Thousands of veterans and their supporters marched up Fifth Avenue in New York, home to the nation’s
oldest Veterans Day parade.

At 11 a.m. — the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month — a solemn hush fell over Manhattan’s
Madison Square Park as veterans laid wreaths under the Eternal Light Monument to honor the fallen.

Former New York City Police Commissioner Raymond Kelley, who was a Marine lieutenant, served as grand
marshal.

"I learned everything I know about leadership from my military service," Kelly said.

The parade featured a float carrying rapper Ice-T, who is an Army veteran, plus six military dogs and
their handlers, all of whom have served in the U.S. armed forces.

Here is how the holiday was celebrated elsewhere around the country and overseas.

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ARMISTICE DAY

Europe marked Armistice Day with ceremonies and moments of silence as France opened an international
memorial on a former battlefield. The events had special significance because this year is the 100th
anniversary of the start of World War I. Tuesday was the 96th anniversary of the armistice that ended
the war on Nov. 11, 1918.

French President Francois Hollande placed a wreath at the tomb of the unknown soldier under Paris’ Arc de
Triomphe. Later, he was to head to northern France to inaugurate an international war memorial at
Notre-Dame-de-Lorette in the presence of German, British and Belgian officials. The Ring of Memory
carries the names of 600,000 soldiers who died in the region during the war.

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CELEBRITY CONCERT

Bruce Springsteen, Rihanna, Eminem and Metallica were among the headliners for a free concert on the
National Mall to raise awareness for issues affecting veterans, In Washington, D.C.

Tuesday’s first-of-its-kind Concert for Valor is expected to draw hundreds of thousands of fans to the
Mall. The Veterans Day event was spearheaded by Starbucks president Howard Schultz.

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VETERAN BONUSES

State officials in Ohio used the holiday to remind Iraq war veterans that time is running out to claim
bonuses of up to $1,500. Ohio voters in 2009 approved a $200 million bond issue to fund bonuses for
veterans of the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan and Iraq war eras.

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VETERANS PERKS AND FREEBIES

Veterans Day is not only a time to honor those who have served in the military. For American businesses,
it’s also a time to back up that appreciation with a freebie.

Many national chains, as well as mom-and-pop retailers around the U.S., offered free goods and services
to anyone who has served in the military, a trend that has been growing since the Sept. 11, 2001,
attacks. They included IHOP pancakes, Starbucks coffee and even admission at select theaters to see the
World War II film "Fury," starring Brad Pitt.

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MILITARY GAY PRIDE

Massachusetts marked Veterans Day with commemorations around the state including a parade in Boston in
which gay and transgender veterans were taking part for the first time. A recently formed group called
OutVets said it expected up to 30 people to march in Tuesday afternoon’s downtown parade.

Gov. Deval Patrick and other top officials gathered earlier at the Statehouse to express "gratitude,
pride and support" for service members from Massachusetts.

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CHRISTIE TO HONOR THE FALLEN

In New Jersey, Gov. Chris Christie was scheduled to attend an event at the Brig. Gen. William C. Doyle
Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Wrightstown, a state-operated cemetery where more than 56,000 veterans and
their family members are buried. Faculty and students in Monmouth University in West Long Branch, New
Jersey, were to read the names of troops killed during deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq since the
September 2001 terrorist attacks.