active in three different battle zones, in iraq, in afghanistan, and also with the nato air offensive against libya. >> there are currently 46,000 u.s. troops in iraq, 100,000 in afghanistan, 4454 american troops have been killed in iraq, the

first off, a remarkable plea from the head of the joint chiefs of staff, admiral mike mullen. he just came out and said, please, for the love of pete, please stop talking about the raid that killed bin laden. he said government officials are jeopardizing valuable national secrets, risking valuable tools in the fight against terror. i want to go to chris at the pebt gone. it sounds as if the brass over there is seriously worried and none too happy. >> yeah, brooke. it stopped just short of basically saying shut up. really the key is not so much what happened in this raid, but they seemed very, very concerned about the next raid and the one after that and that those kind of raids are going to be much riskier with how much information is now out there. >> we have from my perspective gotten to a point where we are close to jeopardizing this precious capability that we h e have, and we can't afford to o do that. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com this this fight isn't over. when you extend that to the military and their families, from my perspective, it is time to stop talking,

it is one hour 9 minutes. >> admiral michael mullen is here for the fifth consecutive year. thank you for being here. it is early, earlier than we normally start. so a double thank you for this. i was thinking that we could view this as good practice for tomorrow and we have to give up even earlier for the royal wedding. [laughter] we may not offer as much glamour as their royal wedding, but i am sure we will have a lot of interesting substance to deliver here today thank you to admiral mullen be here. admiral mullen has been here serving your country for 40 years, from the naval academy in 1968 and going off to fight in the vietnam war. he has been the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff for about three and a half years. before that, he was the chief of naval operations. he has served as the very top of our nation's military leadership under two presidents, democrat and republican alike. that says something about how they view him as being a straight shooter and a very talented man. it has also been a time -- a decade of continuing war, and endless war. he has had the job

every 150 miles or so to make it to this event this year secretary robert gates and admiral mike mullen will be addressing the crowd here. the crowd going on behind me. speaking. a lot of people gathering to hear their message. fredricka? >> many times it sounds like many of those who have their roots in the military are there and then this year we see some potential candidates on the national platform. that of sarah palin who's also there. give us an idea how she and others might be participating. >> well, fred, i can tell you that the former alaska governor and possible presidential contender is here. she road in with the group on the back of a motorcycle. we asked her about this, if she's politicizing the event. >> i'm here to support our vets. we're making sure americans don't forget it's our vets we owe our lives to. i'm an american. i have no title. no office. to be an american to be out here free to assemble and thank our veterans, i can't tell you how honored i am. >> what about the bus tour. >> the bus tour is to get out there and remind americans about our foundation and the h

after that the president took part at memorial amplitheater along with mike mullen and defense secretary robert gates. mr. obama urged americans to honor troops sacrificed. >> that is what we memorialize today. that spirit that says send me, no matter what the mission, send me no matter the risk. send me no matter how great the sacrifice i'm called to make. >> here in the bay area, communities are paying tribute to our veterans. walnut creek is remembering fallen soldiers. >> good morning, the service behind me is one of many happening throughout the bay area, like you said, is zbeind not only to honor the men and women that are serving but those that are currently go missing. >> music and a presentation of colors started the memorial day service not only designed to recognize those that have decided for service to their country but also those that remain missing. >> since 2010 on and with a change of congressional mandate for our0's we are now actively pursuing. that is approximately --. >> the majority of missing soldiers served do you recall world war ii. there are 8003 soldiers missi

army general martin dempsey will replace admiral mike mullen as the chairman of the joint chiefs. a director leon panetta replaces robert gates as defense secretary and david patreaus in charge of the afghanistan war effort will take over at the t. casey anthony is accused of murdering her 2-year-old daughter, caylee. >>> memorial day is supposed to kick off the unofficial start to summer -- tell it to fresno where snow was falling yesterday. the cold weather -- yeah, interfered just a little bit with driving yesterday. it is 32 minutes past the hour. now time for more weather. here's what's happening outside of your window. >>> this morning, the justice department may be ready to file charges against former senator john edwards for allegedly using campaign money to hide his mistress. cbs news political correspondent jan crawford is in washington with more on this for us. jan, good morning. >>> good morning, chris. it's been a two-year investigation and now the federal prosecutor could charge edwards this week with violating federal campaign laws when he ran for president in 2008.

after that the president took part at memorial amplitheater along with mike mullen and defense secretary robert gates. mr. obama urged americans to honor troops sacrificed. >> that is what we memorialize today. that spirit that says send me, no matter what the mission, send me no matter the risk. send me no matter how great the sacrifice i'm called to make. >> here in the bay area, communities are paying tribute to our veterans. walnut creek is remembering fallen soldiers. >> good morning, the service behind me is one of many happening throughout the bay area, like you said, is zbeind not only to honor the men and women that are serving but those that are currently go missing. >> music and a presentation of colors started the memorial day service not only designed to recognize those that have decided for service to their country but also those that remain missing. >> since 2010 on and with a change of congressional mandate for our0's we are now actively pursuing. that is approximately --. >> the majority of missing soldiers served do you recall world war ii. there are 8003 soldiers missi

he's expected to nominate the chairman of joint chiefs of staff replacing admiral mike mullen. >>> andhe national memorial day parade will proceed past the white house to honor those who have died in military duty. astronaut buzz aldrin will be in attendance. >>> on this day in 1922, the lincoln memorial was dedicate in a ceremony attended by president harding and his only surviving son. >>> you can stay on top of those and other developments as they break on msnbc. watch brian williams with the "nbc nightly news." >>> the latest in the casey anthony murder case, including text messages that prosecutors say prove she set out to kill her daughter. >>> and on this memorial day, meet a military widow who has found a unique way to honor the loved ones she and other women have lost to war. and now keep it on this channel for continuing local news, weather, sports, and more. i'm lynn berry. thanks for watching "early today," just your first stop of the day, today on your nbc station. have a wonderful memorial day. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com

it will be the final day of active duty for admiral mike mullen.poke with admiral mike mullen earlier this morning. good morning, admiral. thanks for joining us. >> good morning, george. good to be with you. >> i imagine this must be especially meaningful for you. >> every memorial day is meaningful. this one, we've been at events most of the weekend with many of those who lost military members, families of the fallen, also with our veterans, so it's -- in ways, it's better sweet in that regard. still very special to be able to participate, and also be in a leadership position to try to make a difference for those who have served and our veterans. >> you're returning from pakistan. you met with the military and political leadership. it seemed to be something of a tense meeting. it's been reported that you gave the pakistanis a list of targets in the network that you expect them to pursue. did that promise to do that? >> george, it was a good meeting. i think the level of intensity that was reported was overstated. it was a very frank meeting. it wa

clinton and joint chief chairman mike mullen met today to refray the badly frayed relations of killingf bin laden in pakistan this month. clinton says the u.s. maintains very strong support for the relationship with pakistan. but clinton and mullen told pakistan it must show renewed commitment to eradicate safe-havens for militants or u.s. aid to pakistan could dwindle. >>> one of yosemite's popular vantage point will reopen today at noon. many hope to get better view of waterfalls like these from glacier point. the road to glacier point has been closed since winter due to heavy snow. park rangers and regular visitors say this is the most impressive the falls have been in at least 15 years thanks to all the snow we picked up this winter. >>> thousands of fans are packing new york central park to see a free concert by none other than lady gaga. many of the fans camped out for days to get a spot close to the stage. for the start of "good morning america's" summer concert series. it just started a short time ago. >> c'mon, let's go! [ singing ] ♪ i want your love ♪ i want your revenge ♪ y

>> well, zain, we just came out of a press conference with secretary clinton and admiral mike mullen,n of the joint chiefs of staff. and actually, it was a conciliatory tone about the u.s. relationship with pakistan, about how critical it is to both the u.s. and pakistani interests and how the u.s. really wants to deepen its cooperation with pakistan. also talking really about the sacrifices that the pakistanis had made in terms of cooperation, the military that they've loved, the civilians that they've loved, really talking in warm terms about moving forward. but behind the scenes, this was a very sobering visit for secretary clinton. these talks were supposed to be very tough in terms of things the u.s. is looking for pakistan to do. relations are at their lowest point because of this raid on osama bin laden's compound. not just because bin laden was hiding in plain sight in the pakistani military, but also because the u.s. went ahead with the raid without talking to the pakistanis about it. so there's a lot of mistrust on both sides. for her part, secretary clinton giving a very to

fran, several of the bush holdovers, defense secretary gates and admiral mike mullen, the military'sill be leaving. now, general petraeus, of course, goes back to the bush administration. general odierno, these other generals have served through democrats and republicans. can you see any particular change in strategy that might come from the change in the team? >> you know, it's interesting, john, because i had the privilege of working both with marty dempsey, the nominee for chairman, and ray odierno, who will be the new army chief. and i will tell you, these are men who have served throughout the war, who understand how we are, where we are, and they also have a familiarity with the leaders and the battle conditions. so, i actually think in many respects that what president obama is doing here is seeking the advice of men who have been out in the field, who can help him execute the strategy he has already articulated. i don't expect big changes here. >> and i want you to listen to the president here. because he talks about his new team, he talks about the battlefield challenges the

she is with joint chiefs chairman, admiral mike mullen.istani leaders to show a renewed commitment to u.s. interests and focus on eradicating safe havens for militants. they're warning billions of dollars in u.s. aide is at stake. here is how secretary clinton described the talks. >> admiral mullen and i have have just completed a very extensive, open, frank and constructive discussion with the leadership of pakistan. >> now, secretary clinton is also warning pakistanis against fostering conspiracy theories against the united states. vial more on that for you in about an hour. for now live in washington, d.c., alison burns, ktvu channel 2 news. >>> a serbian court has just ruled that former serbian general can be extradited to a u.n. tribunal. he was captured yesterday in serbia. that's him wearing a blue jacket, baseball cap as he was led into court. now, he is accused of genocide, including directing the slaughter of 8000 muslim men and boys in the bosnian war. his son said his father suffered two strokes in his years on the run and can

he would replace the departing mike mullen. >> former vice president and governor john edwards is facing criminal charges after the green light was given to investigation criminal charges. they stemmed from a relationship with a former worker, rielle hunter. his lawyer said tonight his client did not break the law. >>> when we come back tonight, dramatic developments in the case of the man held for the shooting of gabrielle giffords, gerald loughner. will he ever face a jury? >>> and they have been deployed before, but not to joplin, missouri. and tonight, they make a difference. sglool jared loughner, the man of killing three people, wounding 13 people was in court today. mike tiebi was with us with the bizarre scene that erupted in court. >> law enforcement sources told nbc news that has brynn one of liz delusionings whethall leung, th had killed gabby giffords. today, he yelled thanks for the freak show. you're changing it. he was removed from the court room. a moment later, the judge ruled for the time, he's incompetent to understand the charges against him orasycyst in his own defen

think about the words of admiral mullen. the argument is if you take away their cheese, they won't take -- they are doing the wrong thing. do you believe the context of what admiral mullen said that the d.o.d. will do the wrong thing here and reserve. the chair: the gentleman reserves the balance of his time. the gentleman from virginia. mr. forbes: i would be glad to answer my good friend's question and i absolutely believe what admiral mullen said. when you look at the efficiencies that the department of defense has been talking about, roughlyly $179 million, but i would suggest my friend look at comparing that to the $800 billion that we spent on the stimulus package, which i voted against because i realized what it was doing to the deficit to this country, exactly what the admiral mentioned. the other thing i would suggest is quite honestly i will tell him that i don't know if the constitution gives us the authority to bail out the auto industry, insurance industry, banking industry and whatever else, but one thing i do

admiral mullen's term ends this fall. i'm announcing my choice for the successors today, because it's essential that this remain seemless, and we stay focused on the transition before us. i want to thank bill lynn for the continuity he will provide during this transition. >> again, that's president obama announcing some personnel changes, numerous as the white house of today. he just named u.s. army general, martin dempsey as the new chairman of the chiefs of staff. he will be taking over for admiral mike mullen, who is stepping down in september. >>> our time now 7:10. sal is watching our memorial day commute if there is one out there. you're watching the roads, anything going on? >> nothing major right now right now, traffic is doing very well, as you might expect it to be on this memorial day. most people do have the day off. the chp is still doing their maximum enforcement period. they have more officers on the road, watching for all sorts of things. traffic is moving well at the bay bridge toll plaza, coming into san

from the army and our armed forces, including chairman of the joint chiefs of staff admiral mike mullen and the vice chairman general jim haase cartwright. there they are right there. [ applause ] and this is not in the script, but let me just acknowledge that without the leadership of bob gates, mike mullen, haase cartwright today and yesterday would not have happened and their steadiness and leadership has been extraordinary. i could not be prouder of them and i'm so grateful they have been part of our team. [ applause ] i especially want to welcome some of those who fought so bravely 60 years ago. our inspiring korean veterans. korean war veterans who have made the trip here, and i also want to acknowledge those who are welcoming two more american heroes into the ranks, members of the society. thank you so much for your presence. [ applause ] this past november i paid a visit to south korea, visit that coincided with the 60th anniversary of the start of the korean war as well as november 11th, veterans day. i was privileged to spend part of the day with our troops and with dozens of

. >> and alongside there secretary gates, was admiral mike mullen, chairman of the joint chiefs who expressed his own frustration at the number of people, including retired military, who have been talking publicly about the details of this raid on bin laden's compound. he said they need to stop. >> a few weeks back when an airplane carrying michelle obama was forced to abort a landing and then circle around before finally landing at andrew's airforce base, we said at the time it's a practice that happens quite often at busy airports. a lot of us were on planes who had to skip a landing, climb back, and try again. and now it's happened to the president of the united states. air force one was on approach to land bradley international airport in hartford today when the pilot didn't like the weather he saw approaching the field, and now we get to hear what it sounded like over the radio between the tower and the preside president's 747. >> the tower then told another aircraft in the area what had just transpired. >> actually, the vip just missed approach so he's going to come back for another try

. >>> secretary of state hillary clinton and joint chiefs chairman admiral mike mullen were in pakistan today. first visit by senior u.s. officials since the raid on bin laden's hideout. secretary clinton said there's no evident evidence that the country's senior leadership, at least, knew he was in the house, and it was a watershed moment for pakistan. she urged the people there to take decisive steps to fight terrorism. >>> in france, safety investigators have released the initial widely awaited findings from the black boxes of an air france flight that plunged into the atlantic almost two years ago now. 228 people died in that crash during the flight from rio to paris. nbc's tom costello has details, what we know about the final moments of the flight 447. >> reporter: it was a cockpit voice and data recorders discovered in the wreckage amid 13,000 feet of water that have given investigators their best clues into the disaster. the air bus was flying through heavy turbulence when its sensors iced over and failed. without those, the auto pilot and auto thrust system disengaged. amid the

after the chairman of the joint chiefs, admiral mike mullen, said the public does not always understand the burden of service, more than 1,000 second lieutenants celebrated their graduation in the time-honored way. and just ahead on tonight's evening news, the world-renowned chef who almost lost his sense of taste. >> mitchell: one of america's most celebrated chefs is savoring the success of his latest restaurant, and more than just about any other chef on earth, he knows how much he owes to his impeccable sense of taste. cynthia bowers went to see him at work. >> reporter: this is the creative laboratory of chef grant atkiss. what is this? >> this is olive oil. >> reporter: froze tone look like hershe kisses. plates on top of pillows filled with lave der, all designed to ignight the imagination. >> we're trying to connect with people on a level that would be the equivalent of walking through an art gallery. >> reporter: it's all done at alinnia. he opened the chicago restaurant in 2005. here he mixes flavors and text in experimental ways. consider this chocolate mousse-- >> we want to

if the nomination is confirmed by the senate, dempsey will replace admiral mike mullen when he stepsthis fall. >>> there's a setback for governor brown's plan to close a fourth of the state parks to save money. they receive federal money that requires the parks to remain open. the national parks service says the funding is like a contract. the affected parks include castle rock state park in santa clara county, twin lakes state beach in santa cruz, portola redwoods as well as candle stick point near san francisco. >>> not a rosy picture for libraries in oakland, some may be forced to close after a drastic budget cutting proposal. the mayor has suggested slashing 14 of the city's 18 libraries, including the african-american museum and library, unless unions agree to cut their pay or the voters approve an $11 million parcel tax. the proposal has drawn many library supporters to action. they've demanded the parcel tax be placed on the ballot. the libraries that would remain open include the 81st avenue, the diamond and rock ridge branch. >>> we've seen a slight dip in gas prices over th

if confirmed by the senate, he would replace admiral mike mullen whose term ends september 30th.ullen has been chairman since 2007. >>> it's 5:26 right now. cyberattack hits a bay area company. we'll have details coming up next. >>> plus east bay jails say they have the space but there's another thing preventing them from taking inmates from state prisons. >>> and two homicides in one day in san jose. and no one is in police custody. good morning. i'm marla tellez. i'll have the latest on the search for suspects. >>> and a live look outside san ramon this morning. hoping to see hot air balloons there. >>> good morning. i'm christie smith live in oakland. it's memorial day. we're going to be talking about observations being held across the bay area coming up in a live report. >>> and the search continues this morning for an east bay nursing student. why police say it may be foul play. >>> plus, why california firefighters may have to restrict their use of a key tool in fighting wildfires this summer. >>> from nbc bay area, reporting what matters to you, this is "today in the bay."

in a pentagon briefing told, joint chiefs chairmen mike mullen and defense secretary bob gates expressed strong concern for safety of the s.e.a.l.s. each of them gave a stark warning. >> from my perspective, it is time to stop talking. and we have talked far too much about this. we need to move on. it's a story that if we don't stop talking, it will never end. and it needs to. >> i'm very concerned about this. because we -- we won't to retain the capability to carry out these kinds of operations in the future. and when so much detail is available, it makes that both more difficult and riskier. now, with respect to the s.e.a.l.s, in my meeting with them the thursday after the operation, they did express concern not so much for themselves but for their families. and all i will say is that we have been taking a close look at that and we will do whatever is necessary. >> chris lawrence is in washington. he joins me now. chris, so explain this to me. here you've got the two top guy s in the pentagon objecting. whose decision has it been to release this information? >> reporter: that's the thi

if confirmed bynate, senate, dempsey will replace admiral mike mullen works is retiring in the fall. >>> yesterday, the president brought consolation and plejs of help to the people of joplin, missouri. it was one week since the massive tornado tore through killing more than 100 residents. >> reporter: block after block after block. this is what the president saw on his drive in. a disorienting scene of shattered trees. and homes. the whole country is with them. >> this is just not your tragedy. this is a national tragedy. that means there will be a national response. >> reporter: later on in the community memorial, the president reminded of that. >> there are heros all around us. all the time. they walk by us on the sidewalk. they sit next to us in class. >> reporter: while the president saw the skelton of st. john's hospital, those ghostly curtains blowing. he didn't see this. the new hospital. jill howard started running when she saw her hero. >> hi dear, how are you? >> reporter: the doctor who helped her. she finally felt safe when she found him. >> your what h what happened? >>

i know i am joined by celebrating deborah mullen and sandy cartwright for their service. it is my hope that leon panetta will take the reins as secretary of defense. ends thisullen's term fall. i am announcing my choice for their successors today, because it is essential that the transition be seamless. i want to thank the deputy secretary of defense for the continuity he will provide during this transition. for nearly 40 years in uniform, martin dempsey is one of our nation's most respected and combat-tested generals. in iraq, he led our soldiers against the insurgency. having trained iraqi forces, he knows the nation must ultimately take responsibility for their own security. having served as the commander for central command, he understands the security gains and political progress must go hand in hand. and just as he challenged doctrines and practices, i expect him to push all our forces to be ready for the missions of today and tomorrow. i was proud to nominate marty, and i realize he only assumed that position last month. marty, your tenure as chief maiy could down

he would replace admiral mike mullen with general robert gates is being replaced himself next month byia director leon panetta. the new leaders will inherit responsibility for this country's involvement in two long wars, iraq and afghanistan, as well as the u.s. mission in libya. tonight richard engel reports on america's complicated role in these conflicts. >> reporter: a deadly fight with the taliban in afghanistan, a stability operation in iraq, and a support mission in libya. american troops are at war on three fronts, 150,000 in harm's way. especially in the longest war in u.s. history, afghanistan. last thursday, eight americans were killed while on a foot patrol in kandahar in a roadside bomb attack. >> we love the troops. why do we love the troops because we don't have to be the troops. we have a small number of americans defending 310 million people. it's easy to forget them. but we shouldn't forget them. today's a good day to remember that we have troops in combat. >> reporter: u.s. troops are supposed to start gradually drawing down from afghanistan this july. >> the united

>>> let's get to the pentagon where defense secretary robber gates and joint chiefs chairman mike mullenhe raid that killed bin laden and whether pakistan might have known more than it actually led on. cnn's barbara starr has been listening, and, barbara, both men saying there's no evidence that pakistan knew of the compound, correct? >> no evidence, but at this press conference that was just conclude, defense secretary robert gates said it was his supposition that somebody in pakistan had to have known that bin laden was there. that led to reporters asking a round of questions about whether pakistan should pay some sort of price for having sheltered bin laden, regardless of who knew. i want you to listen to secretary gates' rather extraordinary answer. >> if i were in a pakistani's shoes i would say i've already paid a price, i've been humiliated, i've been shown that the americans can come in here and do this with impuimpunity, i think we have to be -- i think we have to recognize that they see a cost in that and a price that has been paid. >> look, there's no question there has been t

. >> smith: the crowd greeted retired chairman of the joint chiefs of staff admiral mike mullen with a standing ovation for his four decades of service. earlier in the day, the president announced the admiral's replacement, army general martin dempsey. >> for nearly 40 years in uniform martin dempsey is one of our nation's most respected and combat-tested generals. >> smith: general dempsey will serve as the principal military advisor to the president and his newly reorganized defense team as they tackle the war in afghanistan, conflict in libya and wind down operations in iraq. as wind whipped through the so- called desert of death in afghanistan, marines at camp leatherneck paused to remember their fallen friends. and last night candles in kabul for the more than 1,500 american servicemen and women who have died in the nearly decade-long war. on the home front, there were celebrations of service and star-spangled parades. and there were somber moments like this one at fort snelling in minnesota where 308 white crosses represent the lives of soldiers lost from that community since 9

general dempsey is replacing outgoing admiral mike mullen. now, of course, this year marks the 150th anniversary of the american civil war. slavery was one of the central issues that divided the north and south, and many african-americans joined the conflict to fight for their freedom and forever change the country. that military history is told at the museum and here in washington, d.c. for the latest in our series, caur-rator harry jones recounts the story of the man who went to war and their legacy today. >> the story of african-americans in the civil war briefly stated is the story of a disenfranchised, enslaved population who freed themselves, while helping to preserve the union. elders had counseled that a day would come when, in league with the constitution, you could end the tyranny of slavery. elders had prayed that this opportunity, this genuine opportunity to strike a blow for liberty, would come for the soldiers in the united states color troops. they were of the realization of those prayers, that forecast that, in league with the

mullens will join three dutch celebrities, a disc jockey, an air travel pioneer, and a supermodel on the flight. we're told spaceflights will cost about $90,000 each. >>> does a police officer have the power to order your car towed and impounded even if another licensed driver is there ready to take the care? what are your rights? we have more on the story of a family who claims their car was towed illegally, and the legal challenge has changed the way police operate. >> reporter: june 27, 2010. loupe sal dana and her family are heading through mountainview on their way to sunday brunch when an officer pulls them over near this intersection. the police report shows the stop was for a non-working taillight and modified exhaust pipe. >> tell him to get out of the truck. >> reporter: loupe says the officer immediately asked the driver, her boyfriend, if he was in a gang. >> he was very -- rude. talking to me in a bad way. he was screaming. >> reporter: her boyfriend was arrested for driving without a license, but lupe said when the officer ordered her and her sister out of the car with

own, it was just a couple of weeks ago i remember reading admiral mike mullen, head of the joint chiefsip with the pakistan military is the worst it's been in years. pakistan's ambassador to the u.s. talked to our "american morning." listen to what he had to say. >> all the major personalities currently in guantanamo were arrested by pakistani authorities in cooperation with the united states. if we had really known where bin laden was, we would have got. we were glad that our american partners did. they have superior intelligence, they have superior technology. we are grateful to them and to god for having given us this opportunity to bring this chapter to an end. >> ambassador haquani, trying to spin the fact that pakistan has been a good fighter of al qaeda even though the leader of al qaeda was obviously embarrassingly hidden away just hundreds of meters or so from a military base. >> yeah. he wasn't in some remote tribal area in the northwest part of pakistan, along the afghan border. he was not hiding in some cave. he was hiding in sort of in plain sight there in this town, only a