WASHINGTON (AP) President Obama carried out the traditional Veterans Day role Wednesday, then made a surprise visit to a part of Arlington National Cemetery reserved for troops killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, walking among the grave sites and talking to mourners.
In his brief speech after a wreath-laying at the Tomb of the Unknowns, Obama paid fond tribute to the determination of the U.S. military, from those who served generations ago to today's troops fighting in Afghanistan, Iraq and missions around the world.
"To all of them to our veterans, to the fallen and to their families there is no tribute, no commemoration, no praise that can truly match the magnitude of your service and your sacrifice," he said.
Obama pledged he would do right by all veterans and families, saying: "America will not let you down."
The president spoke one day after somberly honoring the victims of a shooting rampage at Fort Hood, Texas. His first Veterans Day as president comes as Obama is on the cusp of announcing a revamped war strategy in Afghanistan that is expected to include sending thousands more troops into that war zone.
After his comments, Obama and first lady Michelle Obama spent some time in the section of the cemetery where fallen troops from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars are buried. The Obamas surprised family members who were there to pay their respects and spent some time talking to them.
Earlier at this national burial ground for war heroes, Obama, wearing a black raincoat, placed a flower-laced wreath on a stand and stood over it silently for several moments at the site of the Tomb of the Unknowns. He placed his hand on his heart as a bugler played taps.
Vice President Biden spoke Wednesday to a group of 240 active duty service members and veterans at the Naval Observatory before a Veterans Day lunch.
He said it is "sacred duty" of the United States to provide for active duty members of the military as well as care for their families.
The vice president told the crowd he was grateful for their service and humbled by their sacrifices. As a military father himself, he said he understands the difficulty of waiting for your loved one to return from deployment. Biden was joined by wife Jill Biden and Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki. After the remarks the White House chaplain offered a moment of silence for the victims of the Fort Hood shooting.
First lady Michelle Obama also visited George Washington University with Vice President Biden's wife, Jill, and former Secretary of State Colin Powell's wife, Alma.
The first lady said many veterans want their lives to be tours of duty because they have the will and skills to serve their communities after they return home. She told service groups and student veterans at the school that what service members learned abroad is what communities need to overcome challenges at home.
She said veterans could mentor students in the classroom and their leadership skills could help neighborhoods recover from natural disasters.
In Indiana, hundreds of people lined the streets of Terre Haute for a Veterans Day parade serving as a funeral procession for a soldier whose return to the country was marked by a salute from President Obama.
Army Sgt. Dale Griffin of Terre Haute was killed Oct. 27 by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan. Obama participated in the transfer of his body two days later at Dover Air Force Base.
Donald Barnett says he came to Wednesday's procession with his wife and granddaughter to show support for Griffin's family and other troops since they are the nation's line of defense.
Griffin's flag-draped coffin was to proceed to Terre Haute South High School's gymnasium for a public funeral later Wednesday.
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