Honoring Veterans Day

Good morning, everyone, and thank you so much for joining us here on Fox Tampa Bay Live on this Wednesday, November 11th, on this Veterans Day. We simply want to start with two words. Thank you. Thank you to all the servicemen and women who have put on a uniform, served this great nation, ran into harm's way in order to do so, and made sacrifices, leaving your loved ones not knowing. The next time you would see them and to the families who have waved goodbye, not knowing whether they would come home safely, we see your sacrifices as well. And we will be talking about that over the course of the next couple of hours because Veterans Day and military appreciation is going to remain basically the huge focus of our day today. So as always, we'll give you a little lay of the land, lots of live events, as you can imagine that we are keeping a close eye on and we're gonna bring you out to front row. And then we've also got some very special guests that we are going to be speaking with in just a matter of minutes. So we will take you to ceremonies across Tampa. This is actually a live look. We'll be right back here in just a moment. This is a ceremony getting underway at Bay Pines. We're also watching other ceremonies and commemorations taking place in Palm Harbor, Hillsborough County as communities come together to say. Thank you. We also want to let you know that we are also going to be heading out nationally to Washington, D.C., a little more towards after 1130. And that is because the National Veterans Day observance is getting underway at Arlington National Cemetery. President Trump scheduled to deliver remarks in just a matter of about 20 minutes. It may look like we've got, there you go, there you have it. You've got First Lady Melania Trump and some of her representatives. The second, excuse me, the vice president's wife there, they are getting in place. So we are going to take you out here nationally in just a moment. And then let me see if we can get him. Let's see if we got eyes on him. We do have, I mentioned those very special guests. This is live, folks. This is K9 Justice. We are actually going to be speaking with him and his handler, Mary. We're going to be talking about their organization that has helped hundreds and hundreds of veterans. Through Canine Partners for Patriots. So Justice gonna be part of our show here in just a matter of minutes how their program helps veterans build confidence and independence through a partnership on four paws. Look at that sweet face, we're so excited to have him. Plus every veteran has a story, of course, so we are going to be talking actually with a representative from the State Department. They are going to be speaking on just how this all started. How the State Department is working to preserve experiences for future generations of veterans and how veterans and their families can get involved. And then we want you guys to stick with us because I know that Kelly Cowan has been giving you the lowdown on this. This is gonna be awesome to see. A historic ocean liner about to begin a new chapter on the ocean floor. The SS United States scheduled to be sunk today off Florida's Okaloosa County coast, becoming the world's largest artificial reef. So today's sinking was moved up because of expected bad weather tomorrow, putting this farewell on Veterans Day. So pretty on brand there. We'll bring you live streaming coverage on Florida Live. Starting at 2 this afternoon on Fox Local. But speaking of weather, we want to check of our Veterans Day forecast and a look at the rest of the week. So let's welcome in Fox 13 meteorologist Jim Weber in the Sky Tower Weather Lab. How you doing, Jim? Doing good. Doing good. We've had a lot of clouds the last couple of days. We continue to see these clouds. And had a few little showers here and there. And we're going to continue to see these lower rain chances. But we're really starting to see the signs. That we're gonna get into more of this El Nino pattern as we go through the next week. Getting more of these fronts moving through, getting more chances of rain. We've been talking about this really all summer long and then talking about as we get into the fall and winter that El Nino really starting to take effect. So that's something we're gonna have to really watch as we go through the coming weeks and months. But you look outside right now for a nice Day, Veterans Day, 77 degrees, winds out of the west at six miles an hour. We've had some of these clouds, we've had some breaks in the clouds. So you do have some sun out there right now looking over downtown Tampa. But right now you look at that satellite view over the state and you see a lot of clouds sitting off the east coast. And then you see what we call it, variably cloudy skies with some of these showers that have been moving through. And then also these clouds that have been pushing through the area. Here it is on Sky Tower Vector Scan. Not a whole lot of rain. You look down to our south and west off the coast to say Sarasota County, few small showers in that direction. And you look to our north, nothing going on, a few showers off the east coast as well. So things are gonna stay quiet as we go through the day with only that stray shower here or there as we go through later on this afternoon and into this evening. But temperatures, they're warm, 79 degrees here in Tampa, Lakeland 79. St. Petersburg, 78 degrees, Sarasota, you're currently up to 80 degrees right now, but you watch the Fox weather model, and this is going to be the pattern that we have to get used to with these very active fronts that move through the area. Today, it's just a few of these random showers that push through the area. Then here comes that first front, a lot of cloudy skies as we head into early on Friday morning. We'll see a few showers around. So most of us will actually miss out on that rain because it's going to happen before sunrise. But then that secondary front, that pushes through the area. And that's the one that's going to really dry things out and bring that much cooler air as we head into the weekend. Where instead of these daytime highs in the 80s that we've been accustomed to, we're going to see them dropping down into the 60s. And then that low dew point means... Very dry air, very low humidity. You see that Friday, Saturday, and Sunday with that much drier air. But then I want to turn your attention to this, because if we're looking at that active subtropical jet stream, and as we head into about the middle part of next week, it looks like yet another front pushing across the Gulf. That's going to bring more rain and more unsettled weather as we head into next week. So you look at that seven-day forecast. and We have a few of those showers around over the next couple of days, but the rain chances, they're on that lower side. Better chance of rain with that next area of low pressure, something we're going to watch very closely as we go through the next several days. That'll be pushing in our direction Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday of next week. So a changeable forecast, but definitely some chilly air that'll be pushing into the area as we head into the weekend, Regina. I am certainly ready for that chilly air, Jim. I'm excited for that. Thank you so much for that update. We'll talk to you again soon. All right, everybody, real quick on this. My, this is a live look at some breaking news that we are following out of Oldsmar, where high carbon monoxide readings have prompted the evacuation of a Walmart on Tampa Road. So this is a live look at the scene right now. Yeah, there's an airboat there for some reason, do we know, guys? I think they might be using it as a fan. We were looking at this shot and we were wondering why we saw what looks to be an air rescue boat that would normally go out on water in front of this scene. So it looks like they might be using it as a fan. But to give you some context here, emergency crews were initially responding to a medical emergency and while treating a patient, Their monitor detected those high readings, so that triggered a gas leak response and all customers and employees were evacuated. So yes, I am getting some information coming in right now that they are using the fan for ventilation, obviously not for a water rescue. But crews now working to ventilate the whole building really even bringing in those air Airboats from Hillsborough's Marine Unit. To help them do so multiple agencies you can see from Pinellas and Hillsborough counties assisting no one will be allowed back inside until conditions are safe. As you can imagine, overnight welding work had actually taken place at the store, but the exact cause has not it hasn't been confirmed. So we also don't know yet. The patient's condition or whether anyone else needed treatment. Authorities are asking people right now to avoid the immediate area. Again, this is a Walmart on Tampa Road in Oldsmar. So if you are watching this and you happen to see this scene, don't freak out. It looks like they are doing everything they can to get things under control. But we will keep a very close eye on this. Obviously, a crew is out there. There we're going to see if a reporter is headed to the scene. But yeah, this is what it looks like out there at the Walmart in Oldsmar. All right, everybody, as promised, we want to continue on by bringing you front row to some of the Veterans Day celebrations that are happening across the Bay Area. And the one in Bay Pines is actually getting started as we speak. So let's listen in for just a few minutes. Mr. Van Meter has served the VA for more than 20 years in progressively senior leadership roles, including Deputy Medical Center Director and Associate Director at the Tampa VA and Assistant Director at the Truman VA in Missouri. An ACHE Fellow, he earned national recognition for his Hurricane Katrina response and received the 2012 ACHE Federal Sector Award. Mr. VanMeter was appointed the Medical Center Director in March 2026. Well, good morning, everyone. What a beautiful day for Veterans Day. How's everybody doing? It is an absolute privilege to be here this morning with the guests behind me, with my team in front of me, with my beautiful bride, the men and women that make this place, Bay Pines, what it is, and to all those that served in front of me. Thank you all very much for being here, and happy Veterans Day. As I was driving on campus this morning thinking about what to say, I was struck by the sights of the flags, of the bunting, of the large American flag out front and the main flagpole. And I thought about the countless Americans, Americans that dedicate their lives to defending what we hold dear, what we hold true to ourselves, our ideals as a country. And how necessary it is to safeguard those ideals, to never, never stray from mind how important it is. Today we take a collective pause, a pause in a place that is safe, a pause in a place that is free, and a pause that is dedicated to the men and women that served our country. And the impact of our veterans and their service feels especially compelling today of all days. As Medina said, I've had the honor of serving veterans in varying capacities for more than 20 years. I love what I do, but long before I joined the VA, I had the opportunity to observe what service means, what service means to a greater cause and how that can shape a person's life. My dad is a proud veteran, U.S. Army. My grandfather, a proud U.S. Navy veteran serving in World War II. My father-in-law, a two-tour combat Marine in Vietnam. By the way, happy birthday, Marines. It was yesterday, so happy birthday to you all. I thought about my uncle, cousins, friends, neighbors, and how they place others before self and what that means. It's the last principle I spoke of, putting selfless service, that I admire most about the family members and loved ones and friends that served. It's a characteristic that has endured for the men and women who've worn the cloth of our country since before its inception. For two and a half centuries... Millions of brave patriots have sworn an oath to defend this land, from the battles of Lexington and Concord to the austere mountain ranges in Afghanistan and all parts of this globe in between. For the conflicts, brave Americans were there. Today we celebrate them for the selflessness that they have all displayed, here as well as abroad. From the missed time with loved ones to maintaining unshakable composure in the face of certain danger, we owe them our deepest appreciation. Here at Bay Pines, we have the privilege of serving those who served. It's the awareness of the gifts they have given each of us that guides the choices we make here at the medical center. Whether it's enhancing care, enhancing infrastructure, or implementing new technologies, or opening state-of-the-art health care facilities, we are here, only in existence, to take care of those who wore the cloth of our country. This year, we served over 112,000 souls, veterans that chose to get their care here, and we expect that many more in the years to follow will choose to get their care here. As we move towards the future, much will change, but remains the same is Bay Pines' continuous commitment to honoring the legacy of those who served today, tomorrow, and in the future. To everyone here that wore the cloth of our country, We remain deeply grateful for your service, and we say thank you. To every loved one who supported them, my thanks to you as well, because we know it doesn't stop with those that served. It impacts their families as well. And to the staff, the fantastic men and women that make this place Bay Pines, thank you. Many, many of our staff members, veterans themselves. Thank you for delivering world-class quality health care, access, and customer service to the men and women that have earned the right to be here. Veterans Day remains reserved for celebrating our nation's heroes, and today calls for a lot of joy, but also warrants a moment of reflection. Each veteran you encounter carries with them a story, a story of service. They come from every walk of life, every part of our country. They maintain varying world views and have lived diverse experiences, but there's one thing that binds them together. They swore an oath. They wore the cloth of our country, and they protect our way of life here at home, and they have the willingness to give freely of themselves. Today, we thank you. And everyone, a big round of applause for all the veterans here for what they've done for our nation. All right, some beautiful remarks there to open the Bay Pines VA health care system hosting their annual Veterans Day ceremony to celebrate our nation's heroes for their service to our country. We know that this year's keynote speaker is retired Colonel DJ Reyes, a staunch veteran advocate and the deputy executive director for the Florida Department of Veterans Affairs. And I think that's a key element in the way that we're doing things. We want to get to a quick commercial break. I think that's a key element in the way that we're doing things. And when we come back, we are going to keep a very close eye on this. We will be weaving in and out of these events as the course of the day goes on. As you can imagine, these events are pretty lengthy, and we do have some great conversations coming up. So what we're going to do is we're going to take a quick break. We'll be right back. And after that, we are going to speak with the founder of Canine Partners for Patriots. And then before we go, we also want to see. And hear about the incredible veterans in your life. Be sure to scan that QR code, send us a photo or a favorite story, whether it's you, someone in your family, a friend, a colleague, whoever it may be. We wanna see their pictures and hear about them. So definitely contribute and we'll read them throughout the course of our hour and on the stream at one. So we will be right back. All right, everyone. This Veterans Day, we are spotlighting a local organization, helping veterans find support, confidence, and a partner by their side. Canine Partners for Patriots, helping veterans train their own service dogs at no cost to them. And joining us live here on Fox Tampa Bay Live, Mary Peter, founder and executive director. And on the floor here, Here we are going to zoom into him at some point is her canine just. Justice, Mary Peter Justice, thank you so much for being with us here today. Thank you for having me. I'm so excited. We are so excited to hear all about Canine Partners for Patriots because I understand you and I were talking. I know you didn't serve but your husband served. So I guess walk me through how this started for you guys. I think for me was, um... I had a for-profit dog training business, and it was back about 12 years ago, 13 years ago, when we had veterans coming back from Afghanistan and Iraq, more looking for help, and came to my for-profit business to get help. But they didn't have the right dogs, and they couldn't handle the civilian environment. And so they would come and then they wouldn't come and come and not come. And so I ended up talking to many of them and found out that all of them had PTSD, some with traumatic brain injury and different levels of severity. And as I watched them, and it's a faith thing, I feel like this is something God said I need to do because I had the skills to do this. It was to close my for-profit business. Thank Found an organization that was for veterans only so that they would all have a place where they felt safe, could build camaraderie again, have a unit, have a family. They're in our program for life. So once they start, I keep telling them, you're lifers now. So they are welcome to anything, training all the time. you. Everything is free anytime they want to work their dogs, even after they've graduated. And we actually had the camera on Justice not too long ago, but we're showing amazing video of what you guys do. So tell me the process of partnering a canine with a vet because I also, you were telling me Mary that this also involves rescuing the canines. Tell me a little bit about that. Well, our greatest hope when I founded this was to give not only the veteran a second chance at life, but to give the dog a second chance at life. If there are so many dogs in shelters that are good dogs and just- They had no training, so we wanted to try and save them, too. And we now have saved and rescued 303 dogs so far, many just from the day before euthanasia. Wow. And we work with the Tampa Bay area and all the rescues and animal control, animal shelters here, so we can pull dogs from here. Some of our veterans come with a dog they already have and ask, can I use my dog? And the first thing I ask them is, does your dog do anything for you? Because if the dog has lived with them for a year or two years and they have PTSD and whenever they have an episode, the dog goes the other way, then we know that's not going to be the right dog. But we will evaluate the dog. And if it is, if it's working already for their owner, then yes, we will put that dog in our program at no cost to the veteran as well for six months. And the veteran and the dog does all the training. That's it. That's incredible. Lynz, can we go back? Lynz is punching for us. She's incredible. Can we go back to King Justice here? Tell me about Justice and his relationship with you and your family. Where do I start? I know. All the dogs love this carpet. Every four pod guests we have loves this carpet. I'm happy he's comfortable. Well, I have been a German Shepherd girl. I've been a professional trainer for 37 years and still training. German Shepherds, I've had more German Shepherds than working dogs. I couldn't watch one more die after when they age out, unfortunately, and we have to make those horrible decisions. So I decided to get a lab. And I have a friend that breeds the English Labradors in Washington State and she wanted me to have a puppy, so she gave him to me. He is our demo dog for teaching the veterans what to watch and see what the dogs do so they'll get it. visual of how we're going to train them with their dogs. And he goes to all speaking engagements with me, but he's also my personal service dog. I have low blood pressure. He's a cardiac alert service dog. So when my blood pressure gets too low, I don't even know it sometimes. And if I'm sitting, he comes across and holds me in a chair so I can't fall out. And if I'm down on the floor, he comes beside me, brings me his leash, lays his head on my stomach until I can sit up. He helps And then he helps me stand up. Oh, best boy. And now he just gets to relax. As he should, you know, and that brings me to my next question, Mary Peter, because, you know, for someone who has never seen a service dog at work, what can these dogs be trained to do to help a veteran through a difficult moment that they're having? It's a myriad of things. Their noses are incredible. Their hearing is incredible. One of the things for us, we specifically work with PTSD, traumatic brain injury and military sexual trauma. So those are the only three things for us, our dogs. My dogs help wake them up from nightmares. They help, that's the first veteran that's ever been in our program that you're showing right now and he is now our CEO. Wow. And that's how his life changed from, sorry, I got off track. No, no, you're good. We clearly, I had loved that we've done stories with you guys before because this is incredible work. I'm sorry to interrupt you. No, no. I forgot where I was going actually. How can they help in this situation? For us, we have the dogs, especially for PTSD, they redirect their focus when a panic attack starts or when a flashback is starting. We see that frequently in our training center. And as a veteran is going into a flashback, that dog now alerts them. And so it redirects their focus and it prevents it from escalating. It helps with anger issues and just so many things that veterans don't have to be hypervigilant anymore. They don't have to check their homes, their windows, their doors. The dogs do all that for them so they can sleep for a change. That's incredible. Mary Peter, I'm looking at my notes here because I see you have 892 veterans active in the program and over 500 veteran and canine team graduates. Did you ever imagine when you started this, that you would be talking about those numbers? No, I get very emotional, I'm sorry. As you should, this is incredible- I founded this because of the veterans that that came to my for-profit, and I saw them just... So discouraged and they had no more hope. Most of them have tried the alcohol, they've tried the drugs, they've tried the counseling, and they needed more. So they came. To us to see if a dog would help, and the dogs have been amazing. But I only did it to help the veterans in my community. And now we're serving veterans in 46 counties in the state of Florida and veterans from out of state. So we started with two veterans and yes, we're at 892 now. And what is, I'd imagine you still keep in touch with a lot of these families, one of them became the CEO. What is it like to get photos and hear the stories of how much How much support this did give them. It's overwhelming, and it wasn't done to get accolades or anything like that. It was done, created to save lives, to help families. We had a little boy that was, I think, 11, and he did, for his birthday, he did a GoFundMe fundraiser for Canine Partners to thank us for giving him his daddy back. So these are the things that make me cry now. Oh, Mary Peter, that's so so awesome, for somebody watching this. who would love to get in touch with you guys and inquire about this program, how can they do that? You can go onto our website, which is letter K number nine, partnersforpatriots.com or .org, either way, go on our website. We have a special tab there for veterans that want to find out more information. And everything is free. It costs us $21,400 to put one vet and dog through our program, but there is no charge for equipment, for dogs, for training, for our veterans, they've earned it. And with that being said, obviously, I can imagine how much community support helps. We're coming up on the season of giving. How can people work with you guys or donate to the cause and support you from afar? Yes, as any nonprofit, we're always asking for funding. And we worked last year without any grants. It was very difficult to get grants. So. We need them. Mary Peter, thank you so much for your work. We are so happy to have you here and Justice. Oh, okay. There he is, there he is, the goodest boy. Mention that website one more time. K9 Partners for Patriots. CaninePartnersForPatriots.com or .org. Canine partners for patriots. CaninePartnersForPatriots.com or .org, right on your screens there, guys. Mary Peter, Justice, a pleasure to have you. Happy Veterans Day. Thank you for all you're doing. I know you have a busy day of events. We will let you go. But guys, thank you, and thank you for tuning into this wonderful conversation. We'll be right back after this break. I'm starting All right, everyone, we are back here on Fox Tampa Bay Live, taking a live look at President Trump, to Vice President J.D. Vance, saluting our veterans. speak. As a ceremony gets underway at Arlington National Cemetery. This is one of the best vantage points we have of it right now. This is also coming in from DC, the shot a little grainy right now. But we figured this was a perfect place to start when it comes to this next conversation. Because today, as we take time to honor the men and women who have served our country And the sacrifices they've made to protect our freedoms, we want to talk about. Talk about all the programs that exist here in Florida, working to make sure those stories aren't lost to history. So to do just that, I want to welcome into the conversation live, Julian Duncan, program manager for the Major John Leroy Haynes Florida Veterans History Program, quite a title. Mr. Duncan, thank you so much for joining us. Happy Veterans Day. How are you today? Hey, good morning. I'm doing great. Thank you for having me. Absolutely, because you know what? I feel like we look at all these events taking place across the Bay Area nationwide, and it truly just puts into perspective how important it is to preserve these stories. So first off, as we recognize Veterans Day today, why is it so important, Mr. Duncan, that we listen to these stories, share these photos, and keep these stories alive? Yeah, absolutely, I'm gonna take two directions with that answer, to answer that. The first is, Florida's home to almost 1.4 million veterans. Wow. We're one of the most populated states in terms of the density of veterans population in the country. And so I think it's really important as the public and as citizens in Florida to really try to understand the veteran community and the experiences that they've had. You know what makes veterans who they are as Floridians. The second thing I would say is I can't tell you how many times I've done an interview with a veteran and we sit down and we talk for an hour or an extended period of time. And their family tells me afterward, there's so many stories he said or she said that I didn't know, I never heard my whole life growing up with them. And I just think that's really cool. And so being able to preserve those recordings and send them to the state archives and then make them accessible to the public, that's really our mission. And Julian, maybe you can speak to this, and forgive me if I sound crazy and I'm just mentioning personal experience. But my grandfather, who has now passed, as he got older, he started to lose his memory and started to lose certain memories that we've had as a family. But he always remembered his stories of serving in the Navy. It's like it's ingrained in them, right? Right. Yeah. It's amazing how that happens. And the clarity of Memories that maybe go back to even World War II as far back as the 1940s, that clarity is there and it's really quite amazing. So yeah, I appreciate that personal example from you. And these are actually personal photos that our viewers are sending us, Julian. So really adds to the conversation here. When we think about veterans, we often think about their service and sacrifice. But what are some of the personal experiences, stories that you think people don't hear enough Yeah, that's a fantastic question. You know, I've come to think about this kind of history over the past year and a half or so of doing this program. I've come to think of it as kind of a mosaic. And what I mean by that is, sometimes you might hear about the same large event, whether that's Pearl Harbor or more recently, some of the events that have gone on around the global war on terror. All of these huge events that we hear about, but then you hear an individual story. The one that comes to mind for me is a World War II veteran named Arnold Yazell that I interviewed in Daytona a couple of months ago. And he talked about being a kid and he heard about Pearl Harbor and he had to go to the To look up where Hawaii was, and he said, well, I don't think it'll have a big effect on me. It's so far away. And then he said, but then it did have a big effect on me. And So I guess that I guess if that answers your question kind of around about latest, it's not something to think of it. No, definitely. And you know what? Everybody is gonna have a different story and I feel like it depends on the day. Sometimes I feel like the veterans I've spoken to have gone really into detail. Other times that it's a little more difficult and they only share so much and that's so okay. I want to talk to you about the John Leroy Haynes Florida Veterans History Program. What is the mission and really how does it work to preserve stories just like we're talking about? Yeah, so the Major John Leroy Haynes Florida Veterans History Program is a state initiative. We are run through the Department of State's Division of Arts and Culture. And our mission is to collect and preserve and then to share, make publicly accessible the stories and the memories of Florida veterans. So that's our primary job, documenting veterans' personal narratives and ensuring that those firsthand experiences are accessible to the public as well as to future generations. Julian, you are also hosting a workshop called Legacy Through Stories, Histories from Florida Veterans on November 13th at the Straz Center right here in our area. What can people expect if they attend? Yeah, absolutely. We're gonna have, of course, food and music, and that's really important at the Straz Center for Performing Arts. But also, we're gonna have panels and talks throughout the day, really focused on both oral history, what is oral history, and how people can participate in it and even learn how to do it, because so many of us have veterans in our families that we could sit down and talk to. But then also, veterans wellness, Community engagement and then kind of networking times for the end of the day. I love that. How can people attend? Yeah, so probably the easiest way would be to go to Facebook and type in Florida Veterans History. And you'll find the Major John Leroy Haynes Veterans History Program page. And then there's an event right there with a registration link. And the registration is free, it's open to the public. But that event does help us, or that registration link does help us get a head count. You can also email me, FL Veterans History at dos.fl.gov. And I'd be happy to schedule an interview or just provide more information on the program and the event on Friday. I love that. Julian, for veterans who are watching us right now who may be thinking, I have a story, but I'm not sure anyone would wanna hear it. What would you say to them? I get that so often. People say, I didn't really do anything, I just did my job. And I love hearing that because that's really That's what it is. You just do your job. Everybody does their part and the mission gets accomplished. And so absolutely, some of the best interviews I have ever had are people who say, I don't really have the story. So just think about that. Definitely, every story is important. And as you mentioned earlier, I could listen to them forever. I actually was on a warship. Not too long ago, but probably about a year ago at this point. And I sat down, I was with a World War II veteran. They had to basically pry me out of the seat because we had just been talking. I'd been listening to him for like 45 minutes and they were like, Regina, respectfully, he will go all day. Okay. So But that's why it's so important. . I love hearing about it. I know everybody does too. Julian Duncan, thank you so much for joining our coverage and we'd love to talk to you again soon. Thank you so much for having me. Absolutely. All right, guys, we are going to get to another quick commercial break, but we want you to keep sending us your photos. Send us your stories. If it's not your own to tell, that's okay. Maybe get permission to do that, but obviously we want to throughout the day show appreciation for all the veterans that are watching us from far and near. So keep scanning that QR code and sharing anything that is special to you when it comes to a veteran in your life. All right, guys, on the other side of this break, we're most likely going to head to Washington DC as President Trump is expected to speak for a Veterans Day commemoration in Arlington National Cemetery. Any moment now. All right, everyone, as promised, we are going from Tampa Bay out to Arlington National Cemetery, where, as you can see, President Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance and local veterans sitting behind them front and center, actually specifically at the Memorial Amphitheater at Arlington National Cemetery after they participated in the presidential armed forces. full honor wreath-laying ceremony, we're expected to hear from President Trump or even the Vice President any moment now. It looks like they might be getting introduced, so we're gonna raise the volume and we'll let you listen in front row on this Veterans Day. So veterans, this is a day for celebration. If you have raised your right hand, you have done something that approximately 96% of this country never has done. You raised your right hand and said, I'm willing to go, I'm willing to serve, I'm willing to be there Or as my friend and colleague at the Department of War says, here I am, send me. You are the best of America. You are what makes us the envy of the world and also what the rest of the world fears. Because when veterans come down, the world knows if they're an American coming, then help is on the way. There's one last thing that I admit every time because there's press here, there's others that have seen this, and I've seen this start cropping up. And I have to say it all the time. That I am tired in a country where I see we're giving veterans this, we're giving veterans that, and haven't we give them enough? I have one thing to say to this country and those naysayers. We do not give our veterans anything. They have earned everything that they have gotten. And we will not forget you. And now it is my great honor and pleasure to introduce the Vice President of the United States and a fellow veteran, Mr. J.D. Vance. Well, thank you, Doug. And thanks to all of you for your service. And let me just be another voice that says to all of our nation's veterans, to their families, to their friends, to their children, to everybody who has served the United States of America in uniform, but also to the people who made it possible for them to serve the United States in uniform. This is your day. Happy Veterans Day, my fellow veterans. We're proud of you and we're never going to stop fighting for you. So 22 years before Abraham Lincoln was president, he observed that it was that our veterans who were the memorial to generations past, to the wars that they fought, and to the freedoms that they earned. And in his time, he was talking about the generation of Revolutionary War veterans who had served their country honorably, and they were passing away. And he likened it to a massive, beautiful forest where every day we would lose one or another giant, beautiful oak tree. Think about what those veterans represented. Before we had these beautiful monuments, before we had stone temples built to honor those who served, the first memorial to our nation's freedoms and the wars that made them possible were our veterans. You saw them in the friends that you served with. You saw them in the people who lost limbs. You saw them in the headstones that represented a life that had served the United States of America. We are, of course, proud in this amazing city, in this beautiful capital of ours. We're proud of all these incredible monuments. But we know that the most important monuments to our generations who served in the military, our most important monuments are you. It is the people who had the courage and the willpower and the fight to put on the uniform of the United States of America and say, don't send my neighbor, send me. That is the greatest monument to America. It's you all. It's the fact that you served. But just as in Lincoln's time, some of those monuments were disappearing. One of the amazing responsibilities and the humbling responsibilities as a veteran is that we have to pick up the torch when one generation sets it down. Now, when I first started doing work with the generations of veterans in Vietnam, one of the things they told me, one of the most important things they took to heart Is that they did not want to leave the next generation of veterans behind. Anybody who's talked to a veteran of Vietnam knows that they were fighting not just for their benefits, not just so that the country honored the promises that were made to the generation in Vietnam. They were also fighting so that the generations that fought in Iraq and Afghanistan, so that the government honored those promises as well. Because one of the most important things our veterans do is not just fight for their country, they fight for their fellow veterans. And let me say, as one veteran to the next, we are picking up that torch every single day. We will never leave our veterans behind, ladies and gentlemen. That is my most sacred promise to every person here today. But just as in Lincoln's time, he was witnessing that amazing Revolutionary War generation lose an oak tree every single day. So in our time, we are watching fewer and fewer World War II veterans who still remember what it was like to serve in one of our nation's greatest and most historic triumphs in 251 years of proud history. And so I want to give a special shout out to three World War II generation veterans who are here with us today. And I'd ask that they be recognized. And that is Dave Yoho, Clifford Richardson, and Julian Smith, thank you for your service. Thank you for fighting for this country. Ladies and gentlemen, my fellow veterans, this is your day, of course, and I want you to celebrate. I want you to have a good time. And in my family, our great tradition, because veterans ate free at Golden Corral, was to go to Golden Corral. Whatever. We had one guy in the back standing up and clapping. But whatever your tradition is. I want you to enjoy this day, but I also want you to take some special commitment. Just as the generations of World War II veterans and the generation of Vietnam veterans fought for my generation of veterans, it is now our time. To pick up the torch and to fight for the next generation of veterans. So yes, ladies and gentlemen, let's celebrate our veterans. But I want every single veteran here, every single veteran in our country to remember that our job is to fight for the next generation of veterans. And that is exactly what we're going to do. And because of that, I am proud to introduce a man who has fought for veterans every single step of his life in public service, a man who- All right, everybody, we are listening in to Vice President J.D. Vance address this incredible Veterans Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery. As he gets ready to introduce President Trump, we're gonna get one more quick commercial break-in, and we'll be back in with the president's remarks when we return. All right, everyone. I'm not even gonna put myself back on and say goodbye. I will see you back on the stream at 1. But as we continue our Veterans Day coverage, we are gonna listen in live to President Trump. He loves you and he protects you. He's all about you. Secretary of Veterans Affairs with a 92% approval rating, the job he's doing. That's pretty good. Maybe we'll get it up to 100 pretty soon, Doug. Doug Collins, thank you, Doug. What a job. It's about 50 points higher than his predecessor, I must tell you, that's a big difference. Many members of my cabinet, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Cain, who's fantastic. Thank you very much, General. Thank you. Representatives of our amazing veteran service organizations and the countless members of the United States Armed Forces who are with us today. Thank you all. We really respect and appreciate you. Thank you all. To inherit a free nation is among the rarest blessings that any people in history have ever known. To defend that freedom is among the hardest and highest obligations, one of the most difficult tasks imaginable. Across every generation, American liberty has been preserved by legions of selfless patriots who have raised their right hands and sworn an oath Of flesh and blood. For a cause whose full cost could not be measured in advance, there was no way it was doable, they thought. In every era, they've stood watch, they've held a line, they've hauled a charge bravely into the fray that few people would have wanted to do or could have done. It's something that lies between order and chaos, freedom and tyranny, civilization and barbarism, and good and evil, exact opposite ends of the spectrum. Time and time again for 250 years, the American warrior has returned victorious. Our republic has triumphed, and today our country is stronger than it has ever been before. A nation without heroes is like a sky without stars or a heaven without angels but in America we've never known that darkness because we have the men and women of America's armed forces, our guiding lights, our greatest heroes and our guardian angels. At 19 years old, Jack Myers kissed his young bride and newborn son goodbye and went to serve as a gunner in the 692nd Tank Destroyer Battalion in World War II. Brave people all. In the frostbitten winter of 1944, Corporal Myers found himself in the largest battle in American history, the Battle of the Bulge. For weeks, he and his unit fought in one of the most intense crucibles in the history of war To turn the enemy's final advance into a. Unbelievable. And somewhat unexpected defeat we thought would have to go on much longer than that was an incredible moment in military history. Months later, Jack's battalion was among the first to liberate the Dachau concentration camp coming face to face with the evil he risked his life to destroy. Today, Jack is a great, great grandfather and is here to receive our nation's gratitude at 103 years old. Jack, Jack Myers, we are honored by your presence today. It's really something. You see how we all respect you, respect you so much. Thank you, and thank you for being here. U.S. Army Colonel Douglas Moore served as one of the famous Dust-off medevac pilots in Vietnam, boy could they fly, flying an incredible 1,874 combat missions and evacuating 2,782 badly wounded soldiers. On a single day in December 1968, he twice exposed his helicopter to close-range machine Machine guns and sniper fire to rescue five Americans from hell. Then Douglas flew back into danger to rescue eight more Americans as bullets ripped through his helicopter, hitting his leg, his hand, his helmet, and sending shrapnel into his eye that blinded him. Douglas was knocked backwards and the helicopter began to dive. But despite it all, he grabbed the flight stick, recovered the aircraft, and returned. The eight men to safety, nobody thought it was possible. For his actions, Douglas received our