Please, Thank Those Who Gave All, Not Me

After years hearing "Thank you for your service" a thousand times from friends and strangers, the final straw for me came from the most unlikely of persons. It was a few weeks ago while driving into neighboring Fort Campbell, when the young Army MP at the gate handed back to me my retiree ID card, offering his own "Thank you for your service."

Cemeteries prep for Memorial Day

Larry Frounfelkner of Vacaville salutes a tombstone of a U.S. veteran after planting an American flag at the Sacramento Valley National Cemetery in Dixon, Saturday. Frounfelkner, a Vietnam veteran, attended the flag planting ceremony to honor his father and father-in-law, whom both served in the U.S. military.

Expecting worst, holiday travelers find fast airport lines

Fast moving airport security lines at the start of the Memorial Day weekend could bode well for return travelers Monday. Travelers reported moving quickly through airport checkpoints Friday after authorities opened extra screening lanes and used bomb-sniffing dogs to give some passengers a break from removing their shoes.

By the numbers: Memorial Day and veterans

As the country heads into the Memorial Day weekend, there are over 1.3 million U.S soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines on active duty, and more than 150,000 of them are stationed in foreign countries. So far, more than 6,800 U.S. servicemen and women have died during the military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan and at least 52,000 more have been wounded.

VA chief: ‘I deeply regret’ wait-time comparison to Disney

In this photo taken Feb. 25, 206, Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald speaks in Washington. Republicans are criticizing McDonald after he compared wait times to receive VA health care to the hours people wait for rides at Disney theme parks.