First Lady, Dr. Biden Visit with Veterans Before World Series Game

ABC News' Karen Travers reports: First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden will attend tonight’s Game One of the World Series between the Philadelphia Phillies and the New York Yankees, but first on their New York agenda was a visit to the James J. Peters VA Medical Center in the Bronx. Mrs. Obama and Dr. Biden were joined by members of the Yankees organization and representatives from Major League Baseball as they met with veterans and staff and thanked them for their service. They saved the baseball talk for later, instead focusing on veterans’ care and community service. The First Lady touted the efforts her husband’s administration has made to help the nation’s veterans but noted that it’s not just the government’s responsibility to lend a hand. “As a nation, we have a responsibility to honor their service by doing everything we can to support our servicemen and women, our veterans, and their families.  That's a duty that we have,” Mrs. Obama said. “Let's take the time to be more aware of these heroes in our midst, and honor them by doing more service not just for them but for all our communities. The First Lady said her visit to the medical center serves as “a vivid reminder that for many [veterans], the battle continues even after they come home.” Dr. Biden said she wanted to make it clear to the veterans there and across the country that the administration was listening. “As a military mom, I know how a simple act of kindness can make a difference to a soldier, whether it's troop greeters who are meeting our troopers coming back, a neighbor offering to baby-sit, or a classroom adopting a unit,” she said. “It is our sacred duty to honor the service of those who sacrifice for our country — and we can all play a role with a simple act of service.  Tonight Mrs. Obama and Dr. Biden will take part in the pre-game ceremonies honoring veterans at Yankee Stadium. They will escort Yankee legend and World War II veteran Yogi Berra and Iraq veteran Tony Odierno out to the mound, where Odierno will throw the ceremonial first pitch. Odierno is a West Point graduate who lost his arm while serving in Iraq. He was awarded a Bronze Star with Valor and a Purple Heart and now works for the Yankees in Stadium Operations. Tony is the son of General Raymond T. Odierno, the current Commanding General of the Multi-National Force in Iraq. MLB has dedicated the first four games of the World Service to promoting community service, similar to this summer’s All-Star game. Tonight’s game in New York will highlight welcomebackveterans.org, an organization that has awarded $5.8 million in grants to non-profit agencies across the country targeting veterans’ greatest needs, including mental health and job training/placement. Dr. Biden, a devoted Phillies fan, said she hoped that the millions of viewers tuning into the baseball game tonight will join their effort for the nation’s veterans. Mrs. Obama urged Americans to “watch the game tonight, get a chance to see our PSA, hear the sound of our voices, to never forget that these folks have made sacrifices.” -Karen Travers