How can we save our military historical museums?

PFC James (LURCH) Janota — Thu, 21 Feb 2019 10:54:25 -0500

Here in Florida, we have had 5 military themed museums close in the state of Florida. They have closed due to financial constraints. If we loose that valuable resource, history may be gone forever. We are always one generation from losing all knowledge of the past. Is there a way to get a museum or a historical preservation association nation wide so that we can preserve our heritage? I've seen too many individuals not grasping and appreciating what our elders had sacrificed. I was even thinking about having a FTX experience for people who would like to see what military life was like.

Response by LTC Eugene Chu made Feb 21 at 2019 12:14 PM

LTC Eugene Chu — Thu, 21 Feb 2019 12:14:52 -0500

Issue is that there are multiple military associations and museums. Consolidation or merger might be more useful for preservation.

As for FTX experiences, they still cost time and money along with requiring space and trained personnel. One example is a for-profit CQB experience in Las Vegas called Adventure Combat OPS. The owner, a former SF NCO, mentioned about difficult times getting customers when initially opening. When I occasionally look at their website, their Special OPS cadre regularly changes.

Response by LTC Jason Mackay made Feb 21 at 2019 1:04 PM

LTC Jason Mackay — Thu, 21 Feb 2019 13:04:18 -0500

PFC James (LURCH) Janota one of the best programs costs nothing. While serving in Northern NJ, schools there were in session on Veterans Day. They hosted a Veterans Day program that put three veterans (WWII/Korea era, Vietnam, Current Wars) in each classroom and fielded some well thought through questions from students for three sessions of 30-45 minutes. Faculty actually helped them Think through these questions. I brought some items like my body armor and other things they could pick up and touch. They ended with an assembly.

Response by LCDR Joshua Gillespie made Feb 21 at 2019 1:27 PM

LCDR Joshua Gillespie — Thu, 21 Feb 2019 13:27:59 -0500

I concur with the good Major... teamwork's the answer. The "big picture" here is the loss of perspective resultant from what's arguably been fifty years of "introspection". No American war experience since WWII has emerged "unscathed"-and that's largely changing as well. There's no impetus to save this history, because everyone's too busy trying to figure out if they should or not. Still, if the varied and assorted groups attempting to do so would join forces, the task might be more manageable. My opinion is that we need to stop trying to segregate the experience of American veterans... I'm personally tired to the hilt of the way we are often our own worst enemies, trying to isolate ourselves by "our war", "our generation", "our experience". The only difference that should exist between a forty year old veteran who was sent to Afghanistan, a seventy-one year old veteran who was sent to Vietnam, and a ninety-six year old veteran who went to Germany is their age and life experience since. Instead, we have many OEF/OIF vets rejecting the "traditional" organizations (i.e. Legion, VFW, etc.) because they, "don't have the same culture", a few older veterans who ARE in those organizations treating the few newcomers like visitors from Planet X, and an increasingly larger group of current service members who see the whole mess as a waste of time unless it can help them with the VA. Until we re-forge some sense of pride in what we did for our country (more than seeking venues for expressing what we may have experienced ourselves)... I think it will be hard to find advocates willing to put in the hours and effort to "save" history.

Response by LTC Jason Mackay made Feb 21 at 2019 4:56 PM

LTC Jason Mackay — Thu, 21 Feb 2019 16:56:49 -0500

PFC James (LURCH) Janota Your FTX like experience is tough to do without a significant military presence in the area. If you do have a major installation, then you don't have the problem, as people are exposed to it. An anomaly I found was the region of North Jersey from PA to NYC was extremely supportive of service members despite the absence of a Major installation or troop presence. Good old fashioned Patriots that understand Freedom isn't free and appreciate what is being done on their behalf. Perhaps it's the proximity and impact of 9/11. They certainly made the few Active Duty and Reserve Component service members feel welcome and supported.

I don't know how the Navy allows and funds Fleet Week and similar port calls in Major American Cities. I'd love to see Legion Week, where an Active Duty Army BCT+enablers goes to a place where the Army doesn't usually live like Metro Boston and do similar public engagements with the city over the course of a week. I chuckle thinking of establishing a show and tell FOB on Boston Common, but how else do people connect to our Army? Soldiers wandering the city in class Bs. Everyone asking what service they are in because they don't recognize ASUs. Maybe some Army watercraft in support. An Air Assault into Fenway. M88s on Storrow Drive. PT Formations running in Southie. It would be glorious....but unlikely.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 21 at 2019 7:32 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 21 Feb 2019 19:32:09 -0500

I suggest looking at the really high-quality museums as models or inspiration (which fits in with the consolidation/merger idea). For example, the Infantry museum at Fort Benning is really top-notch. One thing that I speculate might enhance the experience at a museum would be having knowledgeable veterans on hand to explain the artifacts and exhibits and do Q&A with visitors.