Wounded Warrior Dinners

Honoring Our Wounded Warriors

For the past several years, the American Veterans Center has sponsored a series of Friday evening steak dinners for wounded Soldiers recovering at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. The tradition began shortly after Operation Enduring Freedom commenced and wounded troops began to return home to Washington for rehabilitation.

A Marine recovering at Bethesda is greeted by Maj. Gen. John K. Singlaub at a dinner held at the Army & Navy Club in Washington, DC. General Singlaub was a decorated veteran of WWII, Korea, and Vietnam. The American Veterans Center donated copies of his book Hazardous Duty to be given to each of the wounded warriors in attendance.

The time away from the hospital proved invaluable to these young men and women as they sought to enjoy a normal evening out, sometimes for the first time in months. At these events, these brave men and women have been given the opportunity to enjoy an evening with friends and family while meeting distinguished veterans from earlier generations, many of whom went through the same experience during World War II, Korea, and Vietnam.

In addition to Soldiers from Walter Reed Army Medical Center, the dinners now also welcome Marines and sailors from the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland.

The dinners are not cheap – each costs us about $4,000. But considering what these men and women have sacrificed for each of us, it is an effort worth every penny. As we continue this tradition into 2009, we welcome your support in thanking our brave young wounded warriors.

Interested in supporting this event, donate to the American Veterans Center.