PBS presents "Salute to Service 2025: A Veterans Day Celebration," featuring multi-platinum entertainer and TV/film actor Trace Adkins alongside the U.S. Army Field Band. In addition to Adkins, this latest installment of the annual celebration features inspiring performances by opera superstar Angel Blue, Grammy-winning jazz vocalist Kurt Elling, as well as fascinating profiles of veterans from across the nation and across the generations.
Through powerful music and heartfelt storytelling, the program honors the courage and sacrifice of our nation’s veterans. SALUTE TO SERVICE features remarkable stories of service members, including:
- World War II veteran John Gleeson, who served in the Army Air Corps and still flies planes today at age 101;
- The Corley brothers, triplets who followed their father’s lead into the Army along with their mother, who enlisted a year after they joined the service;
- Tracey Hunter of Beyond the Call, an organization dedicated to preserving the stories of WWII vets and taking them to reunions on some of the battlefields where they served;
- In Colorado, Special Forces veterans at the Warrior Mission Ranch help veterans combat both physical and mental injuries, and members of the famed Blue Angels, who perform air shows around the country, highlight the importance of naval aviation while honoring its historical significance; and
- A visit to the Library of Congress highlights the Veterans History Project, which collects and preserves the firsthand recollections of US military veterans for future generations.
Musical highlights include rousing renditions of “God Bless America” and “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” with Angel Blue and the U.S. Army Field Band. Kurt Elling joins the US Army Jazz Ambassadors for standards “I Like the Sunrise” and “Long as You’re Living,” and country superstar and longtime advocate for the nation’s veterans, award-winning, Country music icon Trace Adkins, performs his hits “Still a Soldier” and “Somewhere In America” alongside the Six String Soldiers.
“It was such a high honor to be asked to be involved with SALUTE TO SERVICE,” says Adkins. “Getting to speak in-depth with these heroes who have served our country for generations and selflessly fought for our freedom is an experience that I’ll never forget. Also getting to sing my songs ‘Still a Soldier’ and ‘Somewhere In America’ with the U.S. Army Field Band brought even greater meaning and valor to the lyrics. I’m so proud to be part of this and love to support our troops as much as I can.”
Watch On Your Schedule: "Salute to Service 2025: A Veterans Day Celebration" will stream simultaneously with broadcast on KPBS+ a new free streaming video app designed for ease and enjoyment everywhere you watch including Roku, smart TVs and mobile devices. It’s locally curated for San Diego by the KPBS programming team. With a clean and intuitive design, discovering and enjoying KPBS and PBS content on-demand has never been easier.
You can also tune in live to watch our four TV channels in real time: KPBS, KPBS 2, Create, KPBS Kids 24/7. We also added a new channel - FNX (First Nation Experience).
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Credits: Produced by Snap Snap Productions and directed by Habib Azar. It is written by Master Sgt. Pamela Daniels, Master Sgt. Lauren Urquhart and Sgt. 1st Class Courtney Martin.
