The star-studded Concert of Valor, held on Washington, D.C.'s National Mall, drew hundreds of thousands of civilians and servicemembers celebrating Veterans Day.
The performance was sponsored by HBO, Starbucks and Chase Corp. with the goal of raising awareness of the problems faced by post-9/11 veterans, noted Military Times. Tickets to the event were free, but donations to benefit the cause were strongly encouraged.
According to ABC 7, a variety of talented performers participated to make the concert a truly special experience. Some of the headlining acts included Metallica, Dave Grohl, The Black Keys, Carrie Underwood, Bruce Springsteen and The Zac Brown Band. Interspersed between the music were video messages to soldiers from big-name celebrities like Steven Spielberg and Oprah Winfrey.
The concert was broadcast by HBO, which made the channel available to non-subscribers for the special occasion. For people watching at home, it was certainly an incredible experience, but for those lucky enough to be in attendance, the event was undeniably moving.
"This is the first time since I've been back that I've felt honored to be back home, and I'm 65 years old. They treated us like criminals when we came back home. They didn't give us a parade," Bobby Monk, a disabled Vietnam veteran from Washington, told ABC 7 as he reflected on his life after service.