Vice President Biden singled out the generation of men and women who joined the armed forces after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. He said the 3.5 million men and women of that 911 military generation made their decision with the near certainty they would be deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan. He noted that more than 2.6 million ended up serving in those wars.

Biden said that the United States has never before "asked so much over such a sustained period of an all-volunteer force."AP

Jerry Pippin an Oklahoma Vietnam Veteran recalls his duties during the war.