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| NORMAN SCHWARZKOPF SUPPORT OF THE AMERICAN DISABLED VETERANS DISABLED FOR LIFE MEMORIAL |
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| Lois Pope & Norman Schwarzkopf |
General H. Norman Schwarzkopf, U.S. army general, b. Trenton, N.J. He graduated from West Point (1956) and served two tours of duty in the Vietnam War, where he was twice wounded and decorated with three Silver Stars, three Bronze Stars, and the Distinguished Service Medal. In 1983, he was deputy commander of the U.S. invasion of Grenada. In 1991, Schwarzkopf commanded the successful allied invasion of Iraq in the Persian Gulf War. He retired from the U.S. Army in 1992 as a four-star general.
When people talk about the Persian Gulf War, my name is likely to come up. But, as I look back over 36 years of military service and several armed conflicts, the names and faces of others haunt my thoughts.
During two tours in Vietnam and in other military encounters, 1 saw my fill of blood and sickness. I saw war tear human bodies apart. I saw it destroy the minds and waste the health of our best young men and women.
Why were these young Americans willing to give up so much? The answer is a simple one. In service to country, as in life, honor matters. These brave men and women served us well - and with honor - in the armed forces of the United States.
And they were selfless in their sacrifice. For the collective good of the American people, they were willing to give up everything they had...and everything they were.
Yes, I will always remember our citizen soldiers. I will remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice...and those who returned from the fields of battle sick and wounded, who came home to lives forever changed.
During the span of our nation's history, more than a million Americans died in service. Another million and a half of America's finest came home wounded.
In World War II:
- More than 400,000 Americans died.
- 670,000 were wounded.
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In Korea:
- 50,000 died.
- 100,000 were wounded.
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In Vietnam:
- 58,000 died.
- 300,000 were wounded.
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These wars ended years ago. But, for those who lived to come home bearing the scars of our nation's defense, the cost of war continues even today. It will never end.
To ensure that our nation never forgets these men and women, the Disabled Veterans' LIFE Memorial Foundation has been hard at work.
The foundation's goal is construction of a new monument in Washington, D.C. - the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial. This will be the first monument in our nation's history dedicated to disabled veterans. This will be a special place of special distinction, where Americans can go to simply say "thank you" to:
- the 500 veterans who lost both arms while serving in the military;
- the 17,000 paralyzed veterans whose sense of activity is forever changed;
- the 12,000 veterans who are totally blind, able to see colors and beauty only in their minds;
- and those who suffer from Post Traumatic Stress or Combat Fatigue...who never made the transition from the battlefields of the world back to Main Street America.
In its own unique way, this memorial will allow the American people to show their respect to those who died defending freedom...by honoring the 2.3 million disabled veterans who still live among us today.
Congress approved this project with passage of Public Law 106-348, and the Lois Pope LIFE Foundation stepped forward as the lead supporter.
Funding from this foundation has been matched by the Disabled American Veterans, which is actively seeking the partnership of other major veterans' service organizations.
A large site has been selected, just a few blocks from and in full view of the U.S. Capitol Building. The American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial will stand in the pathway of so many who live and work in our nation's capital.
This new monument will keep the flame of memory burning, as hundreds of thousands see it every year.
- Each time an American views our memorial, he or she will walk away with a powerful reminder that freedom is not free.
- Each time, someone will remember that disabled veterans paid the price of freedom with pain and hardship - with suffering that never ends.
As our nation's leaders drive through Washington, D.C., this memorial will give them a frequent - and necessary - reminder of the price of freedom.
But to make this memorial happen, we need your help.
- We need your support to make sure the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial will stand as an eternal reminder of honor, service, and sacrifice.
- We need your support to make sure the memorial is there to represent the unsung heroes who protected freedom in America and ensured democracy for our great nation.
Without your support, the memory of millions of disabled veterans will lapse into oblivion. That will be tragic, because forgetting fosters neglect of our disabled heroes, bringing havoc into their lives.
We must never allow that to happen because these veterans are:
- our brothers and our sisters,
- our mothers, fathers, aunts and uncles,
- our sons and our daughters,
- the young men and women who are fighting for freedom today in Central Asia,
- our friends and our neighbors.
If we fail in our duty to remember those who defend our freedom, what message will we send to future generations? Will they be ready to stand up for America in some far off day when our country again calls its young men and women to arms?
To make sure these veterans are always remembered...it's essential to erect the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial.
With your help and support, thousands upon thousands of visitors will see it each year, and each will remember the sacrifices of disabled veterans.
Thank you.
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