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Rededication of the Intrepid; Feds Give American Express Go Ahead to Become Commercial Bank; Citigroup Works to Help Struggling Homeowners

Aired November 11, 2008 - 10:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Honoring veterans and a vessel that carried many of them. We are live aboard the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum.
It's Tuesday, November 11th, Veterans Day. Good morning, everybody. You're watching a special CNN NEWSROOM edition.

A new mission for an old aircraft carrier. Welcome back to this very special edition of NEWSROOM on this Veterans Day. We're aboard the aircraft carrier, Intrepid. The museum is being rededicated today. In fact, President Bush will be here along with 2,600 or so veterans. That number just keeps on growing.

More Veterans Day coverage coming your way in just a moment. First, though, we want to take a check of all of the day's top stories.

For that I believe we're going to be sending it back to Betty Nguyen who is standing by in Atlanta -- Betty.

BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, good morning, Heidi.

So let's take a look at the big board. We've got information coming in from the markets. Let me get a shot of that this morning. There you go. Well it was down in the small corner. We'll make it large for you so everyone can see it, it is down in negative territory, down 258 points already. All right.

So in other financial news, Citigroup says it has a plan to help borrowers at risk of foreclosure keep their homes. The bank is putting a temporary stop on foreclosures for many eligible homeowners. And that will give those who are struggling a chance to renegotiate a more affordable monthly mortgage payment.

Well the Federal Reserve is letting American Express become a commercial bank, citing emergency conditions. Now that means the credit card giant will be able to take deposits and get financial help from the federal government.

On the global front, stock markets in Asia fell, and the European markets are also sliding today as investors come back to earth after the excitement over China's bailout plan. China's Hang Seng dropped a whopping 704 points to close at about 14,041. Japan's Nikkei closed down 272 points at 8,809. And London's exchange right now is down about 100 points. Well, there is more ugly news this morning for embattled insurance giant AIG. Remember your tax money funded its government bailout. CNN affiliate KNXV is reporting that the company has since hosted a get-away at a luxury resort in Phoenix. According to the report it cost $343,000, and great efforts were made to hide AIG signs and logos. A company official denied it tried the company tried to disguise its meeting in an interview earlier this morning on CNN.

The insurance giant is seeking though another $40 billion taxpayer dollars. AIG did issue this response, and I'm quoting here, "we take very seriously our commitment to aggressively manage meeting costs. Our success in enlisting product sponsors to pay for the vast majority of conference costs while charging financial planners a registration fee and for their travels, has resulted in minimal cost to AIG. In turn, our financial planners benefit from strong educational and training content and the ability to earn Continuing Education credit."

President-elect Obama and wife Michelle got a chance to check out their new pad, a sprawling white mansion on 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. The senator from Illinois came to Washington yesterday where he made his first historic visit to the Oval Office. He and the President spent an hour talking about some of the key issues that may affect the new president during his first term in office. While they talked First Lady Laura Bush gave Mrs. Obama a tour of the new home.

Now let's give you a tour of the nation and where that severe weather is today. Rob Marciano joins us now with the latest on that.

Hi, Rob.

ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Hey, Betty.

We're looking at severe weather across the south. Pretty big storm system encompassing a good chunk of the middle part of the country. Severe thunderstorms expected across parts of Texas. We saw a queue yesterday. This thing is winding up just a little bit as it heads east, pretty slowly I might add. But we have some travel problems out of San Francisco, with another storm, 40 minute delays there. Teterboro, nice weather. So we may be dealing with Veterans Day issues there and Newark also some nice weather but they're seeing some travel delays.

I would think Dallas to Houston we might see some, Memphis in through Chicago as this huge comma-shaped storm continues to wind itself out. Thunderstorms roll through the Dallas Fort Worth metropolis earlier today. Now they're heading towards Austin, heading towards Tyler, Texas up through the Arklatex region as well. Obviously, the brighter echoes here include heavy rain with gusty winds, maybe a little bit of hail in some of these spots, Memphis to St. Louis, some showers and some icing conditions expected, Betty, across parts of the upper Midwest.

NGUYEN: All right. Getting chilly out there. Thank you, Rob.

Well that's it from Atlanta. Just for the moment. Back now to New York and the Intrepid where Heidi Collins is standing by with more on today's special Veterans Day coverage -- Heidi.

COLLINS: All right, Betty. Thanks so much for that.

We are honored to have with us right now the commander of U.S. fleet forces, Admiral John Greiner. He is sitting right next to me now to talk a little bit more about what this day actually means for active servicemen and women.

We talk an awful lot about that. One day of course they will be veterans themselves, too. We are in the middle of two major conflicts right now, two wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Talk to me, if you would, a little bit about what service is like on a day like this?

ADM. JONATHAN GREENERT, CMDR., U.S. FLEET FORCES: Well, what's so special about today is this helps today's service people connect with their predecessors, connect with their legacy. The principles that make them strong today are the principles that our folks that went before us made before us, the principles that made them strong. And it is, Heidi, it is so wonderful to see our service people get together with veterans. The connection is amazing. It's remarkable. Service then, service today. It's amazing.

COLLINS: And I had an opportunity yesterday to talk to a lot of - I like to call them the old guys. They don't mind when I call them that. But we're talking about original crew members and some of them back in 1943 were right here on this deck. And I asked them, what do you have to say to today's servicemen and women? They talked an awful lot about this bond and the brotherhood between servicemen and women.

GREENERT: There's an amazing loyalty. If you are willing to put your life on the line, as a lot of our first responders do, to depend on a man or a woman next to you is a unique experience and one you never forget. I think, as I said before, the legacy of that goes - it's timeless.

COLLINS: How would you describe, if you had a few words which is probably a tough question, but how would you describe today's active military, the people who make it up?

GREENERT: They are selfless. They are willing to sacrifice. They are bright. And they don't ask for much.

COLLINS: It's amazing, someone that I met just a few days ago who was a wounded warrior. And the first thing he said was, when he addressed a very large crowd was I am a fortunate, fortunate man.

GREENERT: Yes.

COLLINS: And that's something that I think we see over and over again with so many of our servicemen and women going back two tours, three tours, four tours to either Iraq or Afghanistan. What is the morale like overall after having to go through so many months of service?

GREENERT: I think morale is high. The people that I meet - again, they are happy to serve. They just want direction, good leadership and occasional recognition for what they do. If they feel that what they're doing is relevant, and they do, then they are very motivated. We are so, so pleased and so honored to have a generation today willing to do so much.

COLLINS: And we certainly appreciate your service as well as your time here.

GREENERT: Thank you, Heidi. Thank you very much.

COLLINS: Admiral Jonathan Greenert, U.S. fleet forces. Thank you again.

GREENERT: Thanks, Heidi. My pleasure.

COLLINS: On Veterans Day we remember those who served, their bravery and sense of duty. We also honor those who lost their lives. In Iraq, 4,193 U.S. troops were killed in hostile and non-hostile action. Nearly 31,000 more are wounded. 13 deaths in the October is the second lowest total since the start of the war.

In the first Gulf War there were 382 U.S. troop deaths in the region, about 425,000 troops served in Iraq and Kuwait.

Vietnam saw the deaths of more than 58,000 U.S. troops. There were three million U.S. troops serving in southeast Asia between 1957 and the withdrawal in 1973. 2,646 troops were listed as POWs or MIAs. More than a quarter of those were recovered.

36,574 U.S. troops died while serving in the Korean War. More than 100,000 others were wounded in the three-year police action.

World War II, the war to end all wars saw the loss of more than 400,000 U.S. soldiers. 671,000 were wounded. An amazing number. 16 million U.S. troops served in the war.

Carrying warriors and space men as well. The Intrepid's missions were many. We'll talk with a former astronaut about his experience with the Intrepid.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: Quickly I want to show you some video now today on this Veterans Day of people gathering at Arlington National Cemetery, as we have been telling you all morning long, Vice President Dick Cheney will be there for the traditional wreath-laying ceremony that will be coming up around 11:00 today. Again those people gathering, those live pictures coming in for us at Arlington. And now you are looking at the tomb of the unknown soldiers. You can see there obviously a very important monument on this Veterans Day.

The USS Intrepid - it served in war but also was a very important peacetime mission as a NASA recovery vessel. The Intrepid picked up astronauts and their capsules after they splashed down in the ocean. Joining us now, two pioneers in the space program. I'm certain you're going to recognize them. Scott Carpenter, the second American to orbit the earth and Buzz Aldrin, the second American to walk on the moon.

Gentlemen, it is an honor to be in your presence. We appreciate you coming out to be here for Veterans Day on the flight deck of the Intrepid. Obviously this is not the first time you have been here. I want to start with you, Scott, tell us what happened all those years ago in your capsule?

SCOTT CARPENTER, FMR. NASA ASTRONAUT: Well, I was recovered by this ship. And at that time we were in a heated competition with the Soviets for pre-eminence in space. I was happy to show on this carrier the importance of the United States Navy to our space effort. We couldn't have done it without the U.S. navy.

What did it feel like to be down in the water and all of the sudden this huge aircraft carrier comes and just sort of - looking at some historical video of that - sort of plucks you right out?

CARPENTER: Let me just say briefly, it was a welcome sight.

COLLINS: I bet it was. I bet it was. I think we're actually looking at you now. Look at that.

CARPENTER: Those were happy, happy days. And Intrepid formed the closing curtain to a day that is unforgettable in my mind.

COLLINS: Well, thank you for your service to the space program as well.

Buzz Aldrin standing right next to you here. People know you very well. Tell us about your experiences with the Intrepid. Why is this so special for you, especially on days like Veterans Day?

BUZZ ALDRIN, APOLLO 11 ASTRONAUT: I'm very happy to be one of many Air Force people honoring the Navy for its unusual way of recovering aircraft after they serve their purposes, and also for plucking people who are wandering around in space, finding them on the ocean and bringing them back to good solid ground. We all admire the Navy for everything it does.

COLLINS: What do you have to say about monuments like this? We're standing on the deck of this incredible museum. It really is such a symbol for so many different things when we talk about veterans, when we talk about servicemen, when we talk about the space program. What does this say to young people who really do look to men like you as heroes? I mean, you walked on the moon.

ALDRIN: Well, I think first of all, it inspires them to think about history, the history of the dedicated men and women who stood up for this country and who served the country. Not everyone views country service all that highly these days with our volunteer service. You know people - the elite really don't have to worry about the draft anymore. But I think we need to have a renewed understanding of the dedicated careers that ships like this stand for. And this particular day, Veterans Day, honors those who have chosen a career of serving their country or who have had temporary service.

COLLINS: We appreciate your time very much, both of you. And I love the way we said pioneers to the space program. Thank you so much, Scott Carpenter and Buzz Aldrin. It's a pleasure today.

Severely burned by roadside bomb, he has been through more than 50 surgeries. A retired Marine tells how the fallen hero of Intrepid kept him close to his family.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: The burn of war can affect our troops for a lifetime. Many struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder, a mental health condition. Our medical correspondent, Elizabeth Cohen, is in Atlanta with more on this.

Good morning to you, Elizabeth.

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you is necessary.

Heidi there was a RAM, random sleep study recently that looked at post-traumatic stress disorder and depression among vets returning from Afghanistan and Iraq, and here is what it found. Nearly 20 percent of these returning vets were in need of treatment for depression or PTSD. When you add those numbers up, it means 300,000 vets were in need of help. Heidi, as if that weren't disturbing enough, half of those vets are not getting the help they need -- Heidi.

COLLINS: Explain a little bit more, if you could, Elisabeth, about what these vets see in combat that is causing the PTSD.

COHEN: You know, half of these vets, half of them said that they saw a friend seriously injured or killed in combat. Another half said they saw a civilian die or seriously wounded in the war. So this war is very up close. They're not fighting out of fox holes. It's not so much that things are happening from the air. These soldiers are very up close to the violence they are seeing things personally and firsthand.

COLLINS: What about some of the treatment options for them?

COHEN: Well, there are options. The VA has options. But I'll tell you, the Mental Health Services and the VA are really pushed to the limit. That's what we've been hearing. Now some private citizens - this is interesting, psychiatrist, psychologists, social workers, they are offering their services for free.

There's a project where they asked these mental health professionals to donate one hour of a week to help vets deal with PTSD and depression. If anyone is listening to this, is a vet who is having problems with PTSD or depression or if you know someone go to CNN.com/health and you will see that we've written a blog my colleague Jennifer Pipper (ph) has written the blog about how to take advantage of these services.

COLLINS: All right. CNN's Elizabeth Cohen. We sure do appreciate that. Thank you Elizabeth.

Also as we heard Bill White mentioned a little bit earlier about the National Center of Excellence that is going to be focusing primarily on PTSD and traumatic brain injury. The groundbreaking has already taken place in Bethesda, Maryland in that huge facility there.

More then 30,000 U.S. service men and women have been injured since the start of the Iraq war. And many of them by roadside bombs. And for them, the recovery process is long and challenging but their stories provide incredible inspiration for all of us.

Corporal Aaron Mankin with the combat correspondent, traveling with the third battalion, 28 marine regimen when he was hit. He was sitting next to me now and has more on this studies.

It is such a pleasure to see you.

CPL. AARON MANKIN, U.S. MARINE CORPS (RET.): Good morning. Good morning from the Arctic.

COLLINS: Live from New York on this Veterans Day obviously thanks for your services well, Aaron. Take us back to that day. Tell us what happened.

MANKIN: I was a videographer, videotaping our movement near the Syrian border. We hit roadside bomb. And I was thrown back inside the vehicle. My sleeves caught fire, my face caught fire. I need the assistance of my fellow marines to put out the fire. Everything after that point, the medical care that I received has just been top rate.

COLLINS: 50 surgeries.

MANKIN: That's right.

COLLINS: And more to come.

MANKIN: Yes.

COLLINS: You have received an awful lot of help and a lot of support from the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund. Tell us a little bit more about that relationship and what it means for veterans?

MANKIN: Yes, I first had the opportunity to meet the people involved at the building at the Center for the Intrepid at the San Antonio Brook Army Medical Center right there. That facility is just amazing. The opportunity that it gives service members like myself to regain a sense of independence, a sense of the American dream, is available for you, too. It's not out of grasp. And they make it available through the fallen heroes fund for my family to travel with me when I do surgeries.

I'm involved in a new cooperation, Operation Mend out of UCLA Medical Center where we're taking service members and giving them the opportunity to receive the best plastic surgery this country has to offer.

COLLINS: I know. I've been down to the Center for the Intrepid, what an amazing facility it is, particularly for burn victims and for amputees. What is it like to be able to have your family with you when you undergo some of this really, really difficult hospital stays?

MANKIN: Well, it's crucial. You know, it's dire. Without my family, without the understanding that, regardless of what I look like or what I'm capable of, that their love is there for me, is enough motivation to get out of bed in the morning, enough to do the hard training and the hard things that make you who you are. And without them, I don't know where I would be right now.

COLLINS: In fact, I mentioned a little bit earlier to the viewers when I said that I had the opportunity to meet a veteran who had been badly burned and had gone through quite a bit of tragedy in his own life, and he addressed a very large crowd and he stood up to them - the first things out of your mouth a couple nights ago, were I am a fortunate, fortunate man. How do you come to that peace?

MANKIN: From the day that I was wounded - this was May 11th, back in '05. So it's been some days have passed. Ever since that attack, everything after that was up to me. I could lay down, I could be bitter, mad, upset, angry. If anyone had that right, I felt like well that's not who I was. That's not who my parents raised. It's not who my girlfriend fell in love with. You know that's - retaining something of myself that no one else could take away. It was a victory that I fought for every day.

COLLINS: Well, Aaron, we sure do appreciate your time here today.

MANKIN: Thank you so much.

COLLINS: It's a pleasure having you with us. Thanks for your service and the very best to you. Aaron Mankin, appreciate it.

Well, he led hundreds of combat patrols in Iraq. And now he wants to help other vets navigate the combat for help. We'll tell you all about a new online service.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: This is a live look right now at Arlington National Cemetery, where the Tomb of the Unknown is held. We understand shortly, within the hour, in fact, there will be a wreath-laying ceremony and Vice President Dick Cheney will take part in that as well, there, at Arlington National Cemetery.

You are watching live special coverage of Veterans Day celebrations. Hello, everybody. I'm Betty Nguyen live from World Headquarters right here in Atlanta. We'll take you back to Heidi Collins aboard the Intrepid in just a moment. But first -

Let's get you a check of the Big Board today. The latest numbers, there it is, still down 238 points. We're watching the numbers very closely today. We'll have other economic news as well.

Citigroup is helping struggling homeowners stay in their homes. The bank is temporarily halting foreclosure proceedings for qualified borrowers who currently can't make their monthly mortgage payments. That will give them a chance to renegotiate the terms of their mortgage and lower the monthly bill

Well, troubled insurance giant AIG making news. And your money, well, that may be part of it. It's at the center, in fact. Just weeks after receiving a massive federal bailout the company hosted a get- away conference at a luxury resort in Phoenix. According to CNN affiliate KNXV, the cost, $343,000. AIG says the conference was necessary to grow new business and the costs were nearly all recovered by sponsors and attendees.

The ever-changing bailout bill. If you look at it today, you will see it is much different from what Congress originally agreed to. And that has some questioning whether the Treasury Department has too much power. Our Christine Romans is here with more on that. She joins us live.

All right, so, is that the case? Too much power here? Is it being misused?

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, here is the question. That bailout has changed pretty much by the day. It's got people wondering just what is the government spending all that money on? And are taxpayers getting their money's worth?

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROMANS (voice over): Let's start from the beginning. The bailout was sold to Congress as life or death for the American economy. Behind closed doors, the Fed chairman and Treasury secretary made the case to top lawmakers, get toxic mortgage related assets off the bank's books or else. Senator Chris Dodd was there.

SEN. CHRIS DODD, (D) CONNECTICUT: There was a pause for about 10 or 15 seconds when nothing was said. The air came out of the room.

ROMANS: The deal was signed, sealed, but to this day not delivered. The government has not bought up those bad assets. Instead, the nature of the bailout has changed dramatically.

RYAN ALEXANDER, TAXPAYERS FOR COMMON SENSE: It's not clear we're getting what we thought we were getting for that $700 billion.

ROMANS: Instead the government is taking direct stakes in U.S. banks, up to $250 billion worth. And it's using $40 billion of that original $700-billion bank bailout to buy a stake in AIG, an insurance company. Taxpayers for Common Sense calls it a game of fiscal whack-a- mole. The government throwing taxpayer money at each new problem that arises. ALEXANDER: They're not moving in a way that inspires confidence among taxpayers in terms of being clear about what the priorities are.

ROMANS: Meaning, what exactly is the government doing with those $700 billion? Are they buying toxic assets like they promised Congress? Not yet. Are they pumping capital into the banks? Yes. But are the banks lending that capital? No. Critics say what Treasury is doing is a far cry from what it sold Congress. The Treasury's bailout point man, Neel Kashkari disagrees.

NEEL KASHKARI, TREASURY DEPARTMENT: We worked very hard with the Congress to design the legislation to provide broad authority so we could design multiple tools under the TARP.

ROMANS: TARP, the acronym for the bank bailout. Then why is an insurance giant getting a piece of it?

KASHKARI: It was a one-off event that was necessary for financial stability.

ROMANS: Financial stability or a bait and switch, either way it all comes at a very high price.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROMANS: And with little transparency tax watchdogs also point to a tax rule change that was quietly slipped through that also benefits the banking industry to the tune of 10s of billions more. So here is the conundrum, is it the government and the Treasury Department being quick and nimble and changing what they're doing based on realities on the ground? Or are they flying blind with our money? We won't know until it's all done.

NGUYEN: Yes. Some people are wondering if that's the case, if they're doing what's right by us, why was it quietly slipped through?

ROMANS: Part of a big, whole host of things that have gone on in the past few weeks. They want to help the banks, that's the point, right, of the bailout of the banking sector?

NGUYEN: All right, Christine Romans, checking it out for us. Thank you.

ROMANS: Sure.

NGUYEN: President-elect Barack Obama back home in Chicago. Later today he's scheduled to lay a wreath at a Veterans Day event. Yesterday Obama was in Washington for a visit to the White House. President Bush and the first lady gave Obama and his wife, Michelle, a personal tour of their future home. Obama and the president met privately in the Oval Office. They talked about the financial crisis and national security.

That's all for now from Atlanta. Back live, though, to New York and the Intrepid, where Heidi Collins is standing by with more on today's special veterans day coverage. COLLINS: Thanks so much, Betty. Sure do appreciate that.

That's right, very impressive backdrop here. You can probably hear through my microphone now the sound of many helicopters. I can tell you that Marine Three and Four have already landed. Meaning that the press corps is in place for the arrival of President Bush. We will be awaiting that very shortly here. As you know, he is going to be on hand to rededicate the Intrepid. Then, he has agreed to sit down with me for a one-on-one interview. We will be showing that a little later on today during "THE SITUATION ROOM" with Wolf Blitzer.

I want to talk about this, now, life after war. It can be a tremendous challenge for those who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Our next guest led hundreds of patrols in Iraq. His mission today, though, helping his fellow veterans and their families. Joining me now, Paul Rieckhoff, he's the executive director and founder of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America.

Paul, thanks for being here. Thank you for your service.

PAUL RIECKHOFF, FOUNDER, EXEC. DIR., IRAQ, AFGHANISTAN VETERANS OF AMERICA: My pleasure, thank you.

COLLINS: As we sit here on this Veterans Day, we know the commander in chief will be coming very shortly. What are the thoughts that go through your mind?

RIECKOFF: I think back to the first time I came to the Intrepid. My grandfather was a World War II vet. He took me here as a small kid, long before I joined the military. He really taught me what service is all about. It's a great day to bring everybody together, as Americans, regardless of their background, to honor veterans. I think going forward what we need to do is make every day Veterans Day. I think is a great start.

COLLINS: Thank you so much for speaking so loudly, because I am certain now that if the viewers couldn't hear before, they can hear now the helicopters behind us. We're awaiting President Bush on Marine One, as I mentioned earlier. A couple of the helicopters have already landed for the press, Marines Three and Four. So, things are ramping up on this Veterans Day for the arrival of President Bush.

In fact, I'm hearing now, that indeed the president is landing not very far from where you and I are sitting, Paul, on the deck of the Intrepid. So he'll be getting into place and will be addressing this crowd, that we're told is about 5,000. And most of them all vets.

There are some issues to be talking about with regard to veterans affairs. If you had an opportunity to sit down with whoever that person is going to be in this upcoming administration, I'm sure there are some things that you would like to bring to that person's attention.

RIECKOFF: Absolutely. We've got 25 million veterans of all generations, almost 2 million who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. We need a new secretary of the VA if there is going to be one, to prioritize the needs of new veterans. We need to focus on traumatic brain injury, focus on mental health injury, especially. We need to focus on making sure that the new GI bill is in place in time for August of '09, when it's supposed to be cutting checks.

A ground breaking piece of legislation has been signed into law by the president. We need the new VA secretary, or if Peake stays on, if Secretary Peake stays on to assure that's smooth, that the transferability has worked out and that veterans are getting the educational benefits they deserve.

COLLINS: Do you think the relationship is now, if you had to characterize, between veterans and the government?

RIECKOFF: I think it's improving. I think we've turned the page on Vietnam when veterans were really treated I think shamefully by this government and by the American people. We've put that in our past. I think days like today remind us we can unite as Americans, regardless of how we feel about the war. It doesn't matter if you're Republican or Democrat, it doesn't matter who you voted for last week, we can unite around veterans.

I think President-elect Obama needs to set a good tone right out of the gate and make sure veterans issue are a priority for him.

COLLINS: We certainly appreciate you sitting down with us, Paul, as loud as you had to be.

Thank you so much Paul Rieckhoff. We sure do appreciate it, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America.

RIECKOFF: Thank you very much. Appreciate it, Heidi.

COLLINS: Well, President-elect Barack Obama has promised to improve the quality of care for our veterans and fix what some say is a broken Veterans Affairs system. Accomplishing that certainly will not be easy. Senator Patty Murray, of Washington, has been fighting for our troops on Capitol Hill. She is joining me now to talk a little more about these exact issues.

Patty, forgive me, but we are listening, once again, to the rotors, if you will, of Marine One, that has just landed steps away from where we are set up, here, on the flight deck of the Intrepid. So, I just want to remind everyone what that very, very, very loud noise is coming through my microphone. A wide shot, now, for you of the Intrepid and all of it's glory today, on Veterans Day.

Senator Murray, please, tell us what the very first order of business should be for Veterans Affairs if, in fact, as Paul was telling us there is a new person who would take that role under President-Elect Obama?

SEN. PATTY MURRAY, CMTE. ON VETERANS AFFAIRS: Well, I think he was exactly right. I can tell you as a daughter of a veteran, and someone who worked in the VA system during the Vietnam War, and now sits on the VA Committee in the United States Senate, we have a lot of work ahead of us.

We need to make sure that that GI bill is implemented quickly so that in August, when it takes effect, all of our veterans will be able to have access. We need to reduce the benefit lines. We have got to reach out into our communities across this country and find those men and women who have come home who are suffering from PTSD, or traumatic brain injury, and get them the help and care they need and the support for their families that is so important to them as they recover.

Each one of us as Americans have to not only say thank you to those men and women who served us, but to say what can I do to make sure they get a job, or they just get the kind of attention they need to feel part of our community when they return.

COLLINS: But, Senator, there are some really incredible facilities that have been created through private donation and through civilians' money in order to take care of veterans, in particular, the Center for Intrepid, down in San Antonio, and also the new facility that will be built in Bethesda, Maryland, that we've been speaking of, the National Center of Excellence that will be treating TBI and PTSD. These are private monies, this is not government money. Why do they have to do that?

MURRAY: Well, certainly taking care of our veterans ought to be an American priority, and we pay for it as part of the cost of war. Unfortunately, that hasn't occurred. There are some great private facilities. We need to make sure that we are doing at the federal level everything we can to make sure every soldier is treated in the best way possible. And our new secretary, whoever he or she may be, needs to make that a priority.

COLLINS: Senator Murray, we sure do appreciate that and your time here today as well. We will continue to follow many of these Veterans Affairs issues. Once again, appreciate your time here.

MURRAY: Thank you.

I want to get back to some of the other events taking place right now on Veterans Day. In fact, I believe we have shots here of the Tomb of the Unknown. We are watching there, the color guard preparing for their ceremonies.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: Right now we're watching some of the pictures preparing for the laying of the wreath ceremony that happens every day on Veterans Day. Vice President Dick Cheney is there and will be partaking in those ceremonies. We will bring them to you when they happen.

For now, though, we are back on the flight of the Intrepid Sea Air & Space Museum, talking more about veterans and their service today. With me is the commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps, General James Conway.

General, thanks for being here. And thank you for your service as well. When you sit up here and know just down below there are 5,000 veterans getting ready to listen to the commander in chief on this very day, what does it say to you? What does it mean?

GEN. JAMES T. CONWAY, COMMANDANT, U.S. MARINE CORPS: Well, it's great first of all, Heidi, that the old lady is back at her berth, and provides a setting for thing like this. I think it's marvelous the president travels to New York on Veterans Day to speak to his veterans. I know they're anxious to hear what he has to say.

COLLINS: We have also just been informed that he is traveling with five members from the military, one from each branch of service: What is the relationship? I've been talking with quite a few people today, what is the relationship between the government and the servicemen and women at this point? Is that an improving relationship?

CONWAY: I think it's very good. We contrast what we see today with what happened in the wake of Vietnam, where our people I think sometimes hold servicemen and women accountable for the policies of an administration. I think the country has matured tremendously since then. Today the people can agree or disagree with what's taking place, but invariably they support the servicemen and women. I think that's a very good thing.

COLLINS: Is there anything that you tell young servicemen and women when they are returning from their tours of duty as to what to expect when they come home?

CONWAY: Not really. You know, they are ambassadors, both at home and abroad. You don't really have to feed them much. They understand the importance of what they're doing. They understand who they are. And in most instances, they are our very best spokesman.

COLLINS: Are you impressed with those men and women?

CONWAY: Oh, I love these kids.

COLLINS: Do they continue to impress you, even as many years as you've been doing this?

CONWAY: Years ago a bunch of us, sort of with silver hair, sat around and we worried some that this new generation of Marines might make good Marines, a new generation of youngster, Americans, might make good Marines and soldiers. We have seen them in combat and it's eye-watering. This is a tremendous generation who understand, again, the crisis the country faces. They're willing to step forward and do the job. Their courage, their team play is just incredible to behold.

COLLINS: Does it surprise you when even after two or three tours of duty -- we've done so much reporting on men and women who continue to go back and continue to go back, that the -- that that is what they want to be doing? The reason I'm asking is because sometimes people are surprised by that. Civilians are surprised by that.

CONWAY: Yes.

COLLINS: Oh, he went back again after experiencing what they experience. CONWAY: Right. It did at first. It surprised me at first. But then when you talk with them, and you try to understand this resiliency. They tell you it's why I joined. It's who I am. We are concerned about the families. The families are tired, but they're very proud of what their servicemen and women are doing.

COLLINS: It's very difficult when we talk about perhaps a wife at home with young children.

CONWAY: Right, right. Wives will say, you know, I love what we're doing, but I am concerned that I'm raising this child without a father. And we understand that. We're trying to do some things about that.

COLLINS: We certainly appreciate your time very much here today, on this Veterans Day.

CONWAY: Thank you for being here.

COLLINS: And, of course, your service as well.

CONWAY: Pleasure. Thank you, Heidi.

COLLINS: At any moment President Bush's second in command will be standing in for him at Arlington National Cemetery. As you can see, those live pictures coming in right now. Vice President Dick Cheney will take part in the wreath-laying ceremony an deliver remarks. We'll be having live coverage of that, as soon as the mayor moan gets underway. We'll be back in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: We are looking at Arlington National Cemetery there. We are waiting for the wreath-laying ceremony that happens every day on Veterans Day. Vice President Dick Cheney will be laying the wreath. We will continue to monitor and watch those pictures coming in for us on this Veterans Day.

In a war without front lines, any spot can be a combat zone. Iraq changed the roles of a number of women soldiers, female soldiers. A new documentary, in fact, tells their story.

Here now CNN's Brooke Anderson.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BROOKE ANDERSON, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Major Katherine Guttormsen is new mother, West Point graduate, proud member of the U.S. military and a veteran of the Iraq war.

MAJ. KATE GUTTORMSEN, FOUGHT IN DIRECT GROUND COMBAT: We worked in the town of Ramadi, Iraq.

ANDERSON: She's one of five women featured in the new documentary, "Lioness", which profiles female army support soldiers who served in Iraq in 2003 and 2004. The Lioness teams were assigned to support to the Whiskey Company.

ANDERSON: They became the first women in American history to be sent into direct ground combat.

GUTTORMSEN: They found themselves in vehicles, in convoy in a support capacity that quickly came under fire. There are front lines in Iraq. Very often we found ourselves engaged by enemy forces.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I asked the soldier, how the heck if I fire that thing if one of you gets hurt? I would like to know how to fire the biggest weapon we've got?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That I had female soldiers in battle, yes. Was the intent of those soldiers to be in battle when they went? Probably not. But did battle come to them on occasion? Yes, it did.

MEG MCLAGEN, FILMMAKER: What the story is really emblematic of is what the disconnect is between the reality on the ground and the policy that exists in Washington.

DARIA SOMMERS, FILMMAKER: The official policy is that women are not allowed to be assigned to units whose primary job is to engage in direct ground combat.

ANDERSON: A military spokeswoman told "The New York Times" the Army and all other services remain in compliance with policy regarding the assignment of women in the military. "Lioness" not only portrays what happened on the battlefield, but the after-effects as well.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When you take another person's life, you kind of like lose yourself, too.

ANDERSON: Despite the difficulties, Guttormsen asserts they simply did their duty for their country.

GUTTORMSEN: I'm very proud of everything that my organization did when I was in Iraq. And I have no problem talking about it. I'd share that with anybody.

ANDERSON (On camera): "Lioness" will air on PBS this Thursday and will be screened for Congress this February.

Brooke Anderson, CNN, Hollywood.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: Quickly now want to take you back to Arlington National Cemetery, where we are waiting for Vice President Dick Cheney, who is standing in for President Bush today to do the laying of the wreath ceremony that will be happening very shortly.

We, of course, will bring it to you live when it happens here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: We're at Arlington National Cemetery where we see Vice President Dick Cheney about to lay the wreath. Every year, on Veterans Day this happens. We'd like to go ahead and watch that.

Again, we are watching the crowd that is gathered, and is pausing for a few more minutes here, as we await Vice President Dick Cheney getting ready to lay the wreath at Arlington National Cemetery. And when he stands and begins to walk to where you see the holder in the middle, the white device there, we will pause and we will allow that to just play for you. For now though, --

Here we have Vice President Dick Cheney now.

Vice President Dick Cheney laying the wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, always a very emotional ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery.

On this Veterans Day, we appreciate you watching. We certainly appreciate the service from all of our veterans and men and women still in the active armed services.

Appreciate you watching.

From the deck of the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum after a two-year renovation, we are awaiting President Bush, who has landed on the flight deck just moments ago. He is now getting ready to address the crowd of nearly 5,000 veterans just below me here. And we'll speak with him shortly, and you can see those excerpts of that exclusive interview coming up on Wolf Blitzer's "THE SITUATION ROOM," a little bit later on today.

Again, thanks for watching on this Veterans Day.

I'm Heidi Collins. Now I turn things over to Tony Harris in the CNN NEWSROOM.