Video: Life after war

>>> welcome back to "news nation." following the president's dinner this week honoring the men and women who fought in iraq . kristen welker had chance to speak to them about what life is like now they that are back at home home.

>> reporter: we spoke with one soldier who had a really powerful message to send, which is that it's everyone's responsibility to help veterans readjust to life on the home front and to help them heal.

>> god bless you and your families, and may god continue to bless those in uniform and the united states of america .

>> reporter: from the fine china to the candle lit tables, it look and felt like a dinner. the first was aimed at honoring the nation's heroes.

>> these rooms have hosted presidents and prime ministers and kings and queens . in the history of this house there's never been a night quite like this.

>> the new greatest generation of americans.

>> reporter: 78 members were invited to attend. all representatives of the million plus troops who served in iraq .

>> i'm honored. i'm humbled. i'm glad to be here.

>> reporter: it's a night corporal aaron didn't live to see.

>> i hit a roadside bomb in the middle of the street and threw us ten feet in the air. my sleeves caught fire. my face caught fire. i had my goggles on. saved my eyes.

>> reporter: the rest of his face was left severely disfigured. a year later, dr. timothy miller helped change that.

>> when i first saw him he didn't have a nose or his left lip was way over to the side of the cheek as was his entire mouth.

>> reporter: dr. miller has operated at least 20 times with more to come. it's a service that grew into operation mend, a partnership between ucla and the brook army medical center to perform free reconstructive surgery on service members injured in iraq and afghanistan. he was the inspiration for the program.

>> they're focus is the aesthics.

>> reporter: he adds the most devastating wounds can be beneath the surface.

>> it takes the support of communities. it takes the support of friends and family and people who can put their arms around you and say it's going to be okay.

>> reporter: this week the president did open his arms.

>> i could not be more proud you have.

>> reporter: now it's up to the rest of the nation as a new generation of veterans have come back.

>> thank you very much.

>> reporter: there's been debate about whether or not to hold a parade in new york. we've covered it here on msnbc. the defense department said it would be premature to hold a parade.

Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/newsnation/46606678/

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