30th Anniversary of Highground Veterans Memorial Park

Saturday will mark the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the Highground Veterans Memorial Park at Neillsville.

The anniversary will be marked with all day activities:

30th Anniversary Celebration of The Highground Veterans Memorial Park

The Highground Veterans Memorial Park near Neillsville was dedicated in 1988. A celebration commemorating its 30th year will be held Saturday.

Admission is free and parking will be available at the Clark County Fairgrounds in Neillsville along with free shuttle bus service to The Highground.

Here is the schedule of the day’s events:

Noon: A veterans’ yellow ribbon motorcade through Neillsville and ending at The Highground just west of the city.

1:30 p.m.: An UH-1H Huey helicopter will land at the park.

1:45 p.m.: A Missing Man Table Ceremony that honors prisoners of war and those missing in action with each item at and around the dining table having specific meaning.

2 p.m.: Main ceremony that will include keynote speaker Dick Leinenkugel, a senior White House adviser for the Department of Veterans Affairs, a former U.S. Marine and one time president of the Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Co. in Chippewa Falls.

4-8p.m.: Chicken dinner and music

8:15 p.m.: Fireworks

More information can be found at www.thehighground.us or by calling 715-743-4224.

An important component of the mission to further peace education has always been the Dove Mound, created heart and soul by David Giffey, a founding member of Chapter 25 Veterans for Peace.

The story of the Dove Mound creation will follow in a separate post.

 

Armistice Day 100th Anniversary Event at the Barrymore

Armistice Day is almost on us again, the 100th anniversary. I have attached the flyer which Sean Michael Dargan, one of the organizers, sent me. Please distribute it widely. Chapter 25 VFP is going to be involved in some way. I will keep you posted. Fran

Armistice Day Barrymore 2018

Madison Veterans for Peace Hosts Author Lisa Gilman for an Evening of “My Music, My War: Listening Habits of US Troops in Iraq and Afghanistan”

   On Thursday evening, August 2nd, professor Lisa Gilman of George Mason University was a special guest of Chapter 25 at the community meeting room of the Urban League, 2222 S. Park St.   About 40 attended her hour-plus presentation on the unique subject of music played by troops in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars (My Music, My War).  The contrast of this musical experience—from the sociology of the troops to the rapidly evolving technology that underpinned the music—was understandably different than that of the Vietnam War troop experience in the 1960’s—and earlier wars for that matter.  Those who attended the presentation a few years ago by UW-Madison authors Craig Werner and Doug Bradley (We Gotta Get Out of this Place) no doubt appreciated the distinctly different war worlds.  During her years of research for this book, Lisa also produced and directed Grounds for Resistance, a documentary film about the veteran-run anti-war coffee house, Coffee Strong.

We give credit to The University of Oregon for this very brief summary of  her book:

In the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, technological developments in music listening enabled troops to carry vast amounts of music with them and easily acquire new music, for themselves and to share with their fellow troops as well as friends and loved ones far away. This ethnographic study examines U.S. troops’ musical-listening habits during and after war, and the accompanying fear, domination, violence, isolation, pain, and loss that troops experienced. My Music, My War is a moving ethnographic account of what war was like for those most intimately involved. It shows how individuals survive in the messy webs of conflicting thoughts and emotions that are intricately part of the moment-to-moment and day-to-day phenomenon of war, and the pervasive memories in its aftermath. It gives fresh insight into musical listening as it relates to social dynamics, gender, community formation, memory, trauma, and politics.

We were pleased to host this community presentation and grateful to Lisa Gilman for her visit.  The Chapter intends to continue engaging both its members and the community with more special programs.  Please join us if and when you can—mark your calendars!  A coming announcement:  A special musical program on Veterans Day-November 11-at the Barrymore Theater on Atwood Avenue.  Stay tuned.

*****

Fran introduces the evening’s subject and Professor Lisa Gilman (left)

Lisa Gilman responds to an audience question.

Gilman’s presentation drew approximately 40 members, Iraq-Afghanistan veterans and
members of the public.

Book signing and post-presentation conversation.  Left to right: Lisa Gilman, Norm Stockwell of the Progressive Magazine, and VFP member Daryl Sherman.

Professor Lisa Gilman and Chapter Coordinator Fran Wiedenhoeft.