♪ ♪ ♪ it's memorial day, may 30th, 2011. president obama is at arlington national sepl tore. live pictures paying tribute to those men and women who gave their lives to defend our country. shortly the president will speak at arlington's amphitheater. his address live, as well as remarks from mike mullen and defense secretary robert gates. arlington national cemetery, 624 acres of hallowed ground, the final resting place for fallen troops from all of america's wars, including the most recent. the war dead from iraq and afghanistan are laid to rest in an area that's known as section 60. our correspondent chris lawrence is there on this memorial day. chris, describe for us if you can the significance of this place that some call the saddest acre in america. >> reporter: well, suzanne, this is where most of the iraq and afghanistan war dead have been buried. so for a lot of these families the wounds are still very fresh. they have lost their loved ones in the last year, the last five years, the last ten years. they say for every man or woman who dies in service there's about 10 people that that affects. mothers, fathers, husbands, wives, children. the deaths of these service members really affects 60,000 americans. each one is a separate story. you look at sergeant ashly moyer. she was 22 years old when she was killed in an attack in iraq. and he was positive humanously given an award, ross andrew mcginnis. he had a chance to jump out of the vehicle but he threw himself on the grenade and saved the lives of the other men inside. we got a chance to speak to nicky bunting who lost her husband in afghanistan four years ago. she really helped put in perspective exactly what this means to the families who are here. >> i want everyone to realize these aren't just graves, numbers, they are real people. they had parents, children, siblings and friends. today is about celebrating their life and making sure that everyone knows that these are real people that we've lost. and so when i get to talk to my husband i love to laugh and smile when i talk about him and really share the great guy he was. >> the thing about her husband, he had come home for r and r to visit his family. he went back to afghanistan for -- to complete his deployment. he was killed in an attack about four days back in country. what nicki found out a month or two later, she was pregnant. she's here today with her 1 1/2-year-old son. nicki said she wants to keep this area a happy not somber. she said she kind of teaches her youngest son this is like heaven. this is where dad is. this is where he can come and be with dad so he doesn't grow up thinking of this area just as a sad place and only thinking sad thoughts when he thinks about the dad he never got to meet. >> amazing story. do the families of service members say saoe this any differently for the planned return of some u.s. troops being able to come home in afghanistan in july? >> you know, i talked to a couple people about that. they said almost all of them said, look, any time a service member comes home alive and okay they celebrate it. they feel, you know, joy for getting their service members back, especially when they're healthy and whole. >> any sense these military families are just weary of the wars? >> yeah. you see that. as you look out, a lot of people come here year after year. for the past few years. some of them have been coming five, six, seven years. a lot of them out here in chairs. we don't want to give the impression that most of the war dead are buried here. a lot of people want to be buried in a cemetery near their hometown or where their family is. what the families get here is not only the honor of being buried in arlington but also the feeling of community where they can talk to other families that are experiencing what they're going through. really this is a community that truly only the people involved can truly, truly understand what it's like. >> okay. chris, thank you so much for putting into perspective. honestly, we wish the very best for those families getting through this time. thank you, chris. appreciate it. shortly, the president is going to speak at arlington's amphitheater. we will have his address live and mike mullen and defense secretary robert gates. we want to remind you to explore cnn.com interactive tribute to the troops who lost their lives in iraq and afghanistan. go to cnn.com/casualties. you can leave our own messages and stories about loved ones who have died in combat. cnn.com/casualties. y ] the univy gave me the knowledge to make a difference in peoples' lives. 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carol costello joins us with that very important question. what happens when they come home? >> absolutely. as we're honoring our troops on memorial day, we should turn the corner and think about the young men and women who will come home from the war zone. overall unemployment is high but the jobless rate is nearly 22% for veterans between 18 and 24. you would think after handling one of the toughest assignments in life, fighting a war, that getting a job would be easy. but it's not. veterans are finding that what they did over there, whether it will saving lives as a medic or transporting heavy artillery doesn't phi them for a job as an emt or a truck driver at home in civilian life. chairwoman of the veterans affairs committee says vets are afraid to list their military experience job applications for good reason. employers are not exactly aoeg tore hire them. many vets don't know how to play up their skills. murray finds that more than sad. >> if we don't make sure that we help those men and women who are coming home today, get a job, help with their physical and mental injuries, our country will have on its conscience a high number of we lost from suicide, homeless. >> as a culture are we in denial about the plight of our veterans? we love to see the happy home comings but then we just go on with our lives. facebook.com/carlcnn. i'll read your comments later this hour >> presidential hopefuls are out in full force this home moral day. i'll tell you who is campaigning wear and talk about the importance of this holiday. new neutrogena® wet skin kids with helioplex. the first sunblock designed to be applied directly to wet skin. ordinary sunblock drips and whitens. neutrogena® wet skin kids instantly cuts through water. forms a broad spectrum protective barrier. with wet skin kids, your kids have full strength sun protection. try new wet skin sunblock for adults too. neutrogena® #1 dermatologist recommended suncare. relieve the pain and itching fast with gold bond maximum relief anti-itch cream. cool and soothe pain and itch on contact. gold bond maximum relief. ♪ ♪ america america ♪ ♪ god shed his grace on thee ♪ ♪ and crown thy good with brotherhood ♪ ♪ from sea to shining sea ♪ you've been listening to staff sergeant of the united states marine corps. singing america the beautiful, followed by remarks bisect robert gates, as well as an address from the president of the united states. you're looking at live pictures from arlington national cemetery. president and mrs. obama are honoring the nation's fallen troops. the president just laid a wreath at the tomb of the unknowns. let's first take a listen. >> for many americans memorial day is a welcomed respite from work, an extra day to spend at the beach or finish errands. but we must never forget that it is foremost an occasion to reflect, to remember, and to honor the brave men and women who fought and died for us. each year we set aside a single day to reflect on the service of our armed forces and generations past and present. a day when we must also honor the sacrifices of military family members who in recent years have born the brunt of repeated deployments, long partings and the fear of receiving the knock on the door with the worst of all possible news. but i urge all americans to remember that just as each and every day the troops now serving faithfully pursue their mission to protect us so each and every day they deserve our recognition, our respect, and our conscious gratitude, every soldier, sailor, airman, marine and coast guard wearing the uniform today -- >> you've been listening to defense secretary robert gates paying tribute to the fallen soldiers. we are awaiting as well president obama, who will also be addressing the crowd at arlington national cemetery right after secretary gates. we'll bring those comments to you live. presidential hopefuls and contenders, well, they're out in full force this memorial day. former vice president candidate sarah palin's bus tour takes her to washington, mount srerp on, gettysburg, pennsylvania. and congresswoman michele bachmann is in new hampshire. our cnn's jim acosta joins us live from getties about urg to talk about the politics of this day. it's important to acknowledge and recognize the fallen but we do know this is a very important holiday for candidates as they try to show their commitment, right, to the armed services. >> absolutely. we thought since we had been out here in gettysburg waiting for sarah palin's expected arrival rewith he should show one of the more inspiring spots, pennsylvania memorial honoring 1,100 soldiers that died on this battle field. you're right. i mean, this is a very important holiday for a lot of politicians, especially when you're one year out from a presidential race. sarah palin is expected to bring her bus tour. someone called it the mystery bus tour because we don't have all the details. >> we're now going to take a listen to president obama. >> thank you. thank you so much. please be seated. thank you serbgts gates. and thank you for your extraordinary service to our nation. i think that bob gates will go down as one of our finest secretaries of defense in our history. and it's been an honor to serve with him. i also want to say -- >> [ applause ]. >> i also want to say a word about admiral mullen. on a day when we are announcing his successor as chairman of the joint chiefs of staff and as he looks forward to a well-deserved retirement later this year, admiral mullen, on behalf of all americans, thank you for your four decades of service to this great country. we want to thank deborah mullen as well for her extraordinary service. to major general carl horst, commanding general of our military district of washington, mrs. nancy horst, patrick hallonin as well as his lovely wife doreen and chaplain steve barry. thank you for your extraordinary service. [ applause ]. it is a great privilege to return here to a national sanctuary. this most hallowed ground to commemorate memorial day with all of you. with americans who have come to pay their respects. with members of our military and their families. with veterans whose service we will never forget and always honor. gold star families whose loved ones rest all around us in eternal peace. to those of you who mourn the loss of a loved one today, my heart goes out to you. i love my daughters more than anything in the world. and i cannot imagine losing them. i can't imagine losing a sister or brother or a parent at war. the grief so many of you carry in your hearts is a grief i cannot fully know. this day is about you. and the fallen heroes that you loved. and it's a day that has meaning for all americans, including me. it's one of my highest honors. it is my most solemn responsibility as president, to serve as commander in chief as one of the finest fighting forces the world has ever known. [ applause ]. and it's a responsibility that carries a special weight on this day. it carries a special weight each time i meet with our gold star families and i see the pride in their eyes but also the tears of pain that will never fully go away. each time i sit down at any desk and sign a con dollens letter to the family of the fallen. sometimes a family will write me back and tell me about who they have lost or what their battle buddy meant to them. i received one such letter from an army veteran named paul tarbucks after i visited arlington a couple years ago. paul saw a photograph of me walking through section 60 where the heroes who fell in iraq and afghanistan lay. by a headstone marking the final resting place of staff sergeant joe finoof. joe, he told me, was a friend of his. one of the best men he had ever known, the kind of guy who could have the entire barracks in laughter. being a volunteer coach to helping build a playground. it was a moving letter. paul closed it with a few words about the hallowed cemetery where we are gathered here today. he wrote, the venerable warriors that slumber there knew full well the risks that are associated with military service. and felt pride in defending our democracy. the true lesson of arlington, he continued, is that each headstone is that of a patriot, each headstone shares a story. thank you for letting me share with you the story about my friend joe. staff sergeant joe finoon was a patriotic like all the venerable warriors who lay here and across this country and around the globe. each of them adds honor to what it means to be a soldier, sailor, airmen, marie and coast guardsesman. each is the link in an unbroken chain that stretches back to the earliest days of our republic. and on this day we memorialize them all. we memorialize our first patriots, blacksubmits, farmers, slaves and freed men who never knew the independence they won with their lives. we memorialize the armies of men and women disguised, black and white who fell in apple orchards and corn fields in a war that saved our union. we memorialize those who gave their lives on the battle fields of our time, from normandy, manila, baghdad, helman and in jungles, deserts and city streets around the world. what bonds this chain together across the generations, this chain of honor and sacrifice is not only a common cause. our country's cause but also a spirit captured in a book of isaiah. a familiar verse mailed to me by the gold star parents of second lieutenant mike mcgayan. whom shall i send and whom shall go for us? and i said, here i am. send me. that's what we memorialize today. that spirit that says send me, no matter the mission. send me, no matter the risk. send me, no matter how great the sacrifice i'm called to make. the patriots we memorialize today sacrificed not only all they had but all they would ever know. they gave of themselves until they had nothing more to give. it's natural when we lose someone we care about to ask why it had to be them. why my son? why my sister? why my friend? why not me? these are questions that cannot be answered by us. but on this day we remember that it is on our behalf that they gave our lives, they gave their lives. we remember that it is their courage, their unselfishness, their devotion to duty that has sustained this country through all its trials and will sustain us through all the trials to come. we remember that the blessings we enjoy as americans came at a dear cost that our very presence here today has free people in a free society bears testimony to their enduring legacy. our nation owes a debt to its fallen heroes that we can never fully repay. but we can honor their sacrifice and we must. we must honor it in our own lives by holding their memories close to our hearts and heeding the example they set. and we must honor it as a nation by keeping our sacred trust with all who wear america's uniform and the families who love them. by never giving up the search for those who have gone missing under our country's flag or held as prisoners of war. by serving our patriots as well as they serve us from the moment they enter the military to the moment they leave it to the moment they are laid to rest. that is how we can honor the sacrifice of those we've lost. that is our obligation to americans guardians. guardians like travis menean. the son of a marine he followed in his father's footsteps and was in the ussnaval academy. brendan loonie, born leader from a military leader just like travis. the two quickly became best friends, like brothers, brendan said. after graduation they deployed. travis to iraq and brendan to korea. on april 29th, 2007, while fight to go rescue his fellow marines from danger, travis was killed by a sniper. brendan did what he had to do, he kept going. he poured himself into his s.e.a.l. training and dedicated it to the friend that he missed. he married the woman he loved and his tour in korea behind him, he deployed to afghanistan. on september 21st of last year, brendan gave his own life along with eight others in a helicopter crash. heartbroken yet filled with pride, they knew only one way to honor their sons's friendship. they moved travis from his cemetery in pennsylvania and buried them side by side here at arlington. warriors for freedom read the epitaph written by travis's father. brothers forever. the friendship between first lieutenant travis and lieutenant brendan loonie reflects the meaning of memorial day. brotherhood, sacrifice, love of country. and it is my fervent prayer that we may honor the memory of the fallen by living out those every day in our lives in the military and beyond. may god bless the souls of the venerable warriors we have lost and the country for which they died. [ applause ]. live pictures of arlington national cemetery. brief remarks by president obama on this 143rd memorial day observance. the president talking and speaking on hallowed ground for many there this is a president who under his command brought the iraq war officially to a close august 31st of last year. let's take a quick listen as they play taps. ♪ ♪ ♪ go into the world to preserve peace. remember the wisdom you have learned and be courageous. cling to that which is good always. resist evil to the utter most. strengthen the light hearted, lift up the oppressed, defense the helpless. >> you've been watching the observance, men moral day observance at arlington national cemetery listening the benediction as the ceremony comes to a close. on a very personal note, the president saying he cannot imagine what it would be like to lose his daughters or a loved one as so many are experiencing this moment of loss, this moment of grief but also of remembrance of the strength and the courage that so many had in sacrificing their lives for freedom. the president sending the message that one thing is memorial likewised and that is send me, send me. sacrifice and service for the country. sacrifice of the fallen heroes and of course the families who survived them. we are looking at live pictures of the president and first lady sharing handshakes, hugs with the top military brass as they leave arlington national cemetery. this is the 143rd of its kind. and you can see people who are there set among the tombstones with the umbrellas. the flowers. the flags. as they mark this solemn and important holiday. we'll have more after the break. 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[ female announcer ] chef michael's canine creations. chef inspired. dog desired. sarah palin is getting a lot of attention this week, but she is not the only candidate or potential candidate who is making headlines. part of the best political team on television live from the political desk in washington. paul, who else is in the spotlight? tell us. >> mitt romney will be in the spotlight. you'll hear a lot about sarah palin for sure all week. but mitt romney ran for the republican presidential nomination last time around. he makes it filler began. he is foggy to say i am candidate for president. he will do it in new hampshire. no surprise. the granite state is crucial to his chances of winning the nomination. keep your eye on mitt romney. >> republicans don't seem to be happy, however, with the current group of candidates they have. >> yeah. check this out. i guess the question is do they have a lot of love from these candidates. national poll just came out the other day. you can see at the top only 16% say they are very satisfied with the current field. look at the bottom. 4 in 10 are not satisfied at all. but it is early. it is early. there may be enough time for these people to fall in love with these candidates. stay tune odd that one, suzanne. >> i understand there's going to be a major gathering two weeks from today, is that right? >> yes, two weeks from today, back in new hampshire. it's the cnnwmur, union leader debate, the first republican presidential debate in new hampshi hampshire. should be a big deal, suzanne. >> very big deal. thank you, paul. have a great holiday. you know where to go, cnnpolitics.com. this memorial day it is going to cost you more to fire if you're eating a hamburger, the price of ground beef is up 12%. lettuce, tomatoes, up almost 10%. if you want to cool things off with some ice cream, expect to pay 5% more. we'll be right back after this quick break. hmmm, you can't do that. but you can do this. bengay pain relief + massage with penetrating nubs plus the powerful pain relief of bengay. love the nubs! a body at rest tends to stay at rest... while a body in motion tends to stay in motion. staying active can actually ease arthritis symptoms. but if you have arthritis, staying active can be difficult. prescription celebrex can help relieve arthritis pain so your body can stay in motion. because just one 200mg celebrex a day can provide 24 hour relief for many with arthritis pain and inflammation. plus, in clinical studies, celebrex is proven to improve daily physical function so moving is easier. and celebrex is not a narcotic. when it comes to relieving your arthritis pain, you and your doctor need to balance the benefits with the risks. all prescription nsaids, like celebrex, ibuprofen, naproxen, and meloxicam have the same cardiovascular warning. they all may increase the chance of heart attack or stroke, which can lead to death. this chance increases if you have heart disease or risk factors such as high blood pressure or when nsaids are taken for long periods. nsaids, including celebrex, increase the chance of serious skin or allergic reactions or stomach and intestine problems, such as bleeding and ulcers, which can occur without warning and may cause death. patients also taking aspirin and the elderly are at increased risk for stomach bleeding and ulcers. do not take celebrex if you've had an asthma attack, hives, or other allergies to aspirin, nsaids or sulfonamides. get help right away if you have swelling of the face or throat, or trouble breathing. tell your doctor your medical history and find an arthritis treatment for you. visit celebrex.com and ask your doctor about celebrex. for a body in motion. you're actually paying $1 more per gallon of gas this memorial day than you were last year. if you're traveling this weekend, those prices can really add up. alison kosik is here with ways to help you save some money when you're behind the wheel. >> hi, suzanne. yes, it's memorial day and most likely that means many of us are going to be hitting the road. aaa estimates almost 35 million americans will travel distances of 50 miles or more over this long holiday weekend with 30.9 million planning to drive to their destination. with gas prices at $4 a gallon in many areas, there are some things you can do right now to save money at the pump and put that money into your summer road trips. first when you're behind the wheel, control your speed. you can boost your gas mileage by as much as 33% on the highway and 5% around town just by sticking to the speed limit. braking and accelerating suddenly wastes fuel. on the highway, consider using cruise control. but what about at the pump? how can you find the cheapest gas around? there are apps for that. gas buzzdy lets you search for the cheapest gas in your area. plug in your zip code and see where the deals are. but if you have to travel too far it may not be worth it. bankrate.com's gas calculator will do the math for you to determine whether traveling for cheaper gas makes sense and whul's start losing money on the trip. finally when you plan your trip, pay attention to timing. if your travel schedule is flexible, try to drive at off-peak times to avoid as much traffic as you can. as you sit idle you're not only wasting precious time but burning unnecessary fuel. today's "talk back" question. why aren't we doing more for our veterans? chase says because no one else sees what we go through. no one will ever understand it until they're there and until everyone understands it, they'll draw the line in terms of the help we receive. more of your responses straight ahead. i'm good about washing my face. but sometimes i wonder... what's left behind? 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[ man whistles ] sounds like somebody paid too much. excuse me? i use progressive's "name your price" tool. they showed me a range of coverages, and i picked the one that worked for me. i saved hundreds when switching. hundreds? who are you? just a man that loves savings... and pie. out there with a better way. now, that's progressive. america's veterans are coming home to high unemployment rates and homelessness as well, which brings us to today's "talk back" question -- why aren't we doing more for our veterans? carol costello has your responses. i understand that they are -- as you said, some of them are heartbreaking. >> it makes you cry. our "talk back" question, why aren't we doing more for our veterans? this from brad -- why is it every time an issue is brought up on these segments people turn into a republican/democrat, left/right issue. as a combat vet i know what a huge bureaucracy the va is and how poorly it is run. samantha -- it is easy to forget those who have fallen and those who are still fighting when you turn on the news and there's nothing about the soldiers or the war on tv anymore. i wish people would remember the troops all the time and not just on national holidays or on sundays when army wives comes on. who a "it only sounds good to seem we care about them and flying the flag outside makes us look good in front of others. but that's as far as we go." it's because nobody honestly cares. i did two tours in iraq. as a u.s. marine, i'm 27, homeless, living in my car, and my family, friends and everyone just shook my hand then they turned their backs. no one will hire me because i have been told we don't hire crazy war vets. but thanks for your service. when does this country i will fight for fight for me? please, continue this important conversation i'll be back in about ten minutes or so. >> thank you, carol. more of today's top stories after a quick break. >> i'm specialist amie mcmillan. shout out to my family in charlotte, north carolina. miss you and be home soon. happy themmimemorial day and pl remember those troops currently serving overseas and those who lost their lives fighting for our country. pass on the news and make sure you and everyone you know is getting the calcium they need. ♪ is getting the calcium they need. and my dog bailey and i love to hang out in the kitchen. you love the aroma of beef tenderloin, don't you? you inspired a very special dog food. 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[ male announcer ] ask your doctor about cymbalta. imagine you, with less pain. cymbalta can help. go to cymbalta.com to learn about a free trial offer. top of the hour, i'm suzanne malveaux. i'd like to get you up to speed at arlington national cemetery today. americans gather among the marble headstones to honor the men and women who gave their lives in service for our country. an hour ago, president obama paid his respects by placing a wreath at the tomb of the unknowns. later the president spoke of sacrifice. >> the grief so many of you carry in your hearts is a grief i cannot fully know. this day is about you and the fallen heroes that you loved, and it's a day that has meaning for all americans, including me. it's one of my highest honors. it is my most solemn responsibility as president, to serve as commander in chief of one of the finest fighting forces the world has ever known. >> president obama today nominated general martin dempsey to be the next chairman of the joint chiefs of staff. dempsey served two tours in iraq and is currently the highest ranking army officer on the joint chiefs. he would replace admiral mike mullen who retires on october 1st. people in southwest michigan are spending their memorial day cleaning up from a tremendous thunderstorm. 75 to 80-mile-an-hour winds brought down hundreds of trees and cut electricity to 100,000 customers. fast food restaurant in battle creek took a direct hit. >> we had a lady freaking out. she's screaming and all we hear is our manager scream "get in the women's bathroom." our back entrance door busted out. glass, ceiling tile, light hanging down. roof caves in in the dining room. >> the splintered lumber and chunks of concrete have not been cleared, but some in joplin, missouri are already rebuilding from this month's tornado. at a memorial service on sunday, president obama called attention to home depot worker dean wells. he led people to safety until a wall of the store collapsed on top of him. >> that's how he was. he helped anybody an everybody and he died doing it. >> he was always helping other people. i mean i miss him but i'm glad that if he had to lose his life, he lost it the way that he lived it. yemen slides closer to chaos. witnesses report 20 people killed during anti-government protests on sunday. over the weekend, islamic militants joining the fight taking over a town near the coast. yemeni soldiers are now in a fierce battle to retake the town. a new diplomatic push to end the fighting in libya. south african president jacob zuma is in tripoli today pressing moammar gadhafi to end three months of fighting with rebels. his visit comes on the same day that italy reports eight gadhafi generals have defected. minnesota congresswoman michelle bachmann is about to speak at a gop picnic in dover, new hampshire this hour. she plans to announce this month whether or not she will make a run for the republican presidential nomination. presidential hopefuls and possible contenders are out in full force. former minnesota governor tim pawlenty is spending the day in iowa. former vice presidential candidate sarah palin's bus tour takes her to mount washington, mt. vernon, virginia and gettysburg, pennsylvania. and congresswoman michelle bachmann is in dover, new hampshire. businessman herman cane is in new hampshire. give us the impact of her tour. do you believe she's testing the waters on perhaps even running? >> i think that's safe to say, that she is testing the waters. as a matter of fact, earlier at the national ar dmivz washington when she was asked the question are you running for president, she said we are contemplating that. that is a clear signal that this bus tour is at least, in part, testing the waters sort of swing up the east coast. i can tell you standing here at gettysburg in pennsylvania, there are already some palin watchers here and we're still a good two hours out from her expected arrival at this national park. as i just mentioned earlier this morning, she was at the national archives. she went to the historic sites at mt. vernon and everywhere she went, not only were the national media in tow but there were palin watchers wondering what she's going do, what she's going to say. somebody asked her at the national archives do you think you could beat president obama. here's what she had to say. >> i think that any republican candidate is very, very electable. i think americans are ready for a true change, clang to get our country back on the right track. >> reporter: now obviously that was a very coy answer, but she is not the only one who thishgs that the republicans have a good shot at next year and if you look at the polling, she is fairly well positioned, suzanne, to make a decent run at this. gallup folks just released a national survey last week that took into consideration that donald trump is out of thehucka finished a very respectable second place behind mitt romney. at the time the poll was taken, she wasn't even seriously considered as a candidate. that has very much changed in the last 48 to 72 hours. she's being covered this week like a potential presidential candidate, suzanne. >> it seems like there are a lot of political overtones connected with this trip. yes? >> reporter: absolutely. now she was asked at this stop earlier this morning, is this a campaign bus tour. she said, oh, no, this is not a campaign bus. this is about remembering america's history, remembering america's past. that sort of thing. but you also have to keep in mind that wherever she goes she's going to generate attention. she's going to attract followers. i was talking to a gentleman earlier this morning who said he's out here to see sarah palin. he said pennsylvania is not one of those places where you would normally expect to see sarah palin do well. he was speculating that perhaps a lot of this has to do with trying to go after those independent voters who maybe have some questions about her. a lot of polling has shown that recently and it doesn't hurt to ride around in a bus, suzanne, that's all about american history. who could argue with that? so we're going to have to see how all of this plays out over the next several days. but from what we understand, this tour is going to make its way to new hampshire at some point which as you know is a key primary state. we'll all be watching. >> okay, i'm sure all eyes on sarah palin. thank you, jim. appreciate it. here's your chance to talk back on one of the big stories of the day. today we are asking why aren't we doing more for our veterans? carol costello joins us with that question. it is unbelievable just the last hour the kinds of responses you got. >> heartbreaking. brought tears to your eyes. as we're honoring our fallen troops on this memorial day, we should at some point turn the corner and think about the young men and women who will soon come home from the war zone. they won't have an easy time of it. overall unemployment is high these days but the jobless rate is nearly 22% for veterans between the ages of 18 and 24. you would think that after handling one of the toughest assignments in life, fighting a war, getting a job would be easy. but it's not. vets are finding that what they do over there, whether it be saving lives as a medic or transporting heavy artillery, does not certify them for a job as an emt or truck driver back at home in civilian life. senator patty murray, chairwoman of the veterans affairs committee, says vets are afraid to list their military experience on their job applications, and that's for good reason. employers are not exactly eager to hire them. and many veterans don't know how to play up their skills. marie finds that more than sad. >> if we don't make sure that we help those men and women who are coming home today get a job, help with their physical and mental injuries, get through the benefits claim process, 20 years from now our country will have on its conscience a high number of veterans who we've lost because of suicide, who are homeless on the streets and who have been lost, and i don't want to see that happen. >> as a culture, are we in denial about the plight of our veterans? we love to see those happy home comings, but then, we kind of go on with our lives. the "talk back" question today -- why aren't we doing more for our veterans? facebook.com/carolcnn. i'll read your comments later this hour. >> so many are just looking for an opportunity for a chance. >> and a lot of employers don't want to hire veterans because, frankly, they think they have psychological problems and why take the chance. so they put the application at the bottom of the stack. >> it is a shame. carol, thank you very much. you can explore at cnn.com ainteractive tribute to troops who have lost their lives in iraq and afghanistan. go to cnn.com/casualties. you'll find troops from your area of the country. you can leave your own messages and stories with loved ones who have died in combat. that's cnn.com/casualties. ahead on the rundown, post traumatic stress disorder weighing heavily on america's troops. and they fought for our country. now they're just fighting to get a job. the race to find employment for those who are returning. and plus, american workers put in more hours than people in other parts of the world, so why won't they take a vacation when they have the chance? and then, evacuating neighborhoods. as texas wildfires light up again. >> we have no building. the chairs we used were something that was salvaged out of the building. as far as material things, they're gone but we have the people. >> and a congregation celebrates mass with no church standing after that tornado in joplin, missouri. was an archer drawing his bow. ♪ could that have also inspired its 556 horsepower supercharged engine? ♪ the all-new cadillac cts-v coupe. we don't just make luxury cars, we make cadillacs. t adththod it's dif - alcium crhea it's a day set aside to honor the country's fallen men and women in uniform, and it is a day mark by ceremonies and salutes, parades as well as patriotism. the outgoing chairman of the joint chiefs of staff was asked about his hopes for those serving our country today. >> i just would send them a message of how special they are, and in particular this memorial day, the losses that have occurred over the course of these wars, over 6,000 now and sacrifices of their families, and that through those losses we as a country can commit to them, commit to our veterans, to commit to those who sacrifice so much that we make sure we take care of them for the rest of their lives. lawmakers made a big deal about banning discretionary spending on projects in their own districts, known as earmarks. but it seems as if they found a way around their own legislation. our senior congressional correspondent dana bash reports that millions of dollars are still being funneled into pet projects. >> reporter: redstone arsenal in northern alabama, home of army rocket and missile programs. it could get $2.5 million added to a defense bill to develop unmanned vehicle technology. thanks to congressman mo brooks who represents the district. so that is probably going to go to your district and help your constituents. >> i can't say that it's going to go to the fifth congressional district, but i will say this -- if that is a service that we can offer to america, i'll be tickled pink. >> reporter: in this press release, brooks boasted about getting more jobs for his district. that sounds like an earmark, which the house banned this year. so what's this all about? watchdog groups worry it's a backdoor way around the ban. the house armed services chaim cuts hundreds of millions of dollars from a variety of defense programs and put the money in a newly created pot dubbed "the mission force enharsment transfer fund." lawmakers are using it to pay for projects and policy proposals. to some it is a pet project slush fund. >> this never has never been in this bill before. it's certainly suspicious that it has occurred for the first time after earmarks have been placed under a moratorium, and it looks like a work-around. >> reporter: but it is another form of pork. >> well, no, i disagree. i don't think that it's pork because you're not able to allocate where it goes. >> reporter: that is a big difference. with traditional earmarks, lawmakers guaranteed funding for projects back home. here, the defense department has final say over the money. but in some cases there appears to be little doubt lawmakers' districts would benefit. betty sutton secured more than $30 million for a defense corrosion prevent program and projects. it so happens the university of akron, in her ohio district, has the first corrosive engineering program in the country. sutton declined an cnn interview request. then there's the tea party backed freshman steve palazzo. he scored $19.9 million for navy ship design and feasible studies and sent out this press release promising much of it will directly benefit south mississippi ship building. he also declined to talk to cnn and aides said the navy would ultimately decide how the money was spent. senator clair mcskcaskill, a long-time ear morning opponent nis sash -- >> if it looks like a duck and walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it's a duck, it's an earmark. >> reporter: other lawmakers in both parties secured millions that could benefit their districts and rejected cnn's requests for interviews to explain. most said through spokesmen the pentagon will make it a competitive process. the congressman who did talk to us said if he can still help his district in this post earmark world, no apologies. >> none whatsoever. >> thank you. >> i'm doing my job. >> until the pentagon ultimately decides, we won't know for sure if lawmakers successfully steered pork to their districts. regardless, some deficit hawks say members of the house armed services committee should have used the hundreds of millions of dollars they found in pentagon savings to help pay down the sky high deficit, not for even more government spending. dana bash, cnn, washington. >> so are spending your memorial day like we are, at work? or do you have the day off. >> we're going to look at vacation days around the world. you may be surprised at how american workers compare. we're adding new cell sites... increasing network capacity, and investing billions of dollars to improve your wireless network experience. from a single phone call to the most advanced data download, we're covering more people in more places than ever before in an effort to give you the best network possible. at&t. rethink possible. well, memorial day is the unofficial start of summer. many of you are starting to think about vacation. well, france mandates its workers get 30 days off a year. germans get more than four weeks of vacation. the united states, there is no mandate. now typically americans get two to three weeks off a year, yet barely half of us take all of that time. while almost 90% of french workers use every bit of it. so let's look closer at some of the vacation policies in europe and asia. >> reporter: i'm frederick pleitgen in berlin, germany. the germans have about 24 days and add in a couple holidays and you come to about 30 days of paid vacation for every german, every year. by and large, people here do tend to take their holidays. however, as the job market becomes more competitive, some people are leaving some holidays behind. the interesting question is whether or not the german economy is still efficient even when people take a lot of holidays. you can see in the past couple of years that even with the international financial crisis, germany's economy remained robust. >> i'm paula hancocks in seoul. to be considered a workaholic here is almost like a badge of honor. according to recent figures in 2009, south koreans worked an average 52-hour work week. that's compared to a 34-hour work week in the united states. so you would assume that vacations would be very precious. but not so. according to government figures last year, almost half of all vacation days were simply not taken. 48% of days off were work through. now one of the reasons for this could be that it is quite a h e hierarchical society. it is frowned upon to arrive before your boss or leave before your boss. even if your work is done it is a good idea to stay and be seen to stay so you can get ahead. this is the image that the world has of the japanese worker -- serious, buttoned up and a very hard worker. i'm kyung lah in tokyo. guess what, everybody? that stereotype is true. according to japan's government, the average japanese worker gets 18 paid holidays a year. but half, 50% of those workers, take only 8 of those 18 days. that's less than half of their paid vacation. the reason why, there's this long standing notion in corporate japan that if you take all of your vacation days, are you considered lazy. you're considered a better employee if you leave those vacation days on the table. there is a term here that means death by overwork. >> for all of you who need to know about planning vacations, head to our website, cnn.com/travel. it is all there. well, we are honoring the fallen, helping those survivors as well. a look at some of the issues that our military veterans face as they return from the battlefield. rl. hmmm, you can't do that. but you can do this. bengay pain relief + massage with penetrating nubs plus the powerful pain relief of bengay. love the nubs! her morning begins with arthritis pain. that's a coffee and two pills. the afternoon tour begins with more pain and more pills. the evening guests arrive. back to sore knees. back to more pills. the day is done but hang on... her doctor recommended aleve. just 2 pills can keep arthritis pain away all day with fewer pills than tylenol. this is lara who chose 2 aleve and fewer pills for a day free of pain. and get the all day pain relief of aleve in liquid gels. producing products that save on fuel and emissions like ecopia tires... even making parts for solar panels that harness the sun's energy... working on social activities like clean up programs on beaches in many locations... and regional replanting activities that will help make a better world for all of us. ♪ one team. one planet bridgestone. more now on our top story this nem mmemorial day. president obama spoke this last hour from the hallows grounds of arlington national cemetery after taking part in a wreath laying ceremony as well. he just tour a took of an area that's called section 60. our pentagon correspondent chris lawrence joins us live from that section. chris, can you first of all tell us about the president's visit there and the significance of section 60? >> reporter: first off, suzanne, section 60 is where most of the iraq and afghanistan war dead are buried here. so the wounds are very, very fresh and still very raw for a lot of families here. the president left maybe five minutes ago. motorcade pulled up and he got out. he managed to spend a good deal of time here trying to meet as many families as possible. also the outgoing chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, mike mullen was here. it was hard to see or hear exactly ha was being said by the president and with some of the families, but we had a chance afterwards to talk to some of them and some of them said it was just a matter of telling him who their loved one was, why it was important to remember that loved one and the president seemed to be able to get through the crowd and sort of try to at least touch base and hear from some of them. so again, the president just left about five minutes ago but a lot of these folks are going to be here. suzanne, for the rest of the day really. >> chris, i understand you've really been able to talk to quite a number of people there who have lost their loved ones. can you give us a sense of the mood today? >> reporter: it depends on the family. some are very somber. some are very private. one person sitting alone at a grave. there was a big group over here about an hour ago and they popped champagne and they all had champagne glasses out. so it relittle depends on the individual family. but the interesting thing is as you walk through here, you really get a sense that every grave is a different story, every grave is a different family. we were talking -- i know the grave stone here says, but we were talking to this service member's mom who said his nickname was tuck. everybody called him tuck. and she told us really and explained why memorial day is so important to her personally. >> first time you come back where you see young men and you think, oh, that's him. i live in the country now and i see a helicopter going over and i think that could have been him fly flying. >> chris, can you hear us? i don't think chris can hear us. chris, thank you so much for that very moving story. as we honor those who died in service to this country, we also want to look at issues that are facing those who survived war. the veterans administration is dealing with a lot of cases right now involving post traumatic stress disorder, or ptsd. our elizabeth cohen is back with us. elizabeth, first of all explain to us what this is. >> post traumatic stress disorder is not just something that happens in the military but it happens probably more commonly in the military. and that is very simply that a person experiences a trauma and suzanne, that could be watching your buddy get shot. that could be being shot yourself. there are a number of things that can happen. obviously that's a horrible thing to go through and people process it in different ways. but when the processing goes on for a long time or when the processing, when you find it difficult to sort of function in daily life, that's when they start to think about classifying that as post traumatic stress disorder. >> how common is that among veterans? >> it is really quite common. among veterans or people currently in the iraq and afghanistan conflicts, you're looking at a percentage like 11% to 20% of the folks in that conflict have experienced ptsd. when you look at vietnam veterans, that number is even higher. it is 30%. you can see that this is a relatively common disorder and something that the va has to deal with quite frequently. >> is it different for women? >> no. i think one of the differences for women is that you can experience ptsd after an assault or after sexual harassment, as well as after seeing someone, for example, get shot. so there's some statistics that are very telling and very sad about what happens. let's take a look at this. when you look at women who have gone to the va for help, 55% of those say that they have been harassed. and 1 out of 4 say that they've been sexually assaulted. so more than half of the women who gr to the va say that they were sexually harassed in the military and 1 out of 4 say they were sexually assaulted. as you can imagine, getting over that is extremely difficult. >> is there treatment? >> there is. there is talk therapy, a variety of different kinds of talk therapy and a variety of different kinds of drugs. some people benefit more from one than the other, a lot of people benefit from the two combined. now there is actually an app people can download to keep track of their symptoms and communicate with their counselors back at home. i think that hopefully that is something that can help people -- it was interesting, what i've learned. one of the things that they try to do when they treat people with ptsd is they often have to explain to them that it wasn't their fault. a lot of times the service member takes things upon themselves, i saw my buddy get shot, if only i had done this, but part of the therapy is telling them it is not their fault. >> great information. i want to look as well as financial concerns of veterans on this memorial. going from the armed forces to the workforce can obviously be a struggle for many. cnn's allison kison kosik joinse from new york. we've heard these heartbreaking stories from veterans that come back home and they are faced with this job market that's really unforgiving. >> you're absolutely right about that. it is especially tough job market for veterans. look at this -- the national unemployment rate sitting at 9%. but for veterans between 18 and 24 years old, it is at 22%. sure young people overall are having a tough time finding a job. the unemployment rate for young non-vets is very high as well. but this shows being a veteran doesn't really give you a leg up in the job market. listen to what some veterans had to say about it. >> it's hard because number one, we've never worked in corporate america so we don't really know how to package ourselves pretty much. so we don't have the right tools to help prepare us to exit. >> personally as a veteran i thought it would be easier just because we have veterans preference over for example government jobs. thought it would be easier to get one. right now haven't been too lucky sglp trying to break into the private sector now has become a challenge with someone like myself that had to spend time rehabilitating. >> and reintegrating back into society. clearly not easy for many veterans. many need time to recouperate ad heal. others don't know how to go about translating their skills they had on the battlefield into private sector jobs. that's key. >> are there programs in place to help folks in those situation? >> there are. congress is taking up the issues, the hiring heroes act requires job training for all servicemen. another gives tax credits to companies who hire vets. there are helpful websites, too. the woundedwarriorproject.org offers career skills training and all-around support for your life, dealing with stress, rehab, connecting with other vets. the other websites are there. they're very helpful. >> thank you very much, very useful information. more powerful storms now are pounding the midwest. find out who is in the bull's-eye last night and what areas need to be on alert today. n emily skinner, each day was fueled by thorough preparation for events to come. well somewhere along the way, emily went right on living. but you see, with the help of her raymond james financial advisor, she had planned for every eventuality. which meant she continued to have the means to live on... even at the ripe old age of 187. life well planned. see what a raymond james advisor can do for you. try capzasin-hp. it penetrates deep to block pain signals for hours of relief. capzasin-hp. take the pain out of arthritis. the texas panhandle wildfires are still the big concern. two are burning around amarillo. ten homes and 11 out buildings have been destroyed after battling the fires all night, fire crews say that both fires are about 90% contained now. they are allowing people who evacuated in the middle of the night to go back home. want to bring in chad meyers. obviously a lot of these wildfires out in texas causing some big problems for people. >> yes. although those may be 90% contained, there may be more today. the rule of thumb is if you smell smoke get out of your house and figure out where it is coming from. you shouldn't be smelling smoke. if you smell smoke that means the wind blowing to you which means the wind could be blowing the fire to you. go back. pinto county just a couple of months ago, texas is literally on fire in april. didn't get a lot better in may but they got some rain up near the red river but it has just been a disastrous year with over 1 million acres burned. many, many structures lost. and it is not -- it hasn't rained. it just hasn't got any better for the people of texas. all of the storms that should have been in texas because it was a drought didn't fire there. there wasn't enough humidity to make storms there. guess where all those storms fired? joplin, tuscaloosa and pounds east. that's where the flooding and moisture was. we're still seeing that potential today. let's walk you over here. extremely critical weather conditions all the way from dodd city down to amarillo, lubbock and roswell. wind gusts right now, that was a 37-mile-per-hour per hour gust in amarillo. 41 right now in dodd city. 94 in asheville. 95 in jackson, mississippi. it cooled down to 79 degrees in dallas last night. if you're traveling today, denver, 45-minute delays. not unusual for laguardia. by toronto picking up a little bit of a delay. high temperatures yesterday, mid land, texas, 107. dodd city, 106. this is the area that's dry and hot and windy, an not any better today. for the rest of the afternoon we will see severe weather from denver, texas, kansas, nebraska, south dakota, north dakota, maybe up even into parts of southern canada. severe weather today, wind and hail likely. couple of tornadoes but probably way out there where towns are few and far between. we hope. >> thank you, chad. american troops charging into battle, now wearing their faith on their wrists. we're going to tell you about the saints bracelets. >> lieutenant colonel neil harper from ft. bragg, north carolina. i'd like to give a shout out to my lovely wife michelle and my two great kids ashland and anthony. i'll be home soon. love you. we don't just make a sunroof... ..we make the heavens wide. we don't just make a crossover... ..we make a statement. the cadillac srx. we don't just make luxury cars, we make cadillacs. now you can apply sunblock to your kids' wet skin. new neutrogena® wet skin kids with helioplex. the first sunblock designed to be applied directly to wet skin. ordinary sunblock drips and whitens. neutrogena® wet skin kids instantly cuts through water. forms a broad spectrum protective barrier. with wet skin kids, your kids have full strength sun protection. try new wet skin sunblock for adults too. neutrogena® #1 dermatologist recommended suncare. ttd# 1-800-345-2550 ttd# 1-800-345-2550 ttd# 1-800-345-2550 and talk to chuck about ttd# 1-800-345-2550 rolling over that old 401k. some american fighters are going to battle with a little extra protection. saints bracelets. that idea coming from cynthia lemay, the wife of our manager editor jim lemay here at cnn. now even hollywood is getting on board. >> reporter: for a soldier going into a battle zone, it never hurts to ask for a little help from above. saints, riding into the fight on the wrists of america's warriors. we caught up with the woman behind the battle saint bracelet. a solemn march. a loud ovation. and a last good-bye for these deploying troops. the atlanta airport is the final stop on their way to war, so that's where you'll find military moms like cynthia lemay. where are you guys headed? >> afghanistan. >> afghanistan? >> reporter: lemay knows the pain of deployment all too well. >> our son right now is in afghanistan. my nephew just got back from his third tour in afghanistan. and we also have several other members that are in harm's way. >> reporter: while she can't be on the front lines protecting her son, she can ask for a little help from above. >> we put together these saints bracelets. my son's been wearing it since he went over and he's been in a couple of firefighters and attacks. >> reporter: this is the battle saint bracelet. it's made up of 12 to 16 different saints, each with a unique military connection. >> these are bracelets that actually have different saints on them, including st. christopher to protect you when you travel and st. barbara to protect you if you work with explosives, that have very specific meaning to the military and provide them specific protection. >> reporter: she started it as a way to feel connected and to show support for troops overseas. and now the small memento has spread to hollywood and beyond. ♪ may freedom forever fly ♪ let it ring ♪ salute the ones who died ♪ the ones that give their lives ♪ ♪ so we don't have to sacrifice ♪ ♪ all the things we love ♪ and little bit of chicken fried ♪ >> reporter: you'll find them on the wrists of celebrities like zac brown. and the cast from "brand and of brothers." now you can get them online, too, a token of support for those at home and those on the front lines. >> i feel pretty proud to wear this and it makes me feel like i'm being more protected over there, like i got somebody watching over me a little more. >> when you have a loved one in harm's way, not a moment goes by when i don't think of them. so we wear these every day. we think of our loved ones and all the other servicemen and women who make so many sacrifices every day. >> the battle saint bracelets cost $5 on battlesaint.com. all the proceeds go to the intrepid fallen heroes fund which provides support to a wounded military and the families of those lost in the line of duty. reynolds wolf, cnn, atlanta. today's "talk back" question -- why aren't we doing more for our veterans? phillip says -- out of sight, out of mind. all we see are the happy home comings. i'm navy brat and my family has been in the military since world war ii. i will never forget. more of your responses up ahead. what's up, smart? oh, just booked a summer vaycay. ooo. sounds pricey? nah, with the hotels.com summer sale, you can find awesome deals for places nearby. interesting... wow, i'm blown away. you look great. hotels.com summer sale, save up to 30%. and get a free kindle. hotels.com. be smart. book smart. vietnam, 1967. i got mine in iraq, 2003. u.s.a.a. auto insurance is often handed down from generation to generation, because it offers a superior level of protection and because u.s.a.a.'s commitment to serve the military, veterans, and their families is without equal. begin your legacy. get an auto insurance quote. u.s.a.a. we know what it means to serve. hey, there, this is staff sergeant amanda ford in baghdad, iraq. just want to give a shout out to my husband currently located in ft. bragg, north carolina. and i also want to say thank you to all those serving in the military and words cannot express the gratitude i feel for those who have given the ultimate sacrifice serving today in iraq and afghanistan. thank you so much. america's veterans unfortunately are coming home to high unemployment rates and homelessness, which brings us to today's "talk back" question and our carol costello with your responses. >> why aren't we doing more for our veterans? jackie -- because once a soldier is not on the defense department's payroll they are forgotten. my dad, a vietnam vet, passed apay this year and i had no idea what he went through over there until he passed. i broke down after finding out. he should have gotten help but there was no follow-up on him when he got out of the service. this from sean -- the short answer is that most americans don't really care about veterans unless they actually know one or has a family member who served. for most just putting a magnetic yellow ribbon on the back of their car is about all a veteran can expect. >> the va are masters at damage repair and propaganda. i'm 100% disabled and they won't provide a doctor for me claiming personnel short animal. when will the press take a proactive role in this? as a vet myself -- there is one word that sums up the problem -- republicans. they have fought against providing psychological help for those who need it and they cut health and education benefits. they also tried to do this for the 9/11 rescue workers. disgusting. >> these veterans deserve more than i possess today for without their sacrifice and selfishness, i would not be nor possess what i have now. this is a no-brainer. let's give them what they need. please continue the conversation, facebook.com/carolcnn. thanks, as always, for your responses. spring home selling season in full spring now. how to showcase your home to the fullest? smart is new rich author christine romans says to dazzle those perspective buyers, start with the little things. >> when i drive up to this house it is a great classic american house. but it needs some attention. obviously the garage is chipping and needs to be painted. putting -- scraping and putting a fresh coat of paint will really help out with that. plantings, cleaning out the leaves, get a leaf blower and blow all this out, clean out these flower beds and just clean it up with mulch and simple flower plantings is not going to cost a lot of money but that focal point of drawing you into the house is going to be key. >> reporter: forget the old adage it's what's on the inside that counts. in real estate it's what's on the outside. home and style designer and author of "no place like home," stephen st. ange helps homeowners who want to sell, redesigning the insigned and outside in a buyers market. >> people notice things that are not quite as nice looking. maybe it is a plant that's dying. i would just get a nice new flowering plant and maybe stagger a few out here. >> reporter: plants won't break the bank but a lot of sellers assume they need big expensive renovations to sell their home. a quarterly report on remodeling projects annual growth and remodeling this year at only 0.2% but returns on some home improvements can be worth the investment. the best returns on your renovation dollars are things like outdoor improvements. the front door, for example. say buying and installing a fiberglass front door. it will cost but $1,000. you'll get back 60% when you sell. make it a steel front door, you get back more -- 102% of your money. a new garage door you'll get back nearly 84% of your money and a new wood deck recoups about 73%. all good investments. if you can't afford any of these things, small outside touches still matter. >> outside your house my first impression driving up, you're in a neighborhood. people are going to see front lawn. cleaning out the lawn is always key before a showing. >> christine romans, cnn, new york. a deadly tornado destroyed their church but it could not kill their spirit. going to take you back to joplin. >> we have no building. we have -- the chairs we used were something that was salvaged out of the building. as far as material things, they're gone. but we have the people. ♪ what do you see yourself doing after you do retire? client comes in and they have a box. and inside that box is their financial life. people wake up and realize. "i better start doing something." we open up that box. we organize it. and we make decisions. we really are here to help you. they look back and think "wow. i never thought i could do this." but we've actually done it. [ male announcer ] visit ameriprise.com and put a confident retirement more within reach. a body at rest tends to stay at rest... while a body in motion tends to stay in motion. staying active can actually ease arthritis symptoms. but if you have arthritis, staying active can be difficult. prescription celebrex can help relieve arthritis pain so your body can stay in motion. because just one 200mg celebrex a day can provide 24 hour relief for many with arthritis pain and inflammation. plus, in clinical studies, celebrex is proven to improve daily physical function so moving is easier. and celebrex is not a narcotic. when it comes to relieving your arthritis pain, you and your doctor need to balance the benefits with the risks. all prescription nsaids, like celebrex, ibuprofen, naproxen, and meloxicam have the same cardiovascular warning. they all may increase the chance of heart attack or stroke, which can lead to death. this chance increases if you have heart disease or risk factors such as high blood pressure or when nsaids are taken for long periods. nsaids, including celebrex, increase the chance of serious skin or allergic reactions or stomach and intestine problems, such as bleeding and ulcers, which can occur without warning and may cause death. patients also taking aspirin and the elderly are at increased risk for stomach bleeding and ulcers. do not take celebrex if you've had an asthma attack, hives, or other allergies to aspirin, nsaids or sulfonamides. get help right away if you have swelling of the face or throat, or trouble breathing. tell your doctor your medical history and find an arthritis treatment for you. visit celebrex.com and ask your doctor about celebrex. for a body in motion. members of a lutheran church in joplin, missouri gathered to worship near the ruins of their sanctuary. here they are in their own words. >> we open this service in the name of the father, and of the son, and of the holy spirit. >> the church was gone, which was completely devastating. all of it. i mean the whole community was gone. it looked like a bomb had exploded here. >> let us sing the opening him "joyful joyful we adore thee." >> in less than 20 minutes lives were changed. some for eternity. people still alive were changed. billings and houses were changed. joplin was changed. and it will never be quite the same for any of us. ♪ >> our church is our family. we are not just a building. >> so now we know what has happened. the question now is, what will happen. ♪ lord listen to your children praying ♪ ♪ send us -- >> the lord talked about people gathering. we don't have to gather in a building. the church is the building. as far

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