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Veterans Day

Honoring Our Nation's Veterans

On Veterans Day, the Defense Department joins the nation in honoring the men and women who have given selflessly and sacrificed in service to the country.

World War II veteran Daniel Lau attends a Veterans Day ceremony at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, Nov. 11, 2016. Lau served in both theaters during World War II and fought in The Battle of the Bulge. Navy photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Aiyana S. Paschal

Vietnam veteran retired Air Force Col. Gary Chamberlin stands in front of the Green Beret wreath during a Veterans Day ceremony at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, Nov. 11, 2016. Chamberlin, who retired from the Air Force, served as an Army Green Beret in the Vietnam War. Navy photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Aiyana S. Paschal

A color guard from U.S. Armed Forces in the Pacific retire the colors at a Veteran’s Day ceremony at the Hawaii State Veterans Cemetery, Kaneohe, Hawaii, Nov. 11, 2016. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Todd Kabalan

Defense Secretary Ash Carter speaks at the 19th annual Veterans Day ceremony at the Women in Military Service for America Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va., Nov. 11, 2016. DoD photo by Air Force Tech. Sgt. Brigitte N. Brantley | Flickr Album

Defense Secretary Ash Carter reacts to a light moment during the 19th annual Veterans Day ceremony at the Women in Military Service for America Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va., Nov. 11, 2016. DoD photo by Air Force Tech. Sgt. Brigitte N. Brantley | Flickr Album

President Barack Obama lays a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Defense Secretary Ash Carter shakes hands with a disabled veteran before a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va., Nov. 11, 2016 DoD photo by Army Sgt. Amber I. Smith | Flickr Album

President Barack Obama participates in a Veterans Day wreath-laying ceremony as Defense Secretary Ash Carter, front row, fourth from left, stands by at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery, Va., Nov. 11, 2016. DoD photo by Army Sgt. Amber I. Smith | Flickr Album

Defense Secretary Ash Carter renders honors during a wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, Va., Nov. 11, 2016. DoD photo by Army Sgt. Amber I. Smith | Flickr Album

President Barack Obama participates in a Veterans Day wreath-laying ceremony as Defense Secretary Ash Carter, front row, fourth from left, stands by at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery, Va., Nov. 11, 2016. DoD photo by Army Sgt. Amber I. Smith | Flickr Album

Amy Pietromanco helps raise the U.S. flag during a flag-raising ceremony at Christa McAuliffe Elementary School in Saratoga, Calif., Nov. 10, 2016. Army Staff Sgt. Juan Martinez, left, and Sgt. Arleen Banioza, right, assisted the fourth grader. Martinez, a human resources specialist, and Banioza, a color guard noncommissioned officer, are assigned to the 63rd Regional Support Command. Army photo by Alun Thomas

Sixteen World War II veterans attend a Veterans Celebration Ceremony at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Nov. 9, 2016.The veterans received the Honorable Service Lapel Pin and an Army North commemorative coin. The pin recognizes U.S. service members discharged under honorable conditions during World War II. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Shelman Spencer

Army veteran Joseph Duggan Jr., a New York Fire Department battalion chief, accepts an American flag during a ceremony honoring the official grand marshals for the 2016 New York City Veterans Day Parade at the Freedom Tower in New York City, Nov. 9, 2016. Duggan Jr., is a 9/11 first responder who served in Iraq as an Army Reserve captain. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Frank Iannazzo-Simmons

Retired Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Chester Stafford, a veteran of World War II, Korean and Vietnam Wars, renders a salute during a Veterans Day ceremony in Henderson, Nev., Nov. 5. Air Force photo by Lawrence Crespo

Members from the Martinez family outline their brother’s name inscribed on the Veterans Deceased Panel during a Veterans Day celebration in Henderson, Nev., Nov. 5. Air Force photo by Lawrence Crespo

A woman taking a photo of the parade holds a small american flag

An American flag waves in the wind during the Colorado Springs Veterans Day Parade in Colo., Nov. 5, 2016. Air Force photo by Christopher DeWitt

Jerry Devaul, a wounded veteran, rides a modified bicycle in procession during the Colorado Springs Veteran’s Day Parade

Veteran Jerry Devaul rides in procession during the Colorado Springs Veterans Day Parade in Colo., Nov. 5, 2016. Air Force photo by Christopher DeWitt

A sign honoring women veterans adorns a float during the Colorado Springs Veterans Day Parade in Colo., Nov. 5, 2016. Air Force photo by Christopher DeWitt

Retired Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer Francis Bolds, serves as grand marshal during the Veterans Day parade in Charleston, S.C., Oct. 6, 2016. Bolds is a veteran of World War II, the Korean and Vietnam Wars. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Thomas T. Charlton

Marines march during the 96th annual Veterans Day Parade in Warsaw, N.C., Nov. 5, 2016. The Warsaw Veterans Day Parade is the official Veterans Parade in the state of North Carolina. The Marines are assigned to Combat Logistics Battalion 2. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Shannon Kroening

Retired Navy Lt. Cmdr. Richard Burton, now a Roman Catholic priest for the Archdiocese of Boston, meets Air Force Staff Sgt. Marjorie Brooks during the Salute to Veterans event at Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass., Nov. 9, 2016. Air Force photo by Jerry Saslav

Brooke Army Medical Center Commanding General Army Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Johnson and Command Sgt. Maj. Albert Crews unveil a temporary marker to dedicate an oak tree

Brooke Army Medical Center Commanding General Army Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Johnson, left, and Command Sgt. Maj. Albert Crews, unveil a temporary marker to dedicate an oak tree to all military veterans at the base in San Antonio, Nov. 4, 2016. Army photo by Robert Shields

Coast Guard member Melissa Ransom and her daughters partitipate in the annual Flags Across America event at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va., Nov. 5, 2016. Coast Guard members, their friends and families placed American and Coast Guard flags on the graves of Coast Guardsmen at the cemetery. The U.S. Coast Guard Chief Petty Officers Association holds the event the weekend before Veterans Day. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Lisa Ferdinando

World War II veteran Allen Ordorff listens as a fellow veteran shares his story of being captured as a prisoner of war during the Vietnam War during a ceremony at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va., Sept. 16, 2016. Orndorff volunteered to serve at 17, and separated from the military at the rank of technical sergeant. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Natasha Stannard

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Veterans Help K-9 Counterparts When Service Ends

Military and police dogs spend their lives sniffing out drugs, bombs, booby traps and bad guys. Since the U.S. first started training them in World War I, they’ve saved countless lives and helped in many large-scale missions – even in the raid that killed Osama bin Laden. So to honor them this Veterans Day, we highlight the work one human veteran is doing to give these animals the help they need when their service is over. Story