Key player in conflict joins board; site area approved.
With 2016 marking the 25th anniversary of the first Gulf War conflict, the campaign for a national memorial is charging forward.
The board of directors of the National Desert Storm War Memorial (NDSWM) Association has gained an honorary chairman: President George H.W. Bush, commander in chief during Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Association head Scott Stump commented in a press release, “I can think of no more dogged advocate for our Desert Storm veterans than President Bush. His leadership will surely guide us to mission success.”
NDSWM has set a goal of raising $25 million toward construction of the memorial in this 25th anniversary year; the current estimated budget is $40 million, with a planned completion date of 2018.
The next step toward completion was taken Jan. 28, when the National Capital Memorial Advisory Commission - which oversees commemorative works in the District of Columbia and its environs - delivered a recommendation for the Desert Storm memorial to be located in Area I in Washington, D.C., close to existing national war memorials, the Mall and White House, and more. According to the U.S. Code, Area I is only approved if "the subject of the commemorative work is of pre-eminent historical and lasting significance to the United States."
The American Legion passed a resolution supporting the memorial at the 95th National Convention in Houston. Keep up with the latest news at the NDSWM website.
- Honor