Honor - Educate - Inspire

Last summer, I was invited along with a well-known milblogger to meet a few people: Susan Katz Keating, who blogs at Susan Katz Keating naturally, Elizabeth Newberry and G. Craig Stewart. These three are the public face of a new endeavor that seeks to: Honor - US citizens who served our country in times of war at home and abroad., Educate - visitors about the hardships of wartime by telling the stories of individuals and focusing on the themes of patriotism, courage, service and sacrifice, and Inspire - future generations with the knowledge that America will always need dedicated men and women to defend our freedoms at home and abroad. That endeavor is the National Museum of Americans in Wartime.

A couple of weeks ago I was invited to attend an Open House for this new museum opening in Virginia The National Museum of American’s in Wartime which will be located in Prince William County, VA near the current site of the private Virginia Museum of Military Vehicles. While the ground has not been broken for the new facility, this event proved that the museum is already fulfilling its mission.

The Saturday was cold and damp, alright no sense in lying, it was raining like a sieve, but the camaraderie and brotherhood that was felt by all those who attended this event could be felt in the air. Beyond the static displays of privately owned military vehicles, spanning almost every generation of warfare from WWI to the Present and the demonstrations, the true essence of the day was the ability to mingle and talk to some true heroes. Seeing WWII vets talking to Korean War and Vietnam vets as well as vets from today, one could feel the power that the museum has harnessed and the unimaginable ability that such a simple mission statement could produce.

In attendance were vets who landed on Normandy Beach, fought near Chosin, flew “hooks” in Vietnam, walked the streets of Baghdad and scaled mountains in Afghanistan. Together we stood in the rain as a Marine unit presented the colors, and after a moment of awkward silence when the recording of the National Anthem failed - all broke into song to finish rendering our honors, salutes a plenty.

We toured the vehicle displays, and showed our children what daddy did in the Army. We met members of the greatest generation and broke bread with them. Yes it was cold, and some demonstrations were not performed, but the food was good and while the mission is just beginning, it was executed with flawless precision, leaving a taste for more.

Honor
Educate
Inspire

The National Museum of Americans in Wartime is off to a great start.