Obama's day: Honoring the military

President Obama spends Thursday paying tribute to the military, first with a unique Medal of Honor ceremony and then at a White House concert.

In the late morning, Obama will award the Medal of Honor to the late Army 1st Lt. Alonzo H. Cushing for conspicuous gallantry during the battle of Gettysburg in 1863.

Leading more than 100 soldiers during the Civil War, Cushing stayed at the front and gave his life while defending the Union position on Cemetery Ridge at Gettysburg.

Descendants and supporters have been advocating the Medal of Honor for Cushing since the 1980s, saying he was unfairly passed over during the Civil War years.

In the evening, the president and first lady Michelle Obama will host the latest in a series of White House concerts, this one described as "a celebration of the men and women who serve the United States."

Performers include Mary J. Blige, Common, John Fogerty, Willie Nelson and Romeo Santos, as well as military musicians.