ARLINGTON, Va. -- President Barack Obama challenged Americans on Memorial Day to fill the silence from those who died serving their country with love and support for families of the fallen, "not just with words but with our actions."
Obama laid a wreath Monday at the Tomb of the Unknowns to honor the nation's war dead. Under mostly sunny skies at Arlington National Cemetery, he bowed his head for a moment, then placed his right hand over his heart as taps was played. Obama in his address commemorated the more than 1 million people in U.S. history who paid the ultimate sacrifice.
Obama said the markers at Arlington belong mostly to young Americans, those who never lived to be honored as veterans for their service.
"The Americans who rest here, and their families -- the best of us, those from whom we asked everything -- ask of us today only one thing in return: that we remember them," Obama said.
In his remarks, Obama called for Americans to honor the families who lost loved ones and the battle buddies left behind. He said it's important to ensure veterans get access to good health care and jobs.
"We have to do better," he said. "We have to be there not only when we need them, but when they need us."
Special operations forces continue to serve in dangerous missions in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan, even as the U.S. military presence in the latter two countries has been greatly reduced under Obama's watch. Obama acknowledged the continuing threat to service members, singling out for praise three who have died in Iraq in recent months: Master Sgt. Joshua Wheeler, Staff Sgt. Louis Cardin and Chief Special Warfare Operator Charles Keating IV.
Obama said Keating joined the Navy SEALs because it was the hardest thing to do. He quoted a platoon mate who told Keating's parents in a letter soon after their son's death, "Please tell everyone Chuck saved a lot of lives today." On Cardin, Obama said he gave his life while protecting the Marines under his command.
"Putting others before himself was what Louis did best," Obama said.
Obama noted that Wheeler was deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan 14 times and earned 11 Bronze Stars. He also participated in a mission in October that rescued about 70 hostages. He died before his son, David, could be born, but that son and Wheeler's widow, Ashley, were at Monday's ceremony.
"Today this husband and father rests here in Arlington in Section 60," Obama said. "And as Americans, we resolve to be better, better people, better citizens because of Master Sgt. Joshua Wheeler."
Prior to traveling to Arlington, Obama held a breakfast reception at the White House for military leaders, family members of fallen service members and veterans groups.
Across the U.S., travelers who had braced for long lines and long waits were instead moving through most airports fairly quickly Monday, as the busy holiday travel weekend drew to a close.
"Honestly it wasn't too bad," said Kendra Morehead of Wooster, Ohio, who flew from Detroit to Denver for a conference. "I got to the airport an hour and a half early, but security only took like 15 minutes."
She added, "I heard a lot of stories about security being understaffed, but everything seemed fine."
However, the airlines weren't ready to say "mission accomplished" yet, as it's just the beginning of the busy summer travel season.
"Things have been going pretty well so far this weekend and we are working hard to make sure that we have no repeat of what we saw in Chicago," said American Airlines spokesman Ross Feinstein, referring to Chicago O'Hare International Airport, which had some of the worst screening problems in recent weeks.
The airline continues to talk daily with the Transportation Security Administration to coordinate, Feinstein said.
The TSA began deploying extra canine teams to the busiest airports months ago. The dogs can screen large groups of passengers for explosives, eliminating the need to remove shoes and laptops, TSA spokesman Mike England said last week.
The extra dogs were concentrated at the nation's largest airports, but they weren't used for all screenings, meaning that many travelers still had to observe the usual procedures. England said the extra dogs would remain at security checkpoints well after Memorial Day weekend.
In some parts of Lambert-St. Louis International Airport, lines were nonexistent and ID-carrying travelers were outnumbered by clusters of TSA employees.
At John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City, travelers arriving from major cities such as San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix and Miami said their security lines had been short.
Information for this article was contributed by Jennifer Kay, Kristen Wyatt, Alan Scher Zagier and Charles Sheehan of The Associated Press.
A Section on 05/31/2016