Celebrate Veterans Day With 5 Inspiring Stories About Military Heroes

For this Veterans Day, take the time to watch these five videos below featuring former service members who undoubtedly filled their duties in unique ways — and continue to do so today. Some of these warriors found new passions after leaving the service, while others chose to return to the military later in life. 

Yoga Warrior: Veteran Copes with PTSD

Jeff Sargent served in the U.S. Army on the front lines in Iraq and Afghanistan. After retiring, he began to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. Now he helps other veterans combat their mental wounds from battle in a new theater: the yoga studio.  

AARP Membership— $12 for your first year when you sign up for Automatic Renewal

Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine.

Join Now

Jim Webb Talks Life in and out of Uniform

Decorated Vietnam War veteran, former secretary of the Navy and former U.S. Sen. Jim Webb describes the special bond among service members. His vast experiences provide valuable perspective for all Americans this Veterans Day.

Vietnam Veteran Returns 50 Years Later, to Teach

After carrying a rifle throughout Vietnam decades ago, 70-year-old Ray Wilkinson returns with a piece of chalk. He is one of a surprising number of Vietnam veterans who have returned to Southeast Asia to help the people whose lives were devastated by the war.

Veterans Bring Battleship Back to Life

Veterans gather to relate some of their experiences while serving on the USS North Carolina in World War II and reinforce the importance of preserving the ship for future Americans. Today the battleship serves as a floating museum in Wilmington, North Carolina.

AARP Salutes Col. Frederick Lough

Col. Frederick Lough was 58 when he joined the U.S. Army Medical Corps Reserves as a thoracic and cardiovascular surgeon. After deploying to Afghanistan twice, he asked to be placed on active duty and now teaches military medical students at Walter Reed Medical Center, in Bethesda, Maryland.