Our Year In Review
Throughout the year, the American Veterans Center & World War II Veterans Committee remain committed to‘ guarding the legacy and honoring the sacrifice’ of our veterans, from World War II and beyond.
Over the next several pages, we recap many of our continuing efforts to achieve this important mission over the past year. Here, you will read about our programs to“ Guard the Legacy” of our veterans through educational programs for America’ s youth, as well as our work in preserving the stories of our veterans.
You will also learn how we“ Honor the Sacrifice” of our veterans and military heroes through public events and our award-winning television and multimedia programs.
GUARDING THEIR LEGACY OUR EDUCATION AND PRESERVATION
THE ANNUAL VETERANS CONFERENCE & NATIONAL YOUTH LEADERSHIP SUMMIT
Over Veterans Day weekend, 2015, many of America’ s most distinguished and decorated veterans gathered in Washington for the American Veterans Center & World War II Veterans Committee’ s 18th Annual Veterans Conference.
The conference- televised nationwide by C-SPAN- brought these veterans together with upwards of 500 students from each of our military service academies and more than two-dozen ROTC programs from across the country, where they shared their personal experiences and lessons on leadership.
The National Youth Leadership Summit portion of the Annual Veterans Conference provides a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for tomorrow’ s leaders to learn from those of the past and present.
Pictured clockwise from left, academy and ROTC students meet with: former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff & American Veterans Center Honorary Chairman General Richard Myers; Thomas Mangrum of the 761st Tank Battalion in WWII, the first African American tankers in Army history; Lt. Col. Richard E. Cole, Jimmy Doolittle’ s co-pilot on the legendary Doolittle Raid; and famed astronaut Buzz Aldrin.
“ I had to pinch myself several times as I stood in front of my childhood heroes, the men and women who made and continue to make this country great... I learned in greater depth than ever before this nation’ s history directly from the mouths of those who made it.”
- MIDSHIPMAN TAYLOR BUCK, U. S. NAVAL ACADEMY
SPRING 2016 3