From News Nation:
“Trump,
Biden observe Veterans Day at separate ceremonies”
As Americans
across the country pay tribute to those who’ve served in the U.S. Armed
Services, President Donald Trump and President-elect Joe Biden marked Veterans
Day by attending separate memorials. Trump and first lady Melania Trump visited
Arlington National Cemetery Wednesday for a wreath-laying ceremony. It’s one of
Trump’s first public appearances since his Democratic opponent Joe Biden secured
the Electoral College votes needed to clinch the presidency, as called by the
Associated Press. Trump had not conceded, pushing forward with his legal
challenge to the vote count. Vice President Mike Pence and second lady Karen
Pence also attended the 67th Annual National Veterans Day Observance Wednesday,
which involved the laying of a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Veteran’s
Day wreath-laying ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery have drawn
thousands of people in the past. But this year’s event will be closed to the
public and modified to ensure participants are following safety guidelines
during the coronavirus pandemic.
Meanwhile,
Biden visited the Korean War Memorial in Philadelphia. The president-elect made
a brief appearance with his wife, Jill, at the memorial. He’s expected to spend
most of the day in private briefings with his transition team. Biden issued a
Veterans Day statement Wednesday, saying it’s our “sacred obligation” to
“prepare and equip our troops we send into harm’s way, and to care for them and
their families when they return home.” He called for “world class health care
provided by the” U.S. Veterans Affairs Department, and addressing mental health
needs. “We have to make clear to everyone suffering from unseen wounds that
there is honor and strength in reaching out for help. And we have to make sure
that no veteran is locked out of treatment for conditions related to toxic
exposures or traumatic brain injuries experienced in the line of duty,” Biden
said.
President Trump
also raised awareness of the mental health issues many veterans face in his
Veterans Day proclamation. “The mental health and welfare of our veterans is of
critical importance, and addressing this issue has been a top priority,” Trump
said in a statement. “Tragically, an average of 20 veterans and service members
die by suicide each day. We are striving with all our effort to end this
alarming and unacceptable reality.” Near where Trump attended the wreath-laying
ceremony Wednesday, two museums are hosting Veterans Day ceremonies. The
Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian is opening its memorial
honoring the service and sacrifice of Native American veterans and their
families Wednesday. The event includes tributes to Native American veterans, as
well as a virtual tour of the memorial. Less than 20 miles away, the U.S. Army
is opening its National Museum of the United States Army in Fort Belvoir,
Virginia, Wednesday. It’s the first and only museum that will tell the full
history of the U.S. Army since 1775, NewsNation affiliate WDVM-TV reported. “The
U.S. Army and the American Soldier forged the birth of our nation,” said
Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy. “The National Army Museum will be a place
for members of the total Army family to gather and share their stories, while
also creating an opportunity for visitors to connect with our nation’s history
through the eyes and voices of individual Soldiers.”
^ I am surprised
that Trump actually went outside (and not just to play golf) and went to
Arlington. ^
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