President Joe Biden is attending his second high-profile funeral within a week's time on Wednesday, as he and First Lady Jill Biden pay their final respects to a top Army general who served as their late son Beau Biden's commander in Iraq.
General Raymond Odierno, who was also Army chief of staff under former President Barack Obama, died at age 67 on October 9 after a battle with cancer, his family said at the time.
Odierno had eulogized the president's late son at his 2015 funeral and awarded him with military honors.
Biden was expected to deliver remarks at the funeral, which is closed to the press. It was held at Joint Base Myer–Henderson Hall near Arlington, Virginia.
After the Odierno's funeral the president made an unscheduled stop at the US Capitol, where late Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid was lying in state.
The president's visit only lasted a few minutes. He was observed laying his hand on Reid's flag-draped casket momentarily, touching a memorial wreath before departing. He's expected back at the Capitol on Thursday for a meeting with Senate Democrats.
On Saturday, the president and first lady were among the many high-profile guests saying goodbye to Reid in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Late Army General Raymond Odierno is pictured delivering Beau Biden's eulogy in 2015. Odierno died on October 9 after a battle with cancer, his family had said
As the Army Chief of Staff under Barack Obama, Odierno has known Biden for more than a decade. Upon the news of his death Biden released a statement declaring the US had 'lost a hero of great integrity and honor' (pictured together during then-Senator Biden's visit to Iraq in 2007)
Biden remembered Reid as a skilled legislator and a fiercely loyal friend in his remarks at the funeral, which was also attended by Obama, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and current Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer.
It's not clear at the moment what Biden said in his speech paying respects to Odierno, but in statement he released upon news of the general's death, Biden said the nation had 'lost a hero of great integrity and honor.'
He also revealed in the heartfelt statement that Odierno delivered a eulogy at the funeral of Biden's son Beau, who died of brain cancer in 2015 at 46 years old.
'We will be forever grateful for the words and the kindness
