Veterans Day 2004

Fearing government fines for airing coarse language and graphic material, several ABC affiliates have decided not to show the network's movie "Saving Private Ryan" - the world War II story of heroism and valor - scheduled for Veterans Day.

Instead they'll air an edited-for-TV version of the R-rated Eddie Murphy comedy "Coming to America."
- "Deserting Private Ryan", CBSNews.com

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Twenty-two-year-old Joey Specht is a sophomore at North Dakota State University who served with the 142nd Combat Engineer Battalion in Iraq. He's returned to his classes, but says he still jumps at loud noises and still finds himself looking for threats in a crowd.
- "Saluting Veterans, Past and Future", CBSNews.com

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Marine Cpl. David Antonio Garcia stood on the deck of an aircraft carrier Thursday and was sworn in as an American citizen — after already serving under the U.S. flag in Iraq.

The native of Mexico was among 80 sailors and Marines from 25 countries — from Canada to Syria — who became citizens in a Veterans Day ceremony aboard the USS Midway, a reward for putting their lives on the line for their adopted country.

Legal permanent residents of the United States had been allowed to join the military and seek citizenship after three years of active service. But in July 2002 President Bush signed an executive order allowing anyone on active duty after Sept. 11, 2001, to immediately apply for citizenship. There are about 31,000 non-citizens in the U.S. military.
- Troops become U.S. citizens on Veterans Day, USAToday.com

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And this year, issues faced by veterans have been mixed with the political tensions of months past.

There was controversy over the benefits afforded to servicemen and women, with an October report by the Physicians for a National Health Program contending that nearly 1.7 million vets have no health insurance or access to government hospitals and clinics.
- Veterans Day events follow contentious election , CNN

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WASHINGTON - A federal panel that has spent two years reviewing studies of Gulf War illnesses recommends focusing future research on the effects of the toxic substances that veterans encountered during the 1991 conflict.

The review committee that [Veterans Affairs Secretary Anthony] Principi formed concluded that "the goal of understanding and treating Gulf War veterans' illnesses is within reach" because of recent research breakthroughs.

But federal research is falling short in large part because studies have not asked important questions and continue to focus on stress to explain the veterans' problems.

Hundreds of thousands of veterans of the 1991 Gulf War have experienced undiagnosed illnesses they believe are linked to the war, according to Congress' auditing arm.
- "Fed Panel Presses Gulf War Illness Aid", U.S. News