National Veterans Memorial and Museum

We are connecting and supporting Veterans and non-Veterans alike through our recorded virtual programming. Explore our past events below.

May 2021

This month’s Rally Point features discussions with U.S. Air Force Veteran Richard Murphy, Director of Veterans to Farmers, and U.S. Army Veteran Jon Jackson, Executive Director of STAG VETS and Founder of Comfort Farms. Both organizations share similar goals — to aid Veterans in their transition from their military service to civilian life with agriculture.

April 2021

63 people held hostage at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, Iran, an unprecedented joint operation and a series of unfortunate events. These are only some of the attributes surrounding Operation Eagle Claw, one of the most influential missions that shaped how the military conducts operations even to this day. Learn more from our expert panel about this historic rescue mission; all that went right and all that went wrong. Joining us is Major General David L. Grange, U.S. Army (Retired), Lieutenant Colonel Lewis H. Burruss, Jr., U.S. Army (Retired), and the Godfather of Special Operations Communications, Chief Warrant Officer Four Paul Zeisman, U.S. Army (Retired).

For our April Virtual Rally Point, we explore the role of the noncommissioned officers (NCOs), also known as “The Backbone of the Army” with Command Sgt. Maj. Mike Hall, U.S. Army (Retired). The core responsibilities NCOs in the U.S. military are to successfully accomplish the mission and maintain the welfare of their soldiers. They strive to remain technically and tactically proficient as well as provide outstanding leadership. The U.S. has the most highly educated and competent NCOs in the world, and they are the envy of other militaries.

March 2021

We commemorate National Vietnam War Veterans Day with our special guest speaker, Col. Thomas Moe, U.S. Air Force (Retired), Vietnam Veteran and prisoner of war. Our president and CEO, Lt. General Michael Ferriter, U.S. Army (Retired,) will kick off the event and set the stage for Col. Moe to share his amazing story of service, honor and bravery.

For our March Rally Point, we partnered with Tony Mayne, director of GallantFew, Inc., whose mission is to facilitate the transition of our service members back to civilian lives with purpose. This program features VetXpo, a two-hour virtual event from GallantFew, designed to enhance Veteran’s functional fitness in five domains – professional, social, physical, emotional and spiritual. National Veterans Memorial and Museum chief of staff, Col. Bill Butler, U.S. Army (Retired), will kick off this amazing event and our president and CEO, Lt. General Mike Ferriter, U.S. Army (Retired) will talk with Tony during the program to provide a quick look into the museum and share his thoughts on our mission.

In honor of Women’s History Month, we welcome an inspiring person and U.S. Marine Corps Veteran, Kirstie Ennis. She is the daughter of two Marines whose example inspired her to join the Marine Corps at the age of 17. Deployed to Afghanistan in 2012, Sgt. Ennis was in a traumatic helicopter accident. After more than 40 surgeries and the amputation of her left leg, she has become a role model and inspiration for others around the world. To achieve her goal of continued service to her community, Kirstie founded a non-profit, became an avid and accomplished mountain climber and snowboarder, a stuntwoman in the movie Patriots Day, walked 1,000 miles across the UK, was featured in ESPN The Magazine and People Magazine, is a motivational speaker, Vetrepreneur and businesswoman. In all her spare time, she completed three different master’s degrees, and she is working on her doctorate in education.

February 2021

For our next installment of Veterans Voices, we welcome Gen. Colin L. Powell, U.S. Army (Retired) to share his insights on the 30th anniversary of the U.S. and Coalition victory in Operation Desert Storm. The “Powell Doctrine,” formed during the Vietnam War, guided U.S. military intervention through Operation Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom in Afghanistan and Iraq respectively. Powell served 35 years in the Army, rising to the rank of four-star general. During his last assignment, from October 1989 to September 1993, as the 12th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the highest military position in the Department of Defense, Gen. Powell oversaw the invasion of Panama in 1989 and Operation Desert Storm in the Persian Gulf War against Iraq in 1990–1991.

We welcomed Col. Harold Brown (Retired), one of the famed Tuskegee Airmen, for our February Virtual Rally Point. Now in his 90s, Brown told his mother when he was in the sixth grade during segregation that he would become a military fighter pilot. In 1944 at age 19 he completed flight training at the Tuskegee Institute and graduated with his wings and a commission as a 2nd Lieutenant. Col. Brown will share his experience as a member of the Red Tailed Angels escorting bombers over Europe as well as being shot down and held as a POW in Germany.

December 2020

For our December Rally Point, we explore how art programs facilitate mental wellness, increase social connectedness, and become an outlet for creative expression. Our guests include Mary Whyte, world renowned watercolor artist and founder of the Patriot Art Foundation, and Heather Seymour, MSW, LISW, Veterans Arts Initiative founder at the Columbus VA.

November 2020

Col. Donna Whittaker, U.S. Army (Ret) joined our President and CEO, Lt. General Michael Ferriter, U.S. Army (Ret) for a conversation about the legacies of service they celebrate in their own families as well as part of the communities in Columbus, Ohio and The Villages, Florida. Understand more about what selfless service means to multi-generational military families on Veterans Day and beyond, and how the National Veterans Memorial and Museum is a leader in honoring and amplifying those voices and stories year-round.

On Veterans Day, we honor the nearly 40 million Americans we have served our nation bravely. Hear special messages and remarks from Montel Williams, television host and U.S. Marine and Navy Veteran; Bruce Thorn, U.S. Army Veteran and President and CEO of Big Lots, Inc.; and our President and CEO, Lt. General Michael Ferriter, U.S. Army (Retired). A special thanks to our proud Veterans Day Sponsors, Nationwide, CAS and USAA who are helping us share and celebrate the stories of our nation’s Veterans!

October 2020

On October 23, 1983, two truck bombs struck buildings in Beirut, Lebanon, housing American service members. The attack killed 220 Marines, 18 sailors and 3 soldiers, making this incident the deadliest single-day death toll for the U.S. Marine Corps since the Battle of Iwo Jima in World War II and the deadliest single-day death toll for the United States Armed Forces since the first day of the Tet Offensive in the Vietnam War. We explore the U.S. Beirut Intervention and its impact with Major General James Lariviere, U.S. Marine Corps (Retired).

Ciare James, Vice President of Marketing, Bob Evans Foods and Nancy Preston, the most recent winner of Bob Evans’ Heroes to CEOs contest, joined us for October Virtual Rally Point, Our Farm Salutes: How Bob Evans Supports Veterans.

September 2020

Veterans Voices with Medal of Honor recipient Sergeant Major Thomas P. Payne, U.S. Army Ranger. In the almost 19 years of combat since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 only 25 Medals of Honor have been awarded. SGM Payne is the first service member awarded the Medal of Honor for actions during Operation INHERENT RESOLVE.

September Virtual Rally Point: Trailblazers in Leadership features Lt. Gen. (Retired) Nadja West, the 44th Surgeon General of the U.S. Army. Not only is West a physician, but she was the first black female active-duty major general, the first black female major general in Army Medicine and the first Army black female lieutenant general. Learn more about navigating COVID-19, and inspirational leadership.

We commemorate the 75th Anniversary of Victory over Japan Day and pay tribute to the 16 million Americans who served during World War II. Our special guests include World War II Veterans Dan McBride, 101st Airborne Division, U.S. Army; David Greene, 5th Marine Division, U.S. Marine Corps; and Emmy Award Winning World War II Documentary filmmaker and Founder and President of Beyond The Call, Tracie Hunter.

August 2020

August Virtual Rally Point: Lessons for Aspiring Vetrepreneurs features Capt. Joshua Peyton, U.S. Army (Retired) and President and CEO of the Veteran Golfers Association (VGA). Learn more about how he started his business and lessons learned along the way.

June 2020

Korea: 70 Years Later shares the legacy of the conflict featuring General Vincent K. Brooks, U.S. Army (Retired) and former commander of United States Forces Korea, United Nations Command, and ROK-U.S. Combined Forces Command.

June Virtual Rally Point: Navigating the Current Job Market shares job seeking and professional development tips from experts Senior Director of Events and Programs for the US Chamber of Commerce Hiring Our Heroes Foundation, Colonel Adam Rocke, US Army, (Ret.) and Major General Paulette Risher, US Army Reserves, (Ret.), CEO of Still Serving Veterans.

May 2020

May Virtual Rally Point: Maintaining Health in Difficult Circumstances shares ways to keep mind and body strong featuring experts Matthew “Doc” Campbell, a Whole Health Field Implementation Team Consultant for VA Region 4 and Navy Corpsman Veteran, and Dr. Theresa Larson, DPT, CSCS, SFMA, and US Marine Corps Veteran who is one of the fitness world’s most sought after experts on movement health.

April 2020

“Navigating Life’s Battlefields” features Purple Heart and Bronze Star for Valor recipient Maj. Joshua Mantz, U.S. Army (Retired).

“Resilience in Times of Stress” features Gold Star spouse and life coach, Master Sgt. Jennifer R. (Loredo) Ballou, U.S. Army (Retired).