Honoring All Military Moms–

May 6, 2016 is Military Spouse Appreciation Day! Let’s Hear it For our Military Wives & Moms!

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Cheryl Grinstead, my mother, joined the United States Air Force as a WAF (Woman of the Air Force) in February 1966, and was granted an honorable discharge in August 1967. She is a member of the American Legion and a lifetime member of the DAV.

The Museum of the American Military Family & Learning Center has an all volunteer board, many of whom are or were military spouses or military moms– Thank you Stacey, Cheryl, Circe, Sue, Caroline & Jan for all your sacrifice & service! Our Brat Media Manager sent in this photo of her military mom–

“After basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas, she received technical training as an Inventory Specialist at Amarillo Air Force Base in Texas, where she was the honor graduate in her class and was stationed at Randolph AFB in Texas, assigned to the Base Supply Financial Office. While at Randolph, she met and married my father, William Grinstead. After becoming pregnant with me, my mother was honorably discharged from the Air Force. She was only on active duty for a little over 18 months, and I have always been very proud of my mother’s service, particularly that she was part of the legacy of women in the early years of the Air Force. Women were fully integrated into the Air Force in 1973, but until that time, WAFS only accepted 4,000 enlisted women and 300 female officers per year. My mother was in very elite company who helped to pave the way for the generations of women who have served since then. I’ve also been very proud of her role as a military spouse, the often unsung heroes of our military – at every base we were stationed, my mother provided support to the families by volunteering for Family Services, or the American Red Cross, or Girl Scouts, as well as being active in the Enlisted Wives Club. In fact, she is also still an American Red Cross volunteer.

 

Spring News from MAMF

BUSY TIMES FOR THE MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN MILITARY FAMILY (MAMF)

A Commemoration Ceremony for Vietnam Veterans: “Heroes and Hueys”

A Documentary Film Program” “Under the Blade

Production of Two Anthologies

A Workshop: “Paper Making – a Healing Transformation”

In partnership with the Raymond G. Murphy VA Medical Center, the Museum of the American Military Family (MAMF) will co-host a New Mexico ceremony on March 29 as part of a national observance of the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. It will open at 10:00 am with a flag line and color guard, continue with tributes to Veterans by Lt. Governor John Sanchez, Cabinet Secretary Jack Fox, and Brigadier General Andrew Salas, and conclude with a special showing of the documentary film “In the Shadow of the Blade,” which depicts the 10,000-mile journey of a battle-scarred UH-1 helicopter from Southeast Asia to America to tell the stories of Veterans and their families who also served. Thanks to the Bernalillo Sheriff’s Department, visitors will see and climb aboard a restored Huey of the kind featured in the film. » Read more

Lisa Pino joins MAMF as Community Liaison

Lisa M. Pino, Community Liaison–was born into a family with extensive military service and experienced, first hand, the pride her family had in serving our country. Her grandfather served in WWI. Her uncles, who served in Korea, carried on that proud tradition. Her father, father in law and stepfather in law are Vietnam and Vietnam-era veterans. Most recently, she had numerous cousins serving in Afghanistan and Iraq. She’s dedicated the last 30 years in support of the President Lincoln’s promise “To care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan” by honoring the men and women who served in America’s Armed Forces. She volunteers extensively in the greater Albuquerque metro. She is looking forward to joining the Museum of the American Military Family team.

 

MAMF Announces Two More Team Members

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Misty Corrales, Brat Social Media Manager, holds a Master of Arts in Teaching with an emphasis in Adult Education and specialization in English. She currently works in the mortgage industry as an underwriter. Misty is an Air Force Brat. The most valuable lesson she learned from her experience was an appreciation for other cultures. She is currently one of the administrators of the Brats: Honoring Our Heritage Facebook group, which works towards the goal of official recognition of military brats and supports the efforts of the myriad of Brat-run organizations ranging from raising awareness and for fundraising efforts to formalizing a National Military Brat Day. Misty is very excited to be part of the Museum of the American Military Family team.

 

Dr. Cheryl Lentz, Director of Education, is affectionately known to her students as “Doc C”, offers nearly 15 years of university-level teaching experience with a range of teaching expertise to include courses in leadership, management, organizational behavior, critical thinking, cultural diversity, business communication, and ethics.

Dr. C began her teaching career while stationed with her husband at Yokota AFB in Tokyo, Japan. She taught English to Japanese nationals ranging in age from 4 yrs to 65 yrs in a variety of academic settings. After transferring back to the United States., she completed her Masters Degree in International Relations and soon thereafter began teaching online and on ground within academia in the U.S. collegiate system. She completed her doctoral journey to include a Doctorate of management (D.M) degree in Organizational Leadership where she currently resides as faculty with the following universities to include: University of Phoenix , The University of the Rockies, Embry-Riddle University (ERAU), Walden University, and Grand Canyon University .

She is a USAF Spouse since 1995 and a 5 year USO Volunteer and is pleased to join the team at the Museum of the American Military Family & Learning Center.

 

 

TOURISM IN NEW MEXICO

By Allen Dale Olson

Did you know that more than 8% of all jobs in New Mexico are supported by visitor spending – by tourism? That means that one out of every twelve workers in the state are dependent on visitors.

This was one of the tourism facts presented to the New Mexico Tourism Commission this week in a report prepared by Rebecca Latham, Cabinet Secretary for Tourism.

I attended the Commission meeting as President of the Albuquerque Museum Collaborative Council, but I made known to the Commissioners and the other attending tourism professionals that I also represent the Museum of the American Military Family and established a presence amid the people whose work generated more than eight billion dollars for the state last year. Every dollar spent on tourism marketing brings a return of just about seven dollars. » Read more

MAMF Welcomes New Members to the Team

The MAMF Family is growing as we add three new members to our team. Here is a little about them:

Writer in Residence Paul Zolbrod says his military service made it possible for him to attend college, which is why he considers his induction the pivotal event in his adult life. Drafted into the army in early 1953 during the Korean War, he served in Tokyo following infantry basic training, then enrolled at the University of Pittsburgh on the Korean G.I. Bill after his discharge and went on to get a PhD. in English in 1967. By then he had already joined the faculty of Allegheny College where he remained as Professor of English for thirty years. Following his retirement to Albuquerque 1964, he taught writing at the Crownpoint, NM campus of the Navajo Nation’s Dine’ College. He is the author of a number of books and essays, most notably Dine’ bahane: The Navajo Creation Story, and especially, Battle Songs: A Story of the Korean War in Four Movements,” which reflects his abiding interest in that conflict. In writing that novel, he credits the research skills he acquired during the early phase of his scholarly career for boosting that work’s authenticity. Ever since its publication Paul has maintained a deep interest in veterans affairs. Likewise, his Reservation experience has made him aware of the impact of PTSD among Navajo veterans on family life

Mark John Gurule, Musician-in-Residence, is an Army Veteran who served overseas in Afghanistan in 2013. After being injured while deployed, Mark revisited his childhood passion of singing and making music. Now performing under the artist name- Lethal, he has built a team called “The Battalion” which performs in shows sharing testimony through music about his experiences in the military and at war. He has performed with various artists in the music industry such as Mike Jones and Stevie Stone with Strange Music. The Battalion does Rap, R&B, and Dubstep music, reaching the younger generation.

He is the “music ambassador” for the Museum of the American Military Family in Albuquerque, NM.

His team travels to different states, performing for various organizations and school groups, and reaching out to other veterans who have PTSD. Lethal states, “writing and music has helped me deal with my PTSD tremendously and would I love to counsel other Veterans dealing with the same issues through music!”

Jan Miller-Waugh, Webmistress and on-line shop manager can trace her military roots back to the American Revolution. She has one son currently serving in the Air Force; another served in the Marines and is a Federal employee. She has belonged to the Blue Star Mothers – Rio Grande Valley Chapter 2- since 2008. As a Blue Star Mother, she has served on the Executive Board, has been the BSM-Air Force Coordinator, and has also chaired the 10th Anniversary 9/11 Run/Walk/Ride in Albuquerque. Jan is a Mission Liaison with the Patriot Guard Riders. The founder and administrator of the RFTW New Mexico Facebook group, she is an active participant with the Run For the Wall, and has served as a Road Guard, a Tailgunner and part of the Staging Team. Her passion for assisting active duty service members and veterans is evidenced in her fundraising and/or writing efforts for the Wounded Warrior Project, New Mexico Shooting Sports Association, and the Military Order of the Purple Heart. She is the secretary and webmaster for Vet Riders for Wounded Warriors. Her expertise in Corporate and Government retail sales and IT and her networking skills are a perfect fit for MAMF.

 

 

 

 

 

 

SUMMER NEWS FROM MAMF

Lazy days of summer? Not for the Volunteers of the Museum of the American Military Family. Two exhibits running simultaneously – “Schooling with Uncle Sam” at the Albuquerque Special Collections Library and “Sacrifice & Service” in the Wheels Museum at the historic Albuquerque Rail Yards. The “Schooling Exhibit” received world-wide press in the Stars and Stripes daily newspaper serving U.S. Forces wherever they are.

But summer was more than exhibit time. We found a home! On August 1 we moved our artifacts, archives, library, documents, records, furniture, and everything else into the Bataan Military Academy on McLeod Boulevard in Albuquerque. By the end of September, we should be fully set up and functioning from our own premises.

The move also strengthened our partnership with the American Overseas Schools Historical Society (AOSHS) who will send us part of their library and bricks and pavers and whose President, Gayle Vaughn-Wiles, will join our Advisory Council. AOSHS also provided publications and artifacts for the Schooling Exhibit.

Mid-summer set the stage for several upcoming events, as we met with staff members of the International Balloon Fiesta Museum and the Explora Childrens’ Museum to plan programs for the week of Veterans Day.

The Explora program will revolve around showings of the documentary film, “A Touch of Home – The Vietnam War’s Red Cross Girls,” popularly known as “Doughnut Dollies.” The Red Cross will bring us some local former “Dollies” to help with discussions about the film, and will bring along authentic Red Cross uniforms of the period to be modeled by students who will actually pass out doughnuts to visitors. Additionally, the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Department will display a Huey helicopter just like the ones the Doughnut Dollies knew in Vietnam. » Read more

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – September 9, 2015

For Additional Information

Dr. Allen Dale Olson

militaryfamilymuseum@comcast.net

(505) 400-3849

MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN MILITARY FAMILY & LEARNING CENTER (MAMF) LOCATES AT BATAAN MILITARY ACADEMY (BMA)

 Groups Call Move a “Good Fit”

Albuquerque, NM – An Albuquerque charter school has just joined forces with the only museum in the country dedicated to the collection and preservation of the stories, documents, and artifacts of America’s military families. Both the Bataan Military Academy Charter School (BMA) and the Museum of the American Military Family (MAMF) have moved into 5555 McLeod Boulevard NE, Albuquerque.

BMA serves grades nine through twelve, meets U.S. Navy standards in curriculum and in Naval sciences, including standards in physical fitness and in honoring traditional Naval standards. The school is in partnership with parents, teachers, military organizations, and with the military services. Principal, “Captain” Jan Zink, works closely with the Academy’s Board of Governors, chaired by Dr. Alan Holmquist.

BMA students are cadets grouped as in a military organization and follow the rank structure of the Navy Junior Reserve Officer Corps (NJROTC). In addition to traditional high school activities and sports, BMA cadets also form color guards, drill teams, and rifle teams. The school is named for the 70,000 soldiers and sailors forced to surrender on Luzon in 1942, some 70,000 of whom died during the infamous “Bataan Death March.” Many of those who died were from New Mexico. Annually BMA cadets simulate that march in a 26-mile hike at White Sands Proving Grounds.

MAMF, founded four years ago by Dr. Circe Olson Woessner, a DoD “Brat,” an Army wife and an Army mother, has been active throughout Albuquerque– even without a facility– by presenting documentary film programs, stage performances, military ceremonies and major exhibits in various venues, including the National Nuclear Museum, the South Broadway Cultural Center, the International Balloon Museum, and the Wheels Museum.

MAMF’s volunteer Board of Directors includes an Artist-in-Residence, a Writer-in Residence, and liaison chairs to military spouses, military organizations, “Brats” and Veterans’ organizations. Its programs reach throughout the country through its Operation Footlocker, mobile exhibits which go to public schools, nursing homes, USO events, and to reunions of former students of Defense Department schools. MAMF is a 501 c 3 not for profit.

MAMF has a partnership with the American Overseas Schools Historical Society which represents thousands of former teachers and administrators in the Defense Department world-wide school system and with “Overseas Brats,” representing thousands of adult military “Brats.”

Till this semester, BMA had been on Mountain Road in Albuquerque, and MAMF existed as an on-line presence. In the McLeod facility, MAMF occupies the second floor; BMA the ground floor. Both Captain Zink and Executive Director Woessner believe the shared home makes a “good fit” for the school and the museum. They agree that the MAMF library, archives, exhibits, and historical folios of military family life are valuable resources for the cadets, who in turn, provide ceremonial support for MAMF programs.

The Museum is open by appointment only.

Tel: 505-504-3860

E-mail: militaryfamilymuseum@comcast.net

For additional information, visit:

http://bataanmilitaryacademy.org and/or http://www.museumoftheamericanmilitaryfamily.org.

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Exhibit on Department of Defense Schools Worldwide Brings Back Memories for Military Families Who Were Stationed Abroad

 

logo copyFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEContact:     Dr. Allen Dale Olson

Phone 505-400-3849

olsonallen@msn.com

 

Exhibit on Department of Defense Schools Worldwide Brings Back Memories

for Military Families Who Were Stationed Abroad

 ALBUQUERQUE, NM, July 27, 2015—A special exhibit at the Special Collections Library’s Botts Hall chronicles the experiences of families who were based in locations around the world: Military families whose children might attend five or more schools by the time they graduated from high school.

 “Schooling with Uncle Sam,” is focused on the history of the 181 schools for military dependents located in the U.S. Spread from the Far and Middle East to Western Europe. Self-titled “Military BRATS,” the children of military families, from lowest to highest ranks, attend Department of Defense Education Agency Schools and build strong ties and cherished memories through their varied experiences.

The exhibit features comments from dozens of students, teachers and parents remarking on their experiences during various tours of duty—which involved the whole family. “Together We Serve” is the tagline of the Museum of the American Military Family and Learning Center, an organization whose mission is to bring together people with shared experiences showcasing and honoring those who also served–America’s Military Families. Artifacts from school experiences        provided by those who attended or taught at DODEA schools bring the story home to the many retired military and BRATS who live in our area, as well as those who did not serve in the military, but want to learn more about the experience of those who do.

The new exhibit includes detailed information about the history and growth of the schools, anecdotes from students who attended them, and a host of artifacts that include: a 1948 report card; teachers’ guides; books on learning to speak, write and sing in the language of their new home; school flags and pennants; posters; school photos; yearbooks; athletic jackets and trophies; a high school diploma; a bison head that was worn by the varsity mascot at the Mannheim, Germany high school; a statement from General Colin Powell, US Army, Ret.; and much more. Many of the artifacts in the exhibit are provided by the American Overseas Schools Historical Society (AOSHS), based in Wichita, Kansas.

“Schooling with Uncle Sam” is free to the public and available at the Special Collections Library, 423 Central Avenue NE (corner of Central and Edith). The library is open from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, except for Thursdays, when it opens at 11 a.m. and closes at 7 p.m. Please stop by and learn more about how children of military families received excellent education in places around the world thanks to “Uncle Sam.” To access the exhibit, please check in at the library’s Information Desk. The exhibition closes on August 22.

The Museum of the American Military Family and Learning Center (MAMF) collects and preserves the stories, experiences, documents, photos, and artifacts of the mothers and fathers, sons and daughters, spouses, siblings, and others who have loved and supported a member of America’s military services from Revolutionary War times to modern times. MAMF is an all-volunteer not-for-profit online entity in quest of a permanent home in Albuquerque and is launching a capital campaign to support that quest.

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