2015 Military Appreciation Month

May 4, 2015

The American Veterans Center

Announces Schedule for National

Military Appreciation Month (May)

Jim Roberts, President of the American Veterans Center has announced the AVC’s calendar of activities for May, which has been designated as “National MIlitary Appreciation Month.”

  • Friday, May 8 – 70th anniversary of V-E Day. The Washington Times will publish an op-ed by AVC President Jim Roberts titled “A Plea to America’s Colleges: Remember Winston Churchill.” The column discusses the need for Americans to acknowledge and appreciate the debt the nation owes to Winston Churchill for saving the cause of freedom – including academic freedom – in World War II.
  • Monday, May 18 – Premiere showing of “ The Doolitle Raiders: A Final Toast” produced by the AVC in association with Tim Gray Productions. The film will be screened at the GI Film Festival at 7:30 on May 18th in the U.S. Capitol Visitor’s Center and will be introduced by noted actor Gary Sinise.
  • Sunday, May 24th – Patriotic Choral Festival, concert hall of the Kennedy Center. The fesitval, which is open to the public, is co-sponsored by the American Veterans Center and Music Celebrations International. Performing are the US Air Force Orchestra and a massed choir of 300 voices, drawn from choirs all across America. Conductor is Dr. Craig Jessup, former director of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
  • Monday, May 25th, the National Memorial Day Parade, sponsored by the AVC, which steps off at 2 p.m. at 7th and Constitution Ave N.W. in Washington DC. The two-hour parade which is preceded by a one-hour program of music and remarks by parade officials, features appearances by actors Gary Sinise and Joe Mantegna, Miss America, Kira Kazantsev, Smashing Pumpkins, American Idol winner Caleb Johnson and celebrity chef Robert Irvine.

Heroes Profiles – Each weekday through May, a video profile of an American military hero will be posted on the AVC web site (www.americanveteranscenter.org) the names and dates are as follows:Friday 5/1: Major Thomas C. Griffin, Doolittle Raider

Monday 5/4: George “Bud” Day, Vietnam Veteran, POW

Tuesday 5/5: Major Kurt C.E. Lee, Korean War Veteran

Wednesday 5/6: SFC Melvin Morris, Vietnam Veteran & Medal of Honor Recipient

Thursday 5/7: PFC Donald Mates, Iwo Jima Veteran

Friday 5/8: Colonel Ed Shames, Veteran of Easy Company, 101st Airborne Division

Monday 5/11: Chester Nez, Navajo Code Talker

Tuesday 5/12: James “Maggie” Megellas, WWII Battle of the Bulge Veteran

Wednesday 5/13: Elizabeth McIntosh, OSS Veteran

Thursday 5/14: Colonel Glenn Frazier, Survivor of the Bataan Death March

Friday 5/15: Frank Petersen, Jr., First African-American Marine Corps General

Monday 5/18: Colonel Ed Saylor, Doolittle Raider

Tuesday 5/19: Brig. Gen. Steve Ritchie, Only Air Force Ace Pilot of Vietnam War

Wednesday 5/20: Jason Pak, Former Army Captain, Afghanistan Veteran

Thursday 5/21: Buzz Aldrin, Former Astronaut, Second Person to Walk on the Moon

Friday 5/22: Harvey C. “Barney” Barnum, Vietnam Veteran, Medal of Honor recipient

Monday 5/25: Jim “Pee Wee” Martin — (day of parade, honoring WWII vets/grand marshals) World War II Veteran of D-Day

Tuesday 5/26: Staff Sergeant Thomas Stevens, Korean War Veteran

Wednesday 5/27: Elinor Otto, The Last “Rosie the Riveter”

Thursday 5/28: Terry Shima & Mary Murakami, 442nd Regimental Combat Team, Former Japanese American Internee

Friday 5/29: General Ed Rowny, Veteran of WWII, Korea, and Vietnam

Contact Tim Holbert@americanveteranscenter.org (703) 302-1012 x 220