Mid West WWI Centennial Regional Meeting, Pritzker Military Museum & Library
Mid-West WWI Centennial Regional Meeting, Pritzker Military Museum & Library
Michigan's WW1 Centennial Video
History of the Illinois National Guard
Created in collaboration with the National Guard Association of Illinois and the Illinois State Military Museum
237th ARMY Birthday Ceremony: Sgt. Maj. of the ARMY Chandler III - June 14, 2012
Formal ARMY Birthday Ceremony
Pritzker Military Library, Chicago, IL - June 14, 2012
National Anthem - Joe Cantafio
Pledge of Allegiance - Brigadier General (USAR) Gracus Dunn
Announcement of Chicago Mayoral Proclamation - Director William Schmutz
Announcement of Illinois Gubernatorial Proclaimation - Brigadier General (ARNG) Steven Huber
Birthday Cake Cutting Remarks: Sgt. Maj. of the Army - Raymond F. Chandler III
May 30, 2013 Veteran of the Month Gen Mukoyama
The Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs recognized Maj. Gen. James H. Mukoyama, Jr., a prominent veteran leader with over 30 years of service to his community, county and to his fellow veterans, as the Illinois Veteran of the Month for May 2013. Mukoyama, a U.S. Army veteran, was honored at a ceremony scheduled for Thursday, May 30, 2013 at 2:00 p.m. at the Pritzker Military Library, 104 South Michigan Ave, Chicago IL.
Maj. Gen. Mukoyama epitomizes the great service connection and community involvement of our veterans in Illinois, said IDVA Assistant Director Rodrigo Garcia. For over 30 years, he made a difference in the Army, commanding from the platoon to the division level in peacetime and combat. Since retiring he continues to make a difference -- from founding the Military Outreach Greater Chicago, to serving as the Chair of the VA's Advisory Committee on Minority Veterans, to serving as a patient volunteer for Rainbow Hospice in Park Ridge.
Mukoyama's service began in the Army in 1965 upon graduation from the University of Illinois with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English Literature, followed by a Master's degree in the Teaching of Social Studies in 1966. During his 5 years on active duty, Mukoyama served in the demilitarized zone in South Korea and as an infantry company commander in Vietnam where he was wounded and received the Silver Star for gallantry. Leaving active duty, he served nearly 25 years commanding at the company, battalion, brigade, and division levels in the Army Reserves. He was the youngest General Officer in the entire U.S. Army in 1987, and subsequently the youngest Major General when promoted 3 years later. In 1989, he became the first Asian-American to command an Army division and led the 70th Training Division to participate in Operation Desert Storm in January 1991.
Following his 38-year career in the financial services industry, including membership on the New York Stock Exchange and the Chicago Board Options Exchange, Mukoyama established Military Outreach Greater Chicago (MOGC), a faith-based 501(c)(3) serving active military, veterans and their families, to help them cope with the visible and invisible wounds associated with military service.
His decorations and badges include the Distinguished Service Medal, Silver Star, Legion of Merit, 3 Bronze Stars, Purple Heart, Parachutist Badge, Expert Infantryman's Badge, and Combat Infantryman's Badge. He was nominated by Kenneth Clark, President, Pritzker Military Library.
Pritzker Military Museum honors the 100-year anniversary of America's' entry into World War I
Published on Apr 8, 2017
April 6, 2017 marks the Centennial of the United State's entry into World War I. This video features an interview with Kenneth Clark, the CEO & President of the Pritzker Military Museum & Library in Chicago, along with vintage footage. Baltimore Post-Examiner reporter Anthony C. Hayes did the interview.
Century of Service: 85th Infantry Division
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A discussion about the history of the U.S. Army's 85th Infantry Division with the Division's Chief of Staff LTC Daniel Jaquint and Command Public Affairs Specialist MSG Anthony Taylor. Presented in partnership with U.S. Army Office of Public Affairs Midwest.
The 85th Infantry Division was first activated on August 25, 1917, at Camp Custer, Michigan. Nicknamed the Custer Division after the cavalry commander George Armstrong Custer, the division was comprised of the 169th and 170th Infantry Brigades and the 160th Field Artillery Brigade. The division trained for a year before deployment in England in WWI, where the division was broken up to support other units as part of the American Expeditionary Forces.
The 85th was reactivated in 1942 during WWII and again in 1947 in Chicago, Illinois in the U.S. Army Reserve. Today, the 85th USAR Support Command can trace its lineage to the original 85th Infantry Division.
LIEUTENANT COLONEL (P) DANIEL J. JAQUINT is a native of Syracuse, New York; he graduated from the University of Iowa in 1990 and received his commission as a Second Lieutenant in the Field Artillery. His first assignment was as Company Fire Support Officer with B-Co, Task Force 3/77 AR where he deployed to Saudi Arabia and Kuwait in support of Operation Desert Storm. He then served as a Battery Fire Direction Officer, Firing Battery Platoon Leader and Battery Executive Officer with 2/29 FA in Baumholder, Germany. After completing the Advanced Course, as an Honor Graduate, he served as the Assistant S-3 for the 212th FA BDE at Ft. Sill, OK. Upon transition the Reserve component he was assigned as the S-3 Air for the 1/131 IN (Illinois Army National Guard). In the Reserve Component, he served in a number of wide-ranging assignments to include: Operations Officer, Far East District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Seoul, Korea; and Observer Controller/Trainer with the 75th Great Lakes Division-Mission Command. In 2012 he deployed to Kabul, Afghanistan and served as the Officer in Change, Counter-IED and Senior Military Advisor to the Afghan National Police Counter-IED Directorate in support of the NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan. Upon returning from Operation Enduring Freedom he served as G-3 Plans Officer for the 85th Support Command in Arlington Heights, IL. From 2014 – 2016 LTC Jaquint commanded the 1-383rd CS/CSS (Training Support) in Des Moines, IA under the operational control of the 181st IN BDE, 1st Army, Division. His current assignment is Chief of Staff, 85th Army Reserve Support Command, Arlington Heights, IL
MASTER SERGEANT ANTHONY TAYLOR serves as the Command Public Affairs Specialist for the U.S. Army Reserve’s 85th Support Command, headquartered in Arlington Heights, Illinois. He oversees the command’s Community Relations program, Command Internal information and News Media Relations. He is the (public affairs) principal staff assistant and advisor to the commanding general of the 85th Support Command, an organization of approximately 3,500 personnel that provides mission ready Soldiers ahead of pre and post deployment preparation.
He additionally serves as a U.S. Army public affairs Master Sergeant, with more than 20 years of service, in the U.S. Army Reserve, and is currently assigned to First Army headquarters at Rock Island Arsenal. He served on a deployment, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, in 2009 assigned to U.S. Army Central Command as a public affairs operations sergeant and has worked in support of various overseas missions throughout South Korea, Kuwait, Iraq, Tajikistan, Qatar, Bahrain, and Germany.
Citizen Soldier: Change and Challenges - Women in Today's Military
Sponsored by Easter Seals, Inc with additional support from Chicago Foundation for Women.
Moderated by Stacey Baca of ABC 7 News, this distinguished panel discusses the important issues facing female veterans in today's military. As the number of women serving in the military continues to grow, their roles are also evolving, as is the way that the military and Veterans Administration address their service. The panel discusses some of the issues facing female veterans, including their roles in today's combat operations, military sexual trauma, and the transition into civilian society.
Erica Borggren was appointed Director of the Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs by Governor Pat Quinn on August 5, 2011. As the Director of the Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs (IDVA), she is creating a new Women Veterans Program to help address the issue that women veterans often do not self-identify as veterans and do not take advantage of veterans' benefits to the same extent as their male peers.
An Illinois native and Army Veteran, Borggren previously served as a senior staff member for Army Gen. David H. Petraeus. Borggren was awarded the Defense Meritorious Service Medal and the Bronze Star as well as the Joint Service Achievement and Iraq Campaign Medals. Following her graduation as valedictorian from the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York, she was designated as a Rhodes Scholar and the recipient of a Truman Scholarship. She later earned a master's degree in comparative social policy from Oxford University.
Dr. Rebecca J. Hannagan joined the faculty of Political Science at Northern Illinois University in 2006 and became an Associate of Women's Studies and an Associate of the Center for the Study of Family Violence and Sexual Assault in 2010. She specializes in the biological underpinnings of political attitudes and behavior with particular focus on gender differences.
Dr. Hannagan's research includes a 2011 study with Holly Arrow, Ph.D: Reengineering Gender Relations in Modern Militaries: An Evolutionary Perspective. She is currently a Visiting Associate Professor at Portland (OR) State University where she is gathering data from service women regarding their experiences, as well as organizing campus events around the issue of Military Sexual Assault. Her research has been published in Political Behavior, Perspectives on Politics, PS: Political Science and Politics, and other journals and edited volumes. At NIU she teaches courses in Political Psychology, Biopolitics, and American Government.
Kimberly Mitchell serves as the Deputy Director of the Dixon Center. Her 17 years of service in the U.S. Navy included a commission as a Surface Warfare Officer, service aboard several surface Navy combatant warships, and multiple shore tours in Washington, D.C. Her last active duty assignment, which began in 2010, was Deputy Director for the Office of Warrior and Family Support in the Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Dixon Center is a clearinghouse for collaboration, communication, sharing lessons learned, and innovative solutions delivered locally for all who serve and have served in our military. It serves as coordinating agent for the myriad of entities and individuals supporting active military and veterans, and their families, and families of our fallen during transition and reintegration.
Veterans Giving Back with Allen Lynch, Jim Frazier and John Schwan
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Emphasizing the importance of service beyond the field of combat, veterans and Chicago natives Allen Lynch, Jim Frazier, and John Schwan share a hard-hitting discussion of the challenges and rewards associated with their experiences as volunteers, advocates, and contributors to veterans service organizations and the community at large. Presented in partnership with the Chicago Public Library.
ALLEN J. LYNCH is a Chicago native, a veteran of the United States Army, and a recipient of the Medal of Honor for combat actions in the Vietnam War. On December 15, 1967, Lynch and the rest of his platoon were on their way back for a well-deserved rest when they were called in to support another company that had been outnumbered by an enemy force. Under intense fire, Lynch carried three wounded soldiers to safety, and single-handedly defended them against the advancing enemy force for several hours. His quick-thinking and disregard for his own safety were vital in saving those lives, but his fight on behalf of his fellow soldiers did not end on the battlefield. After leaving active duty, Lynch worked for several years in the Veterans Administration, advocating for increased benefits for disabled veterans, and served most recently as chief of the Veterans Rights Bureau for the Illinois Attorney General's Office. Now retired, he continues that commitment as president and founder of the Allen J. Lynch Medal of Honor Veterans Foundation.
JAMES L. FRAZIER is a former U.S. Marine and Gold Star father who has served for more than a decade as a volunteer and representative for the Illinois Gold Star Families. He is the recipient of the City of Chicago's 2014 Major General John A. Logan Patriot Award for his leadership, patriotism and selfless devotion to the Illinois Gold Star Families and to the men and women of America’s Armed Forces. Frazier’s son, Staff Sgt. Jacob Frazier, USAF Special Operations, was killed in action in Afghanistan in 2003. In the years since, Frazier has fully committed his time and efforts to supporting Illinois Gold Star Families as the Survivor Outreach Services Coordinator for the U.S. Army, Northern Illinois.
JOHN SCHWAN is an investor and executive involved in a variety of businesses and veteran related organizations in the Midwest, currently serving as Chairman of CTI Industries and as a member of the Pritzker Military Museum & Library's Board of Directors. A service-related disabled veteran of the Vietnam War, he served with the U.S. Army's 1st Air Cavalry and was awarded the Combat Infantry Badge, Air Medal, two Bronze Stars with V for Valor device, and a Purple Heart for his service. He is a principal benefactor of Operation Support our Troops USA, a founding member of the nonprofit Chicagoland Veteran’s Exchange, and an active sponsor of Chicagoland ROTC programs and the Chicago 502 (through the Union League Club of Chicago). A graduate of Lane Tech High School and North Park University in Chicago, he also serves as the Chairman of the Lane Tech Century Foundation.
Moral Injury
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Sponsored by Military Outreach USA
Moral Injury stems from the participation in acts of combat that conflict with a soldier's deeply held principles. This unseen impairment leads to a sense of guilt, shame, and grief which can manifest itself as self-harm or suicide if not addressed. The discussion will center around identifying Moral Injury, methods for recovery and resources for those seeking help. The discussion is led by Major General James H. Mukoyama Jr.
Military Outreach USA is a not for profit faith-based organization with a mission of empowering a Military Caring Network dedicated to serving those who have served in our nation's military.
MAJOR GENERAL JAMES H. MUKOYAMA JR retired from the Army in May 1995, after more than thirty years of total active and reserve component service, including two combat tours. During his five years on active duty, General Mukoyama served as a platoon leader in the demilitarized zone in the Republic of Korea and as an infantry company commander in the 9th Division in Vietnam. He was the youngest General Officer in the entire United States Army in 1987, and subsequently the youngest Major General three years later. In 1989, he became the first Asian-American in the history of the United States to command an Army division. Among General Mukoyama’s decorations and badges are the Distinguished Service Medal, 3 Bronze Stars, and the Purple Heart. Since his retirement from active federal service in 1995, General Mukoyama has volunteered and participated in numerous organizations, both governmental and non-profit charitable, benefiting our military, veterans, and the community.
FR. MATT FOLEY is the pastor of St. James Parish in Arlington Heights, Illinois. He has previously served as associate pastor of St. Agatha in Chicago's North Lawndale Community and as pastor of Santiago Apostol Mission in Quechultenango, Guerrero Mexico and St. Agnes of Bohemia in Chicago's Little Village Community. He was commissioned as a Captain in the U.S. Army in June 2008, serving as a Chaplain with the 82nd Airborne. In 2009, Foley was deployed for 14 months to Afghanistan for short deployments with USOSOC and JSOC to support Operation Enduring Freedom. His final deployment was in 2012-13 with the 101st Airborne (Air Assault) Division.
DR. JOHN BAIR is a Clinical Psychologist with the James A. Lovell Federal health care Center. He is also Associate Professor at Rosalind Franklin University, and Primary Investigator with a number of research studies addressing PTSD and traumatic brain injury. Dr. Bair's research interests include empirical measurement of post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury with eye tracking technology; anxiety disorders, PTSD and addictions.
JOSEPH PALMER is the Executive Director for Military Outreach USA, a not for profit with the mission to build a national, community-based outreach programs that celebrates, supports and networks with the Military Community. He has developed national partnership programs with the Department of Veterans Affairs, the National Association of Catholic Family Life Ministers and other organizations to serve those in the Military Community. He graduated from Southern Connecticut State University in 1974 with a degree in Political Science. He served in the United States Air Force from 1966 to 1972 as a Security Police K-9 handler with service in Okinawa, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Francis E. Warren Missile Base, Cheyenne, WY. He is active in developing programs for veterans and is an All-American VFW Post Commander as well as having attained the prestigious honor being an All-American VFW District Commander He is a member of the VA Voluntary Services Committee at Jesse Brown VA Medical Center as well as a member of the Illinois Treasurers’ Veterans Council. He has conducted numerous national webinars and presentations centering on issues affecting the veteran and military community. His papers include: Moral Injury: A Guide for Clergy and Lay Ministers as well as the working guide, Community Covenant with Veterans and Military Families and They Don’t Receive Purple Hearts: A Guide to an Understanding and Resolution of the Invisible Wound of War Known as Moral Injury.
Russell Military Museum - Zion, Illinois - Slideshow
Spotted North of Chicago en-route to Milwuakee.
Amazing collection of Tanks, Trucks and Aircraft !!
Located conveniently between Chicago and Milwuakee in Lake County, Illinois, the Russell Military Museum is easily accessible from I-94 / Hwy 41. The Russell Military Museum comprises a collection over 40 years in the making. Situated on 10 acres, there are over 300 vehicles on display including tanks, jeeps, cannons, rifles, helicopters, jets and many unique vehicles you won't see anywhere else.
Citizen Soldier: The War in the Atlantic and the U-505
Sponsored by the Museum of Science and Industry.
Moderated by John Allen Williams, this distinguished panel discussed the Battle of the Atlantic from a global perspective. The U-Boat threat was greatest from mid-1940 through 1943 as Allied merchant ships traveled between North America and the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union. The long and deadly Battle of the Atlantic, a term coined by Winston Churchill, was an essential element in the Allied victory in World War II. German U-Boats, warships, and aircraft, along with submarines from the Italian Royal Navy, attacked the merchant vessels which were in turn protected by the navies and air forces of Great Britain, Canada, and the United States. Historian Marc Milner is the author of Battle of the Atlantic and will discuss the impact the U-Boat threat posed to the entire war effort.
Technology developed quickly on both sides, with the Germans finding ways to avoid the Allied codebreakers and the Allies continually searching for new ways to combat the subs. Stephen Budiansky's new book Blackett's War explores the efforts of Patrick Blackett and a group of scientists used science and mathematics to aid the fight against the U-Boats. Eventually, the Allies' convergence of technology bested the U-Boat threat, though 3500 merchant ships, 175 warships, and 783 U-Boats were lost in the process.
The U-505 Submarine was captured off the coast of West Africa in June 1944 and is the only German submarine in the United States, on display at the Museum of Science and Industry. Kurt Haunfelner, Vice President of Exhibitions at Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry discussed the fascinating history of the U-505.
Citizen Soldier: The Prisoner of War Experience
Sponsored by Hillshire Brands.
Moderated by John Barr, president of the Poetry Foundation, this distinguished panel featured three American veterans who were prisoners of war in different conflicts. They discussed their experiences as POWs and how they endured their time in captivity.
John Borling is a highly decorated, retired Air Force Major General. He served worldwide in high level command and staff positions. A fighter pilot, he graduated from the Air Force Academy, National War College, and was a White House Fellow. During the Vietnam War, he was shot down by ground fire. Seriously injured, he was captured while trying to evade and spent over 6 ½ years as a POW in Hanoi. Currently, he occupies leadership positions in multiple civic and business organizations.
Donald E. Casey volunteered for the Aviation Cadet program of the U.S. Army Air Corps in December, 1942 at age 18 and was called for active duty in February 1943. On completing aerial navigation school on October 23, 1943 he was commissioned a 2d Lieutenant and was awarded his silver navigator's wings, still age 18 by two weeks. He flew as a navigator in B-17 Flying Fortress bombers on 28 combat missions out of England with the 379th Bomb Group of the 8th Air Force until June 18, 1944 when his aircraft was shot down by anti-aircraft fire and he was captured by German soldiers and spent six months in Stalag Luft III the Great Escape prison camp in Zagan, Poland with 10,000 captured Allied flying officers. On returning to the United States in June of 1945, he was mustered out of the Army in time to enroll in Dartmouth College in New Hampshire in the Fall where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics in June 1948. In 1952 he returned to his home city in Chicago, Illinois where he worked for a large life and health insurance company for three years while attending law school at the University of Loyola graduating in 1957.
Rhonda Cornum, Ph.D., M.D., recently retired from the US Army, and runs a large cattle and thoroughbred horse farm in Kentucky, as well as serving as a consultant for health strategy and wellness initiatives in both governmental and private organizations. Trained as a biochemist, and later as a Urologist, she served in numerous positions over a 30 year career. Most notably as the commander of the Landstuhl Medical Center from 2003-2005, at the height of the War in Iraq. And from 2008 to 2012, as the founder and director of Comprehensive Soldier Fitness in the Army Staff G-3/5/7 division. During Operation Desert Storm, then Major Cornum served as a flight surgeon with an Apache unit, the 229th Attack Helicopter Regiment. Sent on a search and rescue mission for a downed F-16 pilot, her helicopter was shot down on February 27, 1991. Five of the eight man crew died in the crash; Major Cornum was taken prisoner, with both arms broken, a serious knee injury, a gunshot wound, and other injuries. She recounted her experiences in the Gulf War in her 1993 book She Went to War.
Douglas Macgregor: Margin of Victory
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Decorated combat veteran and author Douglas Macgregor, PhD visits the Museum & Library to discuss his newest book, detailing five military battles in the 20th century. Sponsored by U.S. Naval Institute.
In Margin of Victory, Douglas Macgregor tells the riveting stories of five military battles of the twentieth century, each one a turning point in history. Beginning with the British Expeditionary force holding the line at the Battle of Mons in 1914 and concluding with the Battle of 73 Easting in 1991 during Desert Storm, Margin of Victory teases out a connection between these battles and teaches its readers an important lesson about how future battles can be won.
Emphasizing military strategy, force design, and modernization, Macgregor links each of these seemingly isolated battles thematically. At the core of his analysis, the author reminds the reader that to be successful, military action must always be congruent with national culture, geography, and scientific-industrial capacity. He theorizes that strategy and geopolitics are ultimately more influential than ideology. Macgregor stresses that if nation-states want to be successful, they must accept the need for and the inevitability of change. The five warfighting dramas in this book, rendered in vivid detail by lively prose, offer many lessons on the tactical, operational, and strategic levels of war.
DOUGLAS MACGREGOR is a decorated combat veteran, the author of five books, a PhD and the executive VP of Burke-Macgregor Group LLC, a defense and foreign policy consulting firm in Reston, VA. He was commissioned in the Regular Army in 1976 after 1 year at VMI and 4 years at West Point. Macgregor retired with the rank of Colonel in 2004. He holds an MA in comparative politics and a PhD in international relations from the University of Virginia.
Macgregor is widely known in military circles inside the U.S., Europe, Israel, China and Korea for both his leadership in the Battle of 73 Easting, the U.S. Army’s largest tank battle since World War II, and for his ground-breaking books on military transformation: Breaking the Phalanx (Praeger, 1997) and Transformation under Fire (Praeger, 2003). His fourth book, Warrior’s Rage: The Great Tank Battle of 73 Easting (Naval Institute Press, 2009) describes the 1991 action for which he was awarded a Bronze Star with “V” device for valor. His books have been translated into Hebrew, Chinese, Russian and Korean.
In 28 years of service, Macgregor taught in the Department of Social Sciences at West Point, commanded the 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry, and served as the Director of the Joint Operations Center at SHAPE in 1999 during the Kosovo Air Campaign. He was awarded the Defense Superior Service medal for his role in the Kosovo Air Campaign. In January 2002, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld insisted that General “Tommy” Franks meet with, Colonel Macgregor on 16-17 January 2002 to hear Macgregor’s concept for the attack to Baghdad. Though Macgregor’s offensive concept assumed the rapid restoration of control to the Iraqi Army and no occupation his offensive scheme of maneuver was largely adopted.
Since leaving the Army, Macgregor has worked as a consultant to advise a host of individuals and organizations including the Office of the Secretary of the Navy, the Joint Staff, Bell Laboratories, and Raytheon Corporation on issues ranging from strategic roadmaps to the integration of disruptive technologies. He has testified as an expert witness before the House Armed Services Committee, Senate Armed Services’ Air-Land Subcommittee and appeared on Fox Business, PBS News Hour, the BBC, CBC, RT, and CNN. Cameron, his oldest son, is a 2007 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and now works as a consultant in the IT industry.
Bridge to Employment - Student Veteran Seminar and Networking Event
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To learn more about the Pritzker Military Museum & Library, visit:
Sponsored by Student Veterans of America, the Illinois State Department of Veterans Affairs, Illinois Joining Forces, and Pritzker Military Museum & Library, this panel discussion features executives and senior managers from the public and private sectors who are passionate about educating veterans on the strengths they bring to future careers. Moderated by Pete Kalenik from Leave No Veteran Behind, the panel includes: Meredith Knopp, VP of Programs, The Mission Continues; Erich W. Krumrei, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Chicago; and Anthony Castillo, Investment Performance Analyst at Northern Trust.
Following the panel, veterans in attendance had the opportunity to connect in a networking forum with professional partners to empower student veterans with skills necessary to succeed.
Karl Marlantes: Matterhorn (Clip 2)
In this clip, Author Karl Marlantes answers a question about his book (Matterhorn) being made into a movie.
View this event at pritzkermilitarylibrary.org
MidWest Regional Meeting Michigan World War 1 Centennial Sept 2017
Midwest Regional Meeting video of Michigan WW1 Centennial events up to September 2017. Presented at Pritzker Military Museum & Library, Chicago, IL September 27, 2017.
USS Illinois Press Conference
The Commander and the Crew of the soon to be commissioned USS Illinois (SSN-786), discuss the newest Virginia Class Submarine, sharing information about its construction, capabilities, and mission. A model of the USS Illinois is presented to Colonel (IL) Jennifer N. Pritzker, IL ARNG (Retired) for the PMML's collection.
Featured in this press conference:
USS ILLINOIS Crew: Jesse Porter, Commander; David Dipietro, Chief of the Boat; Darin Hess, Supply Officer; Aaron Mcknight, Chief Hospital Corpsman; Eric Chatham, Sonar Technician First Class & Deshay Roman, Logistics Specialist Second Class
USS Illinois Commissioning Committee: Len Wass & Mark Mcclain
PMML: Colonel (IL) Jennifer N. Pritzker, IL ARNG (Retired) & Kenneth Clarke
USS Illinois (SSN-786) is the 13th Virginia Class nuclear submarine and is currently under construction at Electric Boat shipyard in Groton, Ct. She is only the second U.S. Navy ship to be commissioned with the name since a battleship with the same name was commissioned in 1897. Officially sponsored by First Lady Michelle Obama, Illinois is expected to be launched in mid-2015 and commissioned in December 2015.
Illinois is poised to meet the Navy’s multi-mission requirements from open ocean anti-submarine warfare to intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance to projecting power ashore with Special Operation Forces and Tomahawk cruise missiles in the prevention or preparation of regional crises. She is built to dominate the world’s littoral and deep waters while conducting anti-submarine warfare; anti-surface ship warfare; strike warfare; special operation forces support; intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance; irregular warfare; and mine warfare missions. Stealth and speed are standard in submarines, but this next generation of attack submarines offers an improved level of capabilities to maintain the nation’s undersea supremacy well into the 21st century.
The USS Illinois Commissioning Committee, ussillinois.org, was formed from volunteers from all over the state of Illinois, and is led by the Navy League of the United States, Aurora Council, to help honor Illinois’ newest namesake ship. The Navy League of the United States is a 501(c)(3) corporation and monetary gifts to the commission are tax deductible when made through the Navy League of the United States and designated for supporting the USS ILLINOIS (SSN-786) events associated with the launching, commissioning, and post-commissioning support of the ship and crew.
COMMANDER JESSE PORTER is a near-thirty year veteran of the United States Navy and a distinguished graduate of the U.S. Naval War College. Since his commissioning in 1996, he has served as a Division Officer aboard USS Michigan (SSBN 727) (BLUE); Navigator/Operations Officer aboard USS Connecticut (SSN 22); and Executive Officer aboard USS Missouri (SSN 780). Ashore, he has served as a Shift Engineer and the Materials Officer on the Moored Training Ship 635 at the Naval Prototype Training Unit Charleston, S.C.; Operations Officer for Commander Submarine Squadron Two; and as a Chief of Naval Operations Fellow at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). He has earned the Meritorious Service Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (5 Awards), the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (2 Awards), and various other unit, personal and campaign awards.
Citizen Soldier: In Our Voices, Veterans from WWII, Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan
Sponsored by the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center
A collaboration between the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Pritzker Military Library, we present a powerful conversation between veterans from World War II, Vietnam and the Iraq/Afghanistan conflicts. Don't miss this unique opportunity to hear these veterans discuss the ways in which military service has changed in the last 60 years, the ways in which it will never change, and how their sacrifice shapes our world today.
Panelists are David H. Hymes, former National Commander of the Jewish War Veterans of the USA and World War II veteran; James Mukoyama, who served over thirty years on active and reserve duty in the United States Army including service in Vietnam and was the first Asian-American to command a U.S. Army division; and Rodrigo Garcia, Assistant Director of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs and a veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Shakespeare and the Citizen Soldier: Warrior to Actor
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U.S. Army veteran, actor and playwright Stephan Wolfert of the Veterans Center for Performing Arts, to discuss his military experience and his path towards a career in theater. Part of a four-episode series in partnership with the Chicago Shakespeare Theater.
It may seem odd on paper for an army officer to go from the battlefield to the theater, ending a career of treating wounded soldiers and opting to plan and perform on stage. Yet, Stephan Wolfert made this transition and now works to help other veterans readjust to civilian life, and perhaps follow a similar path to the fine arts. Drawing on his own transition from a life in the military to a career in theater, Wolfert – the Founding Artistic Director of the Veterans Center for Performing Arts – discusses the utility of theater with Truman Anderson. Mr. Wolfert will cover his own transformative experience seeing “Richard III” in Montana, his “De-Cruit” program which assists former military personnel in rejoining their communities using applied psychology and classical author training, and “VCPA”, the Veterans Center for Performing Arts.
STEPHAN WOLFERT served in the U.S. Army as a medic and infantry officer from 1986 until 1993, when he left his military career for a life in theater. He received his Master of Fine Arts degree from Trinity Repertory Conservatory. Stephan worked on Twyla Tharp & Billy Joel’s Tony-Award winning production Movin’ Out, creating and directing the military sequences. Combining his own personal story of leaving the army and pursuing a career in the arts with Shakespeare’s writings on war, he created the solo piece Cry Havoc! which he has performed around the country. He has directed and taught Shakespeare at Antelope Valley College and Cornell University. He is currently based out of New York City where he performs half of the two-man theatre company, Deux Bites.
TRUMAN ANDERSON, PhD, is the executive director of The Stuart Family Foundation in Lake Forest, Illinois. During his twelve-year tenure with the foundation, he has overseen the development of grant-making programs on national security, the media, federal elections, and civic education. He was previously a lecturer in international history at the London School of Economics, specializing in German history and the World Wars. Dr. Anderson is a former Marine Corps infantry officer and holds a doctorate in international history from the University of Chicago.
Shakespeare and the Citizen Soldier: Tug of War
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Director Barbara Gaines and Professor Stuart Sherman discuss the development and themes of the ambitious Tug of War productions. Part of a four-episode series in partnership with Chicago Shakespeare Theater.
BARBARA GAINES is the founder of Chicago Shakespeare Theater, where she has directed over 30 of Shakespeare’s plays. Honors include: the 2008 Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre; the prestigious Honorary OBE (Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) in recognition of her contributions strengthening British-American cultural relations; and Joseph Jefferson Awards for Best Production (Hamlet, Cymbeline, King Lear and The Comedy of Errors), and for Best Director (Cymbeline, King Lear and The Comedy of Errors). Beyond Chicago Shakespeare, Ms. Gaines has directed at the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-on-Avon, Lyric Opera of Chicago, and The Old Globe in San Diego. As the cornerstone production of Shakespeare 400 Chicago, the 2016 international celebration of Shakespeare’s legacy, she created a world premiere Shakespeare history cycle, Tug of War, including the rarely staged Edward III. Gaines received an Honorary Doctorate of Letters from the University of Birmingham (UK), the University Club of Chicago’s Cultural Award, the Public Humanities Award from the Illinois Humanities Council and the Spirit of Loyola Award. Ms. Gaines serves on The Globe Council (Shakespeare’s Globe, London).
STUART SHERMAN is Professor of English at Fordham University. He is the author of Telling Time: Clocks, Diaries, and English Diurnal Form, 1660-1785, as well as articles on such topics as Ben Jonson, John Dryden, Daniel Defoe, Samuel Johnson, David Garrick, James Boswell, Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney and other topics. His book-in-progress, News, Plays, Days: Tussles over Time in the London Media, 1620-1779, tracks the vexed, complex relations between the playhouse and periodical print once the news industry got under way, four years after Shakespeare's death. For the past twenty years, he has contributed, as writer and panelist, to Chicago Shakespeare’s artistic and education endeavors, prior to serving as Barbara Gaines’ advisor on Tug of War.