For retired Army Staff Sgt. Doris Evert, this year's Veterans Day was especially profound.

"My son-in-law is coming home from Iraq tomorrow," Evert said yesterday, holding two thumbs up while a smile beamed across her face.

She was among about 500 or so veterans and their family members who gathered at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific yesterday to honor those who have worn the uniform of the United States.

"I would not be anywhere else but here today," Evert said, wearing the red uniform of the Women's Veterans of America. "I don't necessarily feel obligated to be here, I feel it is a privilege to have worn the uniform."

While gratitude is often extended to those who have served in the military, Evert said thoughts should also be extended to their families, which are equally affected.

"My daughter has had to cope through three tours of duty," she said.

Evert's son-in-law, Sgt. Brian Thompson, is expected to arrive home today at Fort Bliss, Texas.

"My daughter came and spent a month here with me. She never let on how stressful it is. But it is very stressful," she said.

THE COST OF WAR

The annual ceremony at Punchbowl drew veterans from World War II to the Korean War to the current conflict in Iraq. They expressed gratitude for the commitment and courage of those currently serving in the armed forces.

Cemetery director Gene Castagnetti, a retired Marine colonel, read a quote that defines what it means to be a veteran.

"A veteran is someone who wrote a blank check payable to the United States of America for an amount up to and including his life," Castagnetti said.

U.S. Sen. Daniel K. Akaka, chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, told the crowd that he is working to "do more for those who have done so much."

"Veterans require a government response that fits their needs," Akaka said. "The cost of veteran affairs and benefits is the cost of war."

Akaka also recalled when he was a student at Kamehameha Schools and witnessed the bombing of Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941.

"I watched the enemy planes attack Pearl Harbor from the window of my dormitory," Akaka said. "Little did I know this place would be changed forever."

NEXT GENERATION

U.S. Veterans Affairs Deputy Under Secretary Steve Muro also addressed the crowd yesterday.

Other participants included the U.S. Pacific Fleet Band, the Pearl City Community Church Choir and various veterans service organizations. The ceremony also featured a "missing man" formation fly-over by the 199th Fighter Squadron.

Owen L. Roberts Sr., a retired Army officer who served in the first Gulf War, said he attends most ceremonies at Punchbowl to honor men with whom he served.

But yesterday was also about showing gratitude for his son, who is currently active-duty military.

Roberts had a unique opportunity in 2006 to work as a civilian in Iraq while his son, Lt. Owen L. Roberts II, was serving with the 45th Sustainment Brigade.

"It was very surreal to see my son in body armor. It was really a challenge for me. It was a lot of different kinds of emotions — proud yet very concerned," Roberts said.

Other Veterans Day events yesterday included a sunset ceremony on the Battleship Missouri, an afternoon ceremony at the Hawai'i State Veterans Cemetery in Kane'ohe and the 63rd annual Veterans Day parade in Wahiawa.