Contact: Mike Ferner 314-940-2316
Iraq/Afghanistan Combat Veterans Respond to Proposed Global War on Terror Memorial
St. Louis, MO, October 18, 2023. Veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan yesterday replied to a call for comments about a proposed memorial on the National Mall for the Global War on Terror.
Comments ranged from: "I'm at a loss for words that there would be a memorial to the Global War Of Terror," to “If the Vietnam War can be memorialized with a deep black gouge in the earth, perhaps the GWOT can be memorialized by a giant pit for passers-by to throw their hopes and dreams – not like a wishing well, but more like a passageway to hell.”
The veterans, all members of Veterans For Peace, plus one civilian Nobel Peace Prize nominee, included:
- Matt Hoh USMC Captain Iraq, Afghanistan, State Dept., Pentagon
- Will Griffin US Army Paratrooper E5 SGT, 2004-2010, Iraq and Afghanistan
- Ben Griffin British Army Special Forces, 1997-2005, Afghanistan and Iraq
- Jenny Pacanowski U.S. Army Combat Medic, 2004, Iraq
- Matt Southworth US Army, E3, 2002-2004, Iraq
- Mike Hanes USMC SSgt, Force Recon, 1994-2004, Iraq
- Jackson Shepherd US Army, E4, Military Police, Afghanistan 2009
- Kathy Kelly Nobel Peace Prize Nominee
Statements, photos and bio at this link.
Veterans For Peace is a national organization of ex-service members and allies with over 100 chapters in the U.S., Ireland and Vietnam
-end-