E=JA;9FN=L=J9FK;=FL=J OGJD<O9J## (9LAGF9DNA=LF9E N=L=J9FK;GEEALL== N=L=J9FK;GEEALL== .=FL@FFM9DGF>=J=F;= O9J<K9FIM=L (GN=E:=J QO9K@AF?LGF <; The Directors of the American Veterans Center express their gratitude to the following organizations and individuals for sponsoring the 10th Annual Veterans Conference & Awards Banquet. Your generous suppport enabled the American Veterans Center to acknowledge the tremendous sacrifices of our military in defense of liberty throughout the three day Conference culminating in the 10th Annual Awards Banquet. In addition, the generosity of our sponsors provides tables and seats for distinguished veterans of World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan and members of their families, as well as ROTC Cadets and Midshipmen, active duty personnel and servicemen and women wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan. Your generous support is greatly appreciated. The Tawani Foundation 10th Annual Veterans Conference Sponsor TriWest Healthcare Alliance Exclusive Sponsor of America’s Greatest Heroes & Medal of Honor Reception Official Co-Sponsor of the Wounded Warrior Reception VIP Gold Tables (6o Seats) Awards Banquet & Paul Ray Smith Award Sponsor Booz Allen Hamilton VIP Platinum Tables (100 Seats) Awards Banquet Sponsor Additonal sponsorship provided by: Fund Raising Strategies, Inc. U.S. Army Freedom Team Salute Dodge Jones Foundation AMVETS McGuireWoods Consulting McDonald & Eudy Printers Eagle Publishing The Young Marines Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Offices RST Marketing ZIP Mailing Services, Inc. Intercollegiate Studies Institute The George E. Coleman, Jr. Foundation Donald Mates & Allan Ryskind Promotional support provided by The Washington Times Frontier Airlines, the Official Airline Partner of the 10th Annual Veterans Conference The mission of the American Veterans Center is to preserve and promote the legacy of America’s servicemen and women from the American Revolution through Operation Iraqi Freedom. The Center is comprised of two divisions - The World War II Veterans Committee and the National Vietnam Veterans Committee. The American Veterans Center is also the sponsor of the National Memorial Day Parade in Washington. “Bringing the legacy of the Greatest Generation to the latest generation” is the motto of the World War II Veterans Committee. Through documentary work, oral history programs, and its quarterly publication, World War II Chronicles, the World War II Veterans Committee seeks to bring the history of World War II to today’s students and young people. The newest division of the American Veterans Center is the National Vietnam Veterans Committee. Based on the outline of the World War II Veterans Committee, the National Vietnam Veterans Committee not only seeks to tell the combat stories of Vietnam veterans, it also seeks to tell their stories after they returned home. While the popular media and film depictions of Vietnam veterans were those of disillusioned men unable to adapt to life following the war, the truth is that most returned home to live productive and successful lives, and were proud to have served. The National Vietnam Veterans Committee, through its programs which include the publication Valor: The Veterans of Vietnam, is working to tell the true story of Vietnam veterans which has so often been ignored. Programs of the American Veterans Center include: • The National Memorial Day Parade. The parade is held each year along the National Mall in Washington, DC. Following the outbreak of World War II, the tradition of a Memorial Day parade in the nation’s capital was ended. In 2004, the World War II Veterans Committee sponsored “A Parade Salute to World War II Veterans,” to coincide with the dedication of the National World War II Memorial. The parade proved such a success that it was decided that the old tradition of a Memorial Day parade be returned. Thus, the National Memorial Day Parade was born. In a magnifi- cent tribute to America’s veterans and honored war dead of all eras, the National Memorial Day Parade features thousands of participants, including military and school bands, military units, floats, and youth groups, as well as hun- dreds of veterans from World War II through Iraq and Afghanistan. The 2007 parade drew an estimated crowd of 250,000 spectators, making it the largest Memorial Day event in the nation. • World War II Chronicles and Valor: The Veterans of Vietnam: Published quarterly, World War II Chronicles, which takes its name from the popular radio series, features stories by and about veterans of the Second World War. From overviews of battles to intimate stories from those who were there, World War II Chronicles seeks to keep the legacy of the "Greatest Generation" alive by allowing them to share their experiences with an audience of over 50,000 readers. Chronicles’ companion publication, Valor: The Veterans of Vietnam, provides a forum for this next genera- tion of heroes to share their experiences with the public. Copies of both publications are donated to over 200 VA hospitals around the country. And coming this fall is our newest publication, American Valor Quarterly. This new, full color cover, glossy publica- tion will continue to feature first-hand accounts from the veterans of World War II and Vietnam, but will be expanded to include those from our men and women who have served in Korea, the Gulf War, and - perhaps most importantly - those who are defending us today. • Documentaries: Following in the tradition of World War II Chronicles, the American Veterans Center has produced a number of radio documentary programs on World War II and military history, including D-Day: They Were There, Pearl Harbor: 60 Years of Echoes, and No Greater Love: The Four Chaplains and the Sinking of the Dorchester. • Veterans Chronicles and Proudly We Hail: Working with the Radio America network, the American Veterans Center currently sponsors two weekly radio series, Veterans Chronicles and Proudly We Hail. Hosted by Gene Pell, Veterans Chronicles features interviews with the eyewitnesses to the great and tragic moments in military history. Proudly We Hail is a weekly radio magazine recorded on location at America’s military bases, historical sites, and museums, featuring tales of heroism, bulletins on veterans’ health issues, and news. • Youth Activities: The Center supports an annual essay contest with cash awards, a high school scholarship program, a college scholarship program, and a summer internship program. Additionally, youth groups such as the Young Marines, National Guard Youth ChalleNGe, and Boy and Girl Scouts participate in the annual National Memo- rial Day Parade. • World War II Curriculum: The World War II Veterans Committee is about to unveil a comprehensive curriculum on World War II to be distributed to high school teachers across the country. The curriculum is designed to introduce students to the issues leading to World War II, the great battles of the war, and the civilian and military leaders involved. • Annual Conference: Each year the American Veterans Center’s national conference is held in Washington, DC, featuring some of America’s most distinguished veterans as speakers. Several hundred high school and college students participate in the conference. Additionally, the event includes wreath-laying ceremonies at the national war memorials, veteran-themed events around the city, and an annual awards banquet, honoring the service of the United States military’s greatest heroes. • Library and Archives: Each day, books on American military history are received, cataloged, and added to the Center’s library, which now numbers several hundred volumes. The Center also welcomes memoirs, personal ac- counts, newspaper clippings, and other records pertaining to American military history for inclusion. The American Veterans Center Honoring the legacy of the Greatest Generation to the Latest Generation James C. Roberts Founder and President Michael Paradiso Tim Holbert James Michels Chief Operating Officer Program Director Director of Development Ann Forkin Mary Jane Garner Mackie Christenson Conference Director Student and Military Services Liaison Director - National Memorial Day Parade Nicole McKan Chris Graham Anna Tyler Office Manager Researcher Conference Intern Conference Volunteers Lori Allen David Friel Craig & Lorraine Horn Mary Wilcowski Tenth Annual Conference Presented by the American Veterans Center November 8-10, 2007 Washington, DC Schedule of Events Wednesday November 7 3:00 PM - Registration open Thursday, November 8 8:30 AM - Welcoming remarks James C. Roberts - President - American Veterans Center 8:35 - U.S. Army Pacific Landings: The 96th Infantry Division Featuring Donald Dencker Leonard Lazarick Renwyn Triplett Marvin Margoshes Veterans of the 96th Infantry Division, one of only four divisions in the entire Army to receive the Presidential Unit Citation during World War II for actions on Okinawa 9:25 AM - D-Day: The Invasion of Normandy Featuring Donald Burgett - Veteran of the 101st Airborne in World War II and author of several books including Currahee!, the only book on World War II endorsed by General Dwight E. Eisenhower John Robert Slaughter - 29th Infantry Division and a driving force behind the National D-Day Memorial; author of Omaha Beach and Beyond 10:15 AM - Unparalelled Patriotism: The Japanese American Experience in World War II Featuring Grant Hiribayashi - Veteran of the legendary Merrill’s Marauders, served behind enemy lines in Burma Grant Ichikawa - Member of General McArthur’s