Letter from the Editor
American Valor Quarterly, Issue 1, Winter 2007 – 2008
by Tim Holbert
Welcome to American Valor Quarterly, the new publication of the American Veterans Center and its two divisions, the World War II Veterans Committee and the National Vietnam Veterans Committee. Inside, you will find the first-hand accounts from America’s most distinguished uniformed heroes, from the Greatest Generation to the latest generation.
Long-time readers of our previous publications, World War II Chronicles and Valor: The Veterans of Vietnam, should know that we will continue to bring you the stories and experiences of our World War II and Vietnam veterans in each issue, as we have for so many issues before. Our dedication to the men and women who served in World War II and Vietnam remains as strong as ever, and we will continue to strive to preserve their legacies for years to come.
We have combined Chronicles and Valor into this single publication for several reasons. First, as you can already see, printing one publication rather than two allows us to present a first-class magazine with a color cover and slick paper, worthy of the stories contained inside. We have long argued that the most valuable history comes from those who witnessed it, and believe that our veterans and active duty service members deserve the highest quality outlet to share their lessons and experiences. This new design helps us to better serve as that outlet.
Secondly, the new design allows us to focus more widely on the larger mission of the American Veterans Center and its two divisions. As you will see inside, American Valor Quarterly also spotlights our oral history program, with excerpts from our radio documentary series, Veterans Chronicles, which airs on the Radio America network and can be heard at our website at www.americanveteranscenter.org. The involvement of young people is of paramount importance in all of our programs, which is why we also bring you articles researched and written by students studying to be the next generation of historians and journalists, who will be counted on to continue to tell the stories of our veterans long after they have passed. In this issue we are proud to publish an article on the Vietnam War by our summer research intern, Emily Tibbitts, who spent several months studying the topic and speaking to veterans of the war to present a history of the war and the media’s role in it. We will also continue to highlight our many other programs, such as the National Memorial Day Parade—the nation’s largest Memorial Day parade—and our annual Veterans Day conference, featuring some of America’s greatest veterans.
In the end, however, there is one overriding reason for the new format. Our nation is at war. Regardless of our political divides, there remains one fact that is certain: the men and women who are serving us today are among the greatest this country has ever produced, and they deserve to take their rightful place in our pantheon of heroes alongside those who have come before them, the veterans of Vietnam, Korea, and World War II. Each generation has their experiences to share, and each generation has its stories of valor. The American Veterans Center’s mission is to bring the men and women of these generations together, to honor the service and sacrifice of all those who have answered the call of duty. American Valor Quarterly has been created to help ensure that no generation’s stories of heroism, ever again, go ignored. We hope you enjoy the magazine, and once again thank you for your support.
