Category: News

CARLISLE, PA – Today the Army Heritage Center Foundation (AHCF) announced the election of four new members to its board of directors: Dr. James G. Breckenridge, Christian Johnson, and Kevin Sunday.

“Each of our new board members has an extensive background in service and leadership to both the military and civilian communities,” said Julie Germany, president of AHCF. “They join a group of very active, engaged directors who are all committed to the cause of preserving soldier stories and helping the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center continue to grow.”

Dr. James G. Breckenridge recently retired from the position of Provost at the U.S. Army War College, which he joined in 2017. He previously served as the founding dean of the Ridge College of Intelligence Studies and Applied Sciences at Mercyhurst University and Dean of the Walker School of Business and Chair of the Intelligence Studies Department. He has a doctorate in Organizational Learning and Leadership, and a master’s in Business Administration at Gannon University. He holds master’s and bachelor’s degrees in History from the University of Virginia and Virginia Tech.

Christian Johnson was the Inaugural Dean for Widener University Commonwealth Law School. Prior to joining Widener, Dean Johnson was the Hugh B. Brown Presidential Endowed Chair of the Law and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at the University of Utah College of Law. He has a Juris Doctor from Columbia School of Law and is an alumnus of the University of Utah.

Kevin Sunday is a policy advisor with the consulting practice at McNees Strategic Solutions Group, a subsidiary of the law firm of McNees Wallace & Nurick. He previously served as the chair of the board of directors of the Central Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Red Cross, the director of government affairs for the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry, and the deputy press secretary for the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. He is a graduate of Towson University.

The Army Heritage Center Foundation helps the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center realize its full potential as a hub of knowledge and expertise for the military, government, academia, and American public.

ARMY HERITAGE CENTER FOUNDATION HOSTS PREVIEW OF NEW EXHIBIT ON COMBAT PHOTOGRAPHY

MYRIAD WILL OPEN AT THE U.S. ARMY HERITAGE AND EDUCATION CENTER ON MARCH 2, 2024

 

CARLISLE, PA – The Army Heritage Center Foundation (AHCF) will host a special preview of Myriad, a new exhibit of contemporary Army combat photography at the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center, on Thursday February 29, 2024.

 

“Each photo in the Myriad exhibit captures a moment in the life of the American soldier of this generation,” said Julie Germany, president of AHCF. “Yet each of those moments–and photos–is filled with infinite possibilities and incredible narratives that will change the way patrons view the Army and its rich history and capabilities.”

 

Myriad will celebrate and explore the diversity of today’s Army, serve as a showcase to the many jobs and Military Occupational Specialties available to today’s force, and the numerous global destinations where the Army is present today.

 

The preview event will allow patrons to experience the exhibit before it opens to the public on March 2, 2024, and discuss it with curators Molly Bompane and Elizabeth Loomer.

 

Molly Bompane has worked for the United States Army for over 18 years.  During that time, she has worked as a Museum Specialist for the First Armored Division Museum in Baumholder, Germany, the Curator of Photography for the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center (USAHEC) in Carlisle, PA, the Chief Curator of U.S. Army Europe in Wiesbaden, Germany and returned to USAHEC in 2017 and now serves as Senior Curator and the Chief of Exhibits.

 

Elizabeth Loomer is a Museum Curator and Army ACCMA Fellow at the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center in Carlisle Barracks, PA. She is a proud graduate of the Wisconsin University system earning her Bachelor’s in Human Geography and Anthropology from UW-Stevens Point and her Master’s in Public History and Museum Studies from UW-Milwaukee.

 

The Army Heritage Center Foundation helps the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center realize its full potential as a hub of knowledge and expertise for the military, government, academia, and American public.

The Army Heritage Center Foundation is proud to announce that five new members have been elected to serve on its Board of Directors: Dr. Gracie Galloway, Jeffrey Moore, LTG (Ret.) Peter Vangjel, The Honorable Kenneth Wong, and Lee Woolley.

“We have a very active and dedicated Board of Directors. Each possesses a background of leadership and service–in the military or in the civic and corporate worlds.” said Julie Germany, President of the Army Heritage Center Foundation. “They lead by example, and their dedication to the cause of preserving individual soldier stories has provided the foundation with a support system of determination, loyalty, and vision.”

Dr. Gracie Galloway is a nurse practitioner at The Community Free Clinic in Concord, North Carolina. She has spent over 40 years dedicated to the care and welfare of the underprivileged, veterans, the homeless, and children with food insecurity. From 1967-1970, Grace Liem Galloway was in Vietnam volunteering with Catholic Relief Services. She cared for victims of rape and children of victims of rape.

Jeffrey Moore is the Recruiting Lead at Greencastle Consulting. Jeff was a Senior Human Resources Supervisor for the Pennsylvania Army National Guard prior to retirement after 25 years of total service.  He has been awarded numerous awards that included, but are not limited to, four Meritorious Service Medals, Iraqi Campaign Medal (with Campaign Device), Career Counselor Badge, Pennsylvania Distinguished Service Medal, Adjutant Generals’ Corps Regimental Association’s COL Robert L. Manning Achievement Medal, and The Knight of the Honorable Order of Saint Michael.

LTG (Ret.) Peter Vangjel has led and commanded at every level including Deputy Commanding General, US Army Central Command and Commanding General of Ft Sill. He retired from military service in February 2015 as the US Army Inspector General. After retirement, he served as the Vice President for Raytheon’s Global Training Solutions business unit in Orlando Florida, continuing to serve Soldiers. He currently serves as President and Owner of V3 Strategies and Solutions, LLC, a consulting organization focused on management consulting and leader coaching.

The Honorable Kenneth Wong has been in the risk management industry for the past 38 years. In 2004 he served on the President’s Commission for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders with an emphasis in economic development, appointed by President George W. Bush. Later In 2012, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett appointed Mr. Wong to serve as the Chairman of the Governor’s Advisory Commission for Asian Americans. ​In April 2017, Mr. Wong was appointed, through the Office of the Secretary of the Army, the Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army. In addition to roles at the Federal and State level, Mr. Wong is equally active locally with service as a member of many boards.

Lee James Woolley is the Head of Banking Strategy for Metallicus, Inc. and is leading the national efforts of a group of investors to acquire a bank.  Prior to joining Metallicus, Lee was the President of BNY Mellon Wealth Management’s Mid-Atlantic Region stretching from Philadelphia through Washington, D.C. Before joining BNY Mellon, Lee was with The Northern Trust Company for over 20 years and served as the managing director of National Advisory Services in Chicago and as President of the New England Region in Boston. Lee currently serves on the boards of the Foreign Policy Research Institute, the World Affairs Council, the Independence Historical Trust, North Central College, and the Philadelphia Freedom Valley YMCA.  Lee is a 2022 attendee of the U.S. Army War College’s National Security Seminar.

The Army Heritage Center Foundation helps the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center realize its full potential as a hub of knowledge and expertise for the military, government, academia, and American public. More information can be found at armyheritage.org.

 

The Army Heritage Center Foundation, the LGBT Center of Central PA History Project, and the PA LGBT History Network are pleased to announce the inauguration of the Pennsylvania LGBTQ+ History Prize.

This award, sponsored by the LGBT Center of Central PA History Project and the PA LGBT History Network, will recognize an outstanding entry in any category, in either division, that involves an aspect of LGBTQ+ history that is entered in the National History Day in Pennsylvania State Contest. Student projects must clearly reflect the theme of History Day and demonstrate balanced research and a clear understanding of the topic and its place in history.

Students may self-nominate during the State Contest registration process.  Projects may also be nominated by teachers, parents, or judges by emailing the NHD in PA State Coordinator’s office at eddirector@armyheritage.org.

For more information, or to inquire about nominating an entry, please contact NHD in PA State Coordinator Jeff Hawks at 717-258-1102 or eddirector@armyheritage.org.

Perspectives Lecture Series

 

Responsible AI as Process, Not Product

By Dr. David Danks

Department Head & L.L. Thurstone Professor of Philosophy and Psychology

Carnegie Mellon University

On February 18, 2021, at 6:30 PM EST, the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center in Carlisle, Pennsylvania will welcome Dr. David Danks, to live-stream a lecture via ZOOM that will explore the critically important topic of military applications of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the ethical questions that arise with the idea of “responsible AI.”

This ZOOM lecture is made possible by the Army Heritage Center Foundation. Register in advance at https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_pBR7KoGbQjGhKefxXDuFzQ to receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the lecture.  To submit questions during the lecture, use the Q&A icon on the ZOOM website.

There is increasing focus on ethical & responsible AI, particularly in defense and security contexts. For example, many organizations (including the U.S. Department of Defense) now have principles for ethical & responsible use of AI. In this talk, Dr. Danks will provide a short history of military AI ethics discussions and look carefully at the nature of “responsible AI,” with a particular focus on military uses. He will argue that we should focus on the processes and practices that we use to design, develop, and deploy AI-enabled systems, rather than fine-grained technical details of the systems themselves.

Dr. David Danks is L.L. Thurstone Professor of Philosophy & Psychology, and Head of the Department of Philosophy, at Carnegie Mellon University. He is also the Chief Ethicist of Carnegie Mellon University’s Block Center for Technology & Society; co-director of Carnegie Mellon University’s Center for Informed Democracy and Social Cybersecurity (IDeaS); and SGE for the Ethics Line of Effort of the National Security Commission on AI. Dr. Danks has examined the ethical, psychological, and policy issues around AI and robotics in transportation, healthcare, privacy, and security. He is the recipient of a James S. McDonnell Foundation Scholar Award, as well as an Andrew Carnegie Fellowship. He received an A.B. in Philosophy from Princeton University, and a Ph.D. in Philosophy from University of California, San Diego.

DATE: Thursday, February 18, 2021

TIME: Live Stream begins at 6:30PM EST

REGISTER: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_pBR7KoGbQjGhKefxXDuFzQ

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the lecture.

For updates and any last-minute changes, please check: www.USAHEC.org or call the Information Desk: 717-245-3972.

Thanks to a large-scale digitization project now underway, the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center will make its important, immense historical collection available instantly and easily to Army leaders, educators, veterans, students, and researchers anywhere in the world.

In the first year of the multi-year USAHEC project, newly digitized material is putting at anyone’s fingertips the historical materials that enhance understanding of the past and guide thinking about current and future national security issues. USAHEC will select material for digitization that will enable historically informed thinking about modernization, nuclear weapons, homeland security experiences, recruiting, social change, among others. Now available —

• The papers of Army Gen. Donn A. Starry, who wrote about his experience as senior USA observer to the 1973 Arab-Israeli War battlefield, and as the commander of US Army Training and Doctrine command as it led the 1980s modernization projects that resulted in AirLand Battle doctrine and the ‘Big Five’ weapons systems.
• The papers and battle recollections of Gen. Paul L. Freeman, Jr., who commanded the 23rd Infantry Regiment in Chipyong-Ni, Feb 1951, at a turning point in the Korean War.  During his years as CINC USARER and CG of the Continental Army Command, Freeman contributed a senior officer debriefing transcript in which he recounted the lessons and experiences of his career.
• In addition to archival material, 100 percent of our artifact collection can be searched online, including items such as Brigadier General Benjamin O. Davis, Sr.’s the Distinguished Service Medal. The United States was a segregated nation during World War II. Benjamin O. Davis, Sr., the Regular Army’s first African American general officer, was the senior leader dealing with issues pertaining to African American Soldiers. General Davis was awarded the Army Distinguished Service Medal in 1945 for his contributions. His Distinguished Service Medal serves as a representation of how a good leader, despite the limitations of segregation in the Army and the Nation, can rise above the political and cultural turmoil to do his duty for the Army. His work is directly linked to President Harry S. Truman’s Executive Order 9981 of 26 July 1948 that desegregated the American military.

“This is one of the largest single undertakings to digitize historical materials ever attempted,” said USAHEC Director Geoffrey Mangelsdorf.  “Over the next five years, new material will be uploaded daily into the online search interface system.  This will be a radical change in how military leaders, military students, and scholars can leverage our extraordinary collection.  General officer papers, battlefield reports, Soldiers’ journals and letters, and 33 million images will be accessible anywhere, anytime.”

U.S. Army Soldiers’ personal historical materials, such as diaries, letters, artifacts and audiovisual items, are among the truly unique elements of the USAHEC collection. For 52 years, USAHEC has collected and preserved the personal historical materials of Soldiers from five-star General Omar N. Bradley to the most junior Soldiers.  When digitization makes these accessible anywhere, anytime, their thoughts, observations, and emotions will inform both the Army and the public.

Access the keyword searchable online system, by visiting https://ahec.armywarcollege.edu  and clicking on “Explore.” Users can type into the search bar, browse new and notable collections, or take advantage of the Search Tips provided in the menu bar.

USAHEC is the U.S. Army’s preeminent archive, academic library, museum and research complex with extensive historical resources for Soldiers, researchers and visitors. As an organization deeply involved with both the Army and the public, USAHEC is dedicated to preserving the legacy of the men and women who have served their nation as Soldiers and to educating the military and the public on the important role of the Army in U.S. history.

Visit the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center’s archives and public museum at 950 Soldiers Drive, Carlisle, PA 17013.

Ernie Gross was 15 when he was deported from his native Romania to Auschwitz-Birkenau, the Nazi extermination camp in Poland where over 1.1 million people were murdered.  On February 3, he will share his story with local teachers and students at the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center in Carlisle.

In line for selection, where Jews were either chosen for slave labor or sent directly to the gas chambers, a Polish inmate saved his life.  “He asked me how old I was and I said 15.  He said by the time I got to the end of the line I’d better be 17 if I wanted to live.”  When he got there, Ernie lied about his age and was spared from death.

Ernie endured a year in the camps, marching barefoot in the snow, carrying heavy bags of cement, surviving on starvation rations.  As the Allies closed in on Auschwitz, Ernie and more than 56,000 prisoners were marched west, away from the advancing Soviets.  They marched without adequate food or clothing in sub-zero temperatures.  Somewhere between 9,000 and 15,000 prisoners died or were shot for falling behind on the way.

Ernie persevered and reached Dachau in Bavaria, Germany.  There, he survived additional months of starvation and brutality.  He had reached the end of his endurance when he was rescued by the arrival of the U.S. Army on April 29, 1945.

In the years that followed, Ernie regained his hope through acts of generosity.

The event is sponsored by the Army Heritage Center Foundation with the support of the Stabler Foundation.  “The Soldiers who liberated the camps are important witnesses to the atrocities of the Holocaust,” says Foundation Education Director Jeff Hawks.  “This program is part of our efforts to share the stories of survivors and liberators with a broad audience of students, teachers, and the general public.”

For more information, contact the Army Heritage Center Foundation at 717-258-1102 or eddirector@armyheritage.org.

Have you ever wondered how reenactors and living historians started their hobby?  Do you have questions about the day-to-day lives of Soldiers throughout history?  If you are interested in the stories of Soldiers, join the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center for the 9th Annual Reenactor Recruitment Day! Experience military reenacting and living history up close and personal on Saturday, February 8, 2020 from 10:00AM to 4:00PM in USAHEC’s Visitor and Education Center.

This free event is open to the public and will feature dozens of different living history organizations including over three hundred reenactors from all periods of U.S. Army and world military history.  This year, USAHEC will feature musical performances along with historical fiction author meet-and-greet booths. Reenactor Recruitment Day is not only a great outing for kids and history aficionados alike, it also serves as an opportunity for reenactors to meet with members of other living history organizations and discuss aspects of historical presentation/interpretation.

Reenactor Recruitment Day features hundreds of living historians representing Soldiers and other service members.  From pikemen and swordsmen of the 16th century, through Civil War cavalry, to Desert Storm medics, just about every Army time period is represented. The event will also include allied and adversary units. Reenactors will be in period dress and have table displays where they will be available to answer any questions, talk about their equipment and materials, discuss their upcoming activities, and highlight the importance of reenacting as a way to keep history alive. Come to USAHEC to experience history, live!

The 9th Annual Reenactor Recruitment Day is free and open to the public, including children of all ages. There will also be a huge used book sale in two locations this year: In front of the store all weekend and a special collection located in the Café area Friday and Saturday only. Hours for the book sale are Friday, Feb. 7th 12pm -4:30 pm; Saturday, Feb. 8th 10am-4:30pm; Sunday, Feb. 9th -12pm–4:30pm.