I would first like to say on behalf of myself and all veterans, thank you to MTV and all the participants for making this event very touching and memorable. The performances and messages from the artists and entertainers were great. I would also like to thank the individuals and organizations out there that have implemented and developed ways to help our veterans.

There were many issues that were brought to the world's attention, such as homelessness, veteran benefits, unemployment and health care, which are all rising challenges among veterans in America. The veterans that shared their stories brought awareness to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injuries (TBI), disabilities many veterans encounter that take a toll on their daily lives.

Many soldiers leave family and friends behind and believe that by performing their duties they have honored their contract and should be taken care of when they return home. As veterans, not having a place to call home or support from the government are problems we should not encounter when trying to transition back to our regular lives.

The show will enable veterans to realize that there are people out there who care and who appreciate so much what we have done for this country. They understand our issues and struggles and that something needs to be done about them.

Learn more about veterans' issues and sign the BRAVE petition here.

The overall theme of the show — a celebration of vets — seemed to resonate with the crowd. All the veterans I met were elated to be acknowledged. The packages CNN and MTV produced really hit home with what they've been going through in terms of transitioning back into civilian life. And the BRAVE petition excited them and showed them that we haven't forgotten them as a country.

50 set the tone. He answered the crowd's excitement and anticipation. The fact that you could get one of the top artists in the world for these guys says a lot about the cause. And every one of the vets appreciated it.

One of the best experiences for me was working side-by-side with Anderson Cooper, Robin Meade and the entire CNN team. It's definitely one of the most-watched channels in my home (along with MTV, of course). I admire their professionalism and journalism.

I first met Anderson at the Democratic National Convention in Denver, and man, I like how that dude works. He's focused, to say the least. It was great to see him off-camera a bit too. He's friendly and personal. And with Robin, I think there was a great balance among all of us. I really felt privileged to be working alongside them and to see our news on their airwaves.

So it was a proud moment. I'm glad I had a chance in the most humble way to serve the vets and be a part of history.

Have you watched the show yet? What did you think? Let us know below!

I don't usually get star-struck. I didn't hyperventilate once when I was working on the red carpet at this year's Video Music Awards preshow in Hollywood (OK ... maybe I did once when Chace Crawford and Miley Cyrus were 2 feet away from me). I was surrounded by music's biggest stars, and I managed to refrain from being a wide-eyed and giggly superfan. This definitely was not the case last night during the taping of "A Night for Vets: An MTV Concert for the BRAVE."

"A Night for Vets" was created to thank the courageous soldiers who put their lives on the line to protect our country. I was honored to help out with the show. Of course, I was still surrounded by celebrities like Ludacris, 50 Cent and Whoopi Goldberg, but there was one major difference between this event's celebrity guest list and the VMAs'. Not only was I among some of the music industry's biggest stars, but I was also amidst CNN's finest! I knew it was going to be hard to keep my composure when Robin Meade of CNN's "Headline News," international correspondent Michael Ware and Anderson Cooper of "Anderson Cooper 360" were in the room. As an aspiring on-air reporter myself, I've always admired journalists like them. I knew that I just had to meet them (especially Anderson), and show day was my last chance to do it.

Before rehearsals, Garth Bardsley, Robin's floor producer for the show, asked me to accompany Robin and her crew up to the dressing room, and of course, I jumped at the offer. As we walked over to greet her, my heart beat faster, and I kept thinking of ways to stay calm even though my insides were in knots. Garth introduced me to Robin, and her huge smile and sweet personality made me forget I was talking to such a successful journalist. As I accompanied Robin to her dressing room, I picked her brain about the journalism industry and asked her how she got her start. She was more than willing to share her knowledge. She even told me to never let anyone get me down and go after my dreams. (Thanks, Robin!) She even asked me for advice on what boots to wear: a pair of black high-heeled boots with rhinestones or black platform knee-high boots? My vote was for the boots with the rhinestones, but she opted for the latter. Either way, I thought she looked fantastic!

During this whole time, I was keeping my eyes and ears out for info on Anderson's arrival. Of course, I admire him as a journalist, but it doesn't hurt that he is a complete dreamboat (swoon). I'd already informed Anderson's floor producer, Sean Lee, of my admiration for the "AC 360" anchor. I even made sure he and I were BlackBerry Messenger friends so he could "BBM" me as soon as Anderson arrived and had some time to talk.

Imagine my excitement when I heard on the walkie-talkie that Anderson arrived and was about to go down the escalators! Can you guess who conveniently had some important e-mails to read on her BlackBerry by the escalators? Yep ... that would be me! I ran to my co-worker, Pete Griffin, and exclaimed, "Anderson is here! Anderson is here!" My nerves were getting the best of me as he approached, so I just put my head down and let him walk right by me.

A few hours later, I was still reeling from my failed attempt at meeting one of my favorite journalists, when I got a BBM from none other than Sean Lee. He told me that it was the perfect time to grab my camera and introduce myself to Anderson. I started to get nervous and excited again when I realized that I didn't have a camera. I searched the Nokia Theatre for anyone I knew who could snap a picture, and my co-worker, Chris Harris, saved the day. I saw Anderson in the distance, and I nervously approached him while finding the need to verbally remind myself of just how nervous I was. Just as I was about to say, "Hello," another Anderson fan cut in front of me, so I had to compose myself again, try to think of what to say, and remind myself not to laugh my high-pitched giggle.

When Anderson was finally alone, I took a deep breath and introduced myself. Our meeting was quite a blur, but I do know that I could not stop smiling. I remember telling him how much I looked up to him (by the way, he has the nicest blue eyes ever). I think I told him I was "super-super-excited" to meet him because I was a huge fan, but I'm not 100 percent sure — although I am well-known for linking the words "super" and "excited" in the same sentence about five times a day. I ended our conversation by shouting, "good luck tonight!" and then I giggled and walked away.

Our meeting lasted less than five minutes, but I will never forget it. I even snagged a photo. Take a look! Aren't I glowing? Get that glow yourself and watch Robin, Anderson and many more stars on "A Night for Vets: An MTV Concert for the BRAVE," which airs tonight at 8 p.m. ET!

UPDATE! OMG.... I landed on Robin Meade's podcast! Didn't I tell you she was awesome?!

Post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, is an illness that most people have a surface knowledge of, at best, even though its earliest reports date back to 6th century B.C. In the post-Vietnam War era, it made a more frequent appearance in the media, as combat veterans returned home and struggled with anger, insomnia, hyper-vigilance and flashbacks, among other symptoms. Since then, some people owe their knowledge on the subject to Oliver Stone's "Born on the Fourth of July," or even the current presidential election, as political pundits have accused John McCain of being unfit to run the country because he may have been traumatized by his POW experience.

But what do we really know about it? How close have most of us ever been to someone suffering from the disorder?

(Watch Iraq veteran Bryan Adams' story after the jump.)

Last week, I had the opportunity to speak one-on-one with 24-year-old Iraq war veteran Bryan Adams, who has not only had an intense struggle with PTSD, he has overcome its obstacles and turned his life around. There were many factors that were strong contributors to the healing process for Adams, a sophomore at Rutgers University at Camden. The underlying theme in all of them, though, was the recognition and understanding that he is not alone. (Learn about veterans’ issues and sign the petition for BRAVE, the Bill of Rights for American Veterans, here.)

The aspect of my interview with Bryan that stuck with me most was his openness about everything from his injury to his struggle with PTSD and the other obstacles he faced along the way. He talked about the challenges he encountered personally. "With a couple of my girlfriends, I was just mean, forceful, I guess you could say," Bryan admitted. He also talked about his frustration and anger with his classmates, whose conversations and interests he could not relate to. As Bryan explained, "I felt very isolated. ... I had been through all this stuff, and [my friends] can't even begin to imagine what it was like. They try, you know, but it's just hard to convey."

And finally, Bryan talked about one of the incidents that made him realize that he needed to seek help. "I got a DUI," he said. "I was going 75 in a 50. I was swerving in and out of traffic. ... Stuff like drunk driving. I didn't even think about it. I didn't care about it."

An inability to speak about problems and sensitive issues is one of the main symptoms of PTSD, so his candidness with me was a clear testament of how far Bryan has come.

After the interview, Bryan told me that part of the reason that he is open about everything that he has been through is because he hopes a veteran will hear it and realize that he or she isn't alone, and that help is out there. Discovering that what he'd been going through actually had a name and a diagnosis provided Bryan with relief and clarity, and he wants other veterans to feel the same. He told me that through his diagnosis, he learned to understand, "It's not you. It's [PTSD]," and that enabled him to see what was going on more clearly.

At the end of our interview, Bryan called upon both young veterans and others to put real and lasting effort into veterans' rights and benefits. To veterans, Bryan advised, "Don't give up hope, because you might not know what's going on. You might not feel like you have control over your situation in life, but you really do. If you want to make a difference, you have to put out the effort. It's just like anything else in life. ... No one is going to listen to you unless you stand up." And to those that have the ability to enact change, Bryan added, "The veteran is the expert. We're the ones that shed blood for this country."

If one solution to PTSD is knowing that you don't stand alone, there is no doubt that Bryan's words and work so far on the issue have already improved, and perhaps saved, lives.

What struck me about the vets I'd met was the overall sense of family they seem to share. Having all endured similar experiences, war has, for better or worse, bonded these brave men and women, who displayed their dog tags with pride and recounted for me their time in Iraq, Kuwait and Afghanistan — oftentimes, in vivid detail. In fact, one soldier I spoke with was the guy who was ordered into the narrow, dark hole Saddam Hussein was hiding in, beneath a two-room mud shack on a sheep farm ... but I'll have more on that tomorrow afternoon.

Waiting to get inside, I saw Marines greeting each other with that familiar call, "Semper fi, do or die." I saw soldiers reuniting — men and women who'd shared the same battlefields, hugging each other solidly. Veterans shared doughnuts and entire pizza pies with complete strangers — other soldiers they'd just met, but people they share a unique connection with; a familial connection. One soldier, Air Force veteran Jerry McDougal, perhaps summed it up better than any of the soldiers I'd met.

"By being there, we became something of a family," the 27-year-old Alabama son said; he just returned from Baghdad six months ago, and is still adjusting to civilian life. "You bond with the rest of your unit, and you're there to protect each other. When you leave, you're leaving behind family members."

NEW YORK — 50 Cent is a boss, so he'll boss you around and you'll like it! The G-Unit general was throwing out orders to people who weren't even there on Friday afternoon at the Nokia Theater in Times Square. The entire G-Unit got onstage for a brief performance of their stint for "A Night for Vets: An MTV Concert for the BRAVE" (check out their full performance when the show airs Friday night at 10 p.m.).

"I have the savoir-faire," 50 rapped. "I'm the reason everybody's here/ I say, 'Get up!'/ I make it hot, I make it hot in here/ Your feet hurtin', I really don't care/ I said, 'Get up!'
I want see you, I want to see you move/ And get all into the groove/ I said, 'Get up!' "

Check out photos from 50's rehearsal after the jump.

The concert will be the very first time 50 will perform "Get Up" on television, and he was definitely excited. The Unit's practice was a quick 15 minutes, and after a couple of minor tweaks, everyone felt they were ready for showtime. Ludacris (who rehearsed Wednesday), Kanye West, Hinder, Saving Abel and others will also perform for the concert.

After the Unit got offstage, 50 got ready for some promotional obligations for his forthcoming LP and film, both titled Before I Self Destruct and slated for a December 9 release. Meanwhile, outside of the dressing room, Lloyd Banks and Tony Yayo chilled with the rest of their staff and friends, talking music with MTV News Hip-Hop Editor Shaheem Reid (that would be me). The subject of mixtapes came up and Banks — a.k.a. the PLK (Punchline King) — said that he was amped up to drop his next one, Halloween Havoc, and wondered when Jadakiss would be dropping his street CD.

Don't miss "A Night for Vets: An MTV Concert for the BRAVE," presented by MTV's Choose or Lose campaign and CNN to support veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. The show will feature performances by 50 Cent, Ludacris, Kanye West, Hinder, Saving Abel and more and airs Friday at 8 p.m. ET on MTV.

While nobody comes home from war unchanged, most vets are able to deal with the transition back to civilian life just fine. But many have to deal with big-time mental-health problems, like post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury (more commonly known as PTSD and TBI). If untreated, these often lead to alcoholism and drug use, which can get a lot of vets into more trouble and land them in the criminal-justice system for anything from possession charges and DUIs to domestic violence and theft.

Once John heard about the court in New York, he thought they should implement this concept in his own state. Because Sequoyah County is so small, he headed next door to Tulsa County, which has one of the highest rates of returning vets in the country. He worked extremely hard to get a judge to volunteer for vets' court, and got the DA as well as the mayor of Tulsa involved as well.

The program will be up and running next month. Vets arrested for a crime will have the opportunity to be tried in veterans' court, where they may be sentenced to treatment and assigned a mentor, who is also a vet. What's especially cool is that the vets have someone they can identify with to help them along with the process.

I've talked to a lot of young vets over the past few months, and I think that a program like this veterans' court could help a lot of warriors become well-adjusted citizens again. These people served our country and put their lives on the line. Right now, they're coming back and not receiving the proper mental-health evaluations or help transitioning back to civilian life.

When I talked about this transition with John, he told me about the skills you needed to stay alive in Iraq and Afghanistan and how they didn't translate well to the skills you need to be a citizen back home. Fortunately, John has been able to deal with it, and hopefully, through his success, he'll be able to help some others get through it too.

While I was down there, I also got a chance to visit the Greenwood neighborhood in Tulsa. It's also known as "Black Wall Street," because in the early 20th century it was an African-American community with complete economic autonomy. In 1921, much of the town was burned down in a race riot. The area has a lot of historical value, and I hope to be able to do a story on it soon.

Don't miss "A Night for Vets: An MTV Concert for the BRAVE," presented by MTV's Choose or Lose campaign and CNN to support veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. The show features performances by 50 Cent, Ludacris, Kanye West, Hinder, Saving Abel and more, and airs Friday at 8 p.m. ET on MTV.

Saving Abel might not be household names just yet, but that could all change when the band performs alongside Ludacris, 50 Cent and other superstars on "A Night for Vets: An MTV Concert for the BRAVE," airing Friday at 8 p.m. ET on MTV.

We got a sneak peek at the band's performance during a rehearsal of their song "18 Days" inside New York's Nokia Theatre Times Square. Frontman Jared Weeks plans to send a special message to veterans before their performance — but we're not giving everything away here. You have to tune in to hear what he has to say!

The band should fit right in with the mostly veteran-filled crowd during the show: Weeks was sporting a few dog-tag chains around his neck, which he said were sent to him by fans in the military.

There were four giant chandeliers hanging from the ceiling above the band during rehearsal that we could have sworn were going to fall because of the vibration from the band's rocking. The stage also had what looked like ninja stars stacked on top of one another behind the band. The lighting scheme — appropriately enough — was red, white and blue, except when the guys were bathed in a golden-red glow during their rehearsal.

But why take our word for it when you can see for yourself? Check out our pictures from the run-through, and make sure to tune in Friday night at 8 p.m. ET on MTV for even more.

(Follow us inside the BRAVE rehearsals and see more Saving Abel, after the jump!)

"Check one, two," Luda said into the mic.

"Play 'Stand Up,' " he told his DJ during soundcheck. Luda was very normal and businesslike as he paced with his hand in his pocket while going over his bars.

"Turn it down a little," the Grammy winner directed. "On the monitor, not the vocals. That's perfect. So do it from the top? Good.

Read more and check out photos from the rehearsal after the jump.

"Could we make sure it doesn't feedback as I'm walking through here?" he asked as he made his way to the place where he plans to make a surprise entrance.

After the engineers took care of technical matters for a few minutes, Luda — who couldn't see anyone from his vantage point — reminded everyone it was time to rock.

"I'm ready when you guys are. Are you waiting on me?" he said very humbly.

The DJ cued up "Move," and 'Cris began his rap as he strolled to his place in front of the DJ booth. While making a transition to the next track, his DJ missed the cue.

"You gotta be a little bit tighter, bruh," Cris said with a grin, before actually pressing some buttons by the turntables himself.

"All the vets, we love you," Luda said as he closed out. "Did somebody time that?"

During his second walk-through, 'Cris and company were a lot tighter and actually were just seconds shy of their allotted time. After a short talk with the MTV crew, Luda contemplated switching up his lineup some — obviously a great set will be no problem. This is a guy who can go 90 minutes easy and still not run out of cherished hits.

Ludacris is one of the many stars that will take to the spotlight during "A Night for Vets: An MTV Concert for the BRAVE." The show, which also includes performances and appearances by Beyoncé, Kanye West, 50 Cent, Kid Rock, Fall Out Boy and Will Ferrell, is an event organized to inform and promote backing of the Bill of Rights for American Veterans (BRAVE), a petition presented by MTV and several veterans' organizations. The concert airs on October 24, at 8 p.m. ET on MTV.

Right after coming back from Athens for the launch of MTV Greece, I went straight to Washington, D.C. — a few hours' train ride from New York's Penn Station — for my next assignment. I was excited. It was my first time ever to D.C., and, most importantly, it was my first time ever meeting an actual student veteran.

Graham Palter is a 24-year-old freshman at George Washington University and a veteran of the war in Iraq. Seeking adventure, he joined the Marine Corps at 19 — and he got exactly what he asked for, and then some. While his fellow students at GWU were firing machine guns and blowing things up on their PlayStations, Graham was serving three deployments in Iraq.

(Watch Graham's story after the jump!)

Graham is six years older than his fellow freshmen, and six years can be a big gap — add on the fact that Graham served as a sergeant in the Marine Corps and has seen first-hand combat in the most hostile territories of Iraq, and that gap gets a lot wider.

Nevertheless, Graham is undeterred and determined to finish his degree in international affairs and continue to learn Arabic — two things which he believes will help him become a better soldier when he re-enlists after graduation. While his fellow freshmen are out drinking at the bar, clubbing until late and enjoying the fruits of university life, Graham admits he spends most of his evenings at his apartment with his head in his books, thankful he isn't living with a bunch of partying 18-year-olds. Graham finds himself gravitating to other fellow veterans on campus.

Having spent the day with the students of GWU, I can say that they are fascinated with Graham and the other veterans. While we were filming our piece, a young hipster freshman came over to introduce himself, and for a good 15 minutes asked Graham a bunch of questions about everything from his tattoos, student life, the campus and his university courses, to life in the Marines, his time in Iraq and, of course, music. No doubt, it wasn't the easiest or most fluid conversation I'd ever heard, but for Graham it was a good start to fitting into university life.

Don't miss "A Night for Vets: An MTV Concert for the BRAVE," presented by MTV's Choose or Lose campaign and CNN to support veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. The show will feature performances by 50 Cent, Ludacris, Kanye West, Hinder, Saving Abel and more and airs Friday at 8 p.m. ET on MTV.

Are you a student veteran? Leave a comment and share your story.