Annual Conference

Colonel William Bower, veteran of the Doolittle Raiders, greets Young Marines at the 2008 conference.

The 2010 Conference will take place November 4-6 at the United States Navy Memorial and the Renaissance Washington DC Hotel.

While this year’s lineup is only partially confirmed, it promises to be another great year! Last year, General David Petraeus was our keynote speaker. This year, veterans from World War II through those serving overseas now have been invited. From enlisted privates to generals, from Iwo Jima to Fallujah, we bring you the stories of the American service members in their own words.

Registration Form

2010 Speakers include:

The Band of Brothers, including Buck Compton
The Doolittle Raiders
The Tuskegee Airmen, including pilots Dr. Roscoe Brown, Calvin Spann and Shelby Westbrook
Medal of Honor recipients, including Ron Rosser – Korean War, Colonel Jack Jacobs – Vietnam War and Barney Barnum – Vietnam War
LTC James Megellas, the most decorated officer in the history of the 82nd Airborne, World War II Veteran
R.V. Burgin, World War II veteran portrayed in the The Pacific
Bob Feller, Major League Baseball Hall of Famer and WWII vet
Lou Brissie, Major League Baseball player and WWII vet
Jerry Coleman, WWII and Korean War vet and Major League Baseball player, current announcer for the San Diego Padres
Monte Irvin, Major League Baseball Hall of Famer and WWII vet, tentative
Navy Cross recipient Marco Martinez, veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom
LTC Susan Luz, author of The Nightingale of Mosul
Bronze Star w/ Valor recipients LTC Kathryn Van Auken and Major Lauralee Flannery
Veterans of a Special Forces A-Team
Major General John K. Singlaub, a former highly-decorated OSS officer
Iwo Jima veterans Donald Mates, James White, Jack Cole and Orie Morgan
Ben Kuroki, the only Japanese American to engage in Pacific aerial combat and one of a minimal number of bomber crewmen to fly in both Europe and the Pacific during World War II
Newc Elderidge, 10th Mountain Division veteran, WWII

The Details

Location and all other Logistical information for attending the conference

To register, please use the Registration Form.

Follow this link to read the bios of the speakers at the Thirteenth Annual American Veterans Center conference.

View the schedule of the 2009 American Veterans Center conference or a PDF version

Learn more about the evening receptions at the Army and Navy Club and the United States Navy Memorial.

Video on the Speakers at the Conference

Lou Brissie: The Corporal Was a Pitcher

The Band of Brothers

The Doolittle Raid

The Tuskegee Airmen

The Medal of Honor. Confirmed Participants: Colonel Jack Jacobs, Colonel Barney Barnum, and SFC Ron Rosser

Jerry Coleman: WWII and Korean War pilot

LTC Megellas, Most decorated officer in the history of the 82nd Airborne

R.V. Burgin, Whose story is portrayed in The Pacific

Bob Feller, Major League Baseball Hall of Famer and WWII veteran

Colonel Susan Luz, Army Nurse for over 26 Years

2009 Conference Photos

[View with PicLens]

2009 Speakers:

Special Guests: General David Petraeus and Col. Buzz Aldrin

World War II

Clarence “Bud” Anderson, triple ace fighter pilot from WWII

Major Theodore Dutch Van Kirk, navigator on the Enola Gay, the B-29 that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima

The Band of Brothers, 101st Airborne Division, featuring Colonel Edward Shames, Buck Taylor, Herb Suerth, Paul Rogers, and Richard Falvey

Evangeline Coeyman, nurse who landed in Normandy shortly after D-Day and served at the Battle of the Bulge and the liberation of concentration camps.

Iwo Jima veterans Donald Mates, James White and Ralph Griffiths and Col. Frank Caldwell

Edgar Whitcomb, former governor of Indiana and World War II veteran and P.O.W.

MLB Hall of Famer and WWII vet Bob Feller

Veterans Shelby Westbrook, Jack Yusen, and Jimmie Kanaya, who are featured in World War II in HD

Lorenzo Dufau, veteran of the USS Mason

The Korean War

Buzz Aldrin, second man to walk on the moon (Aldrin will receive the Raymond G. Davis Award at the banquet on Saturday evening.)

Captain Thomas Hudner, Medal of Honor recipient

Al Ortiz, Military Order of the Purple Heart

The Vietnam War

Colonel Roger H.C. Donlon, the first Medal of Honor recipient of the Vietnam War. (Donlon will also receive the Joe Ronnie Hooper Award at the banquet on Saturday evening.)

LTC Sharon Stanley-Alden, Vietnam Veteran

Mike Ali, John Bircher, Boyd Barclay, and Dennis Wallot, Military Order of the Purple Heart Panel

The Battle of Mogadishu

Sergeant Matthew Eversmann, portrayed by lead role in Black Hawk Down, veteran of the Battle of Mogadishu

Lt Colonel Tom Matthews, commander of 1st Battalion, 160th SOAR, portrayed in Black Hawk Down
, veteran of the Battle of Mogadishu, tentative

Keni Thomas, veteran of the Battle of Mogadishu, recipient of the Bronze Star with V for Valor, portrayed in Black Hawk Down

Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom

General David Petraeus, current commander of U. S. Central Command, former commander of the Multi-National Force – Iraq

David Bellavia, former staff sergeant in the United States Army, recipient of the Silver Star, nominated for the Medal of Honor (Bellavia will also receive the Paul Ray Smith Award at the banquet on Saturday evening.)

Sergeant Jeremiah Workman, recipient of the Navy Cross, veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom

Nathaniel Fick, veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, and a noted author

Captain Linda Wert, veteran Operation Iraqi Freedom

Sergeant Marco Martinez, recipient of Navy cross and veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom

CDR Paul Odenthal, CEC, USN; CDR John J. Adametz, CEC, USN; LT Ryan W. Thrun, CEC, USN; LTJG Christopher Fairfield, CEC, USN; Senior Chief Builder Cloves E. Tennis, USN – “Seabees & Civil Engineer Corps: Can-Do!” panel

Sergeant First Class Ed Malone, United States Army & recipient of the Bronze Star with Valor for actions in Tal’Afar, Iraq.