The Board of Directors – Page 3 – Museum of the American Military Family & Learning Center

GI JOKES: A SOMEWHAT LIGHTHEARTED LOOK AT MILITARY LIFE opened in Albuquerque

November 5, 2016 MilitaryFamilyMuseum Events, Military Family Members, Military News, Museum News, Museum of the American Military Family, The Board of Directors

GI JOKES runs from 11/5/2016-12/2/2016 at Albuquerque’s Special Collections Library . MAMF Spouse Liaison Stacy and MAMF Director Circe set it up on November 4th.

The exhibit opened to the public on November 5th. After it closes, it will be available to travel and then it will be on display in the Museum of the American Military Family& Learning Center’s permanent location.

Circe Olson Woessner and Allen Dale Olson

Stacy Marinaro

GI Jokes

We’d like to thank our sponsors: Dominic Ruiz Graphics, Buzzy’s Stickers, Total Learning Curve Books, Comic Warehouse, Kaufman’s West, Rio Grande Credit Union…we so appreciate you.

MAMF’s Summer News

October 2, 2016 MilitaryFamilyMuseum Events, Museum News, Museum of the American Military Family, News, The Board of Directors

The Museum of the American Military Family & Learning Center (MAMF) had a very eventful summer. On July 9, we had a ribbon cutting and opened the doors to very own space right next to the very famous Molly’s Bar.

We are happy to be part of the vibrant East Mountain community—our home in Tijeras is right on historic Route 66 and at the foot of the Turquoise Trail, a National Scenic Byway.

We had a large crowd at our grand opening: Senator Heinrich’s New Mexico office sent a representative who read a personal message from the Senator, Gloria Chavez, the Mayor of Tijeras, also made some remarks. Kirtland Air Force Base was represented, as was the Veteran community. We are very blessed to have such great support.

Welcome to MAMF! We are so glad you’re here

On July 21^st, our board had its quarterly meeting, and we said goodbye to our Veteran Liaison, Elisabeth Sacco, who was moving back East. Our board is very involved in all of MAMF’s projects, and we went over the upcoming summer’s events and coordinated our schedules to include staffing the museum.

On August 3^rd, MAMF Secretary/Public Affairs Ole represented MAMF at an Ernie Pyle Day planning meeting at the New Mexico Veteran’s Memorial. The Ernie Pyle Day is planning commemorative events in Albuquerque for 2017, and we will be participating.

On August 6, MAMF Director Circe, Spouse Liaison Stacy and Community Liaison Lisa took Operation Footlocker out to the Route 66 Run, Rally and Rock festival in Edgewood. MAMF Volunteers Jude and Ed staffed the museum for the day. Writer in Residence Paul dropped by and shared his extensive knowledge of history and literature with visitors.

On August 7 Circe and her husband Bill drove up to Santa Fe and met with representatives from the National Guard to pick out a location for the Military Family Memorial that MAMF is creating. It was determined that a spot right in front of the Bataan Military Museum would be perfect.

On August 31, Circe and Ole spoke to New Mexico Legislators at a special interim committee session at Central New Mexico College. The presentation was well received.

September 6^th Ole was on the “Veterans Today” radio show on KVSF. He spoke to radio host Chris Abeyta about our need for help in constructing the Military Family Memorial as well as our soon-to-be released anthology, From the Frontlines to the Home Front: New Mexicans Reflect on War.

On September 16, MAMF hosted a Naturalization Ceremony for seven military wives who became US Citizens right in our “home”. Because September 16 is also POW/MIA Day and Constitution Day, the ceremony was especially meaningful. The guest speaker was military wife Mehreen Naqvi-Sharazee, herself a naturalized US citizen. Triangle Grocery in Cedar Crest provided a cake and Melba’s Floral Studios in Albuquerque created a gorgeous floral display and provided us with long-stemmed yellow roses for each new citizen.

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On September 24, 35 motorcyclists dropped by MAMF as part of their Patriot Run, a fund-raiser for Run For the Wall and for the Sandoval County Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial.

On September 29 Ole and Circe attended the New Mexico Arts and the Military Arts/Humanities Round Table hosted by New Mexico Arts. Many artists, members of the New Mexico state government, representatives for the VA, and other service organizations participated.

Fall is here, and the museum is gearing up for a busy couple of months—we have an exhibit: GI Jokes: A Somewhat Lighthearted Look at Military Life opening on November 5^th at the Special Collections Library at 423 Central NE in Albuquerque. Comic Warehouse and Kaufman’s West are sponsors of the exhibit. Paul, our Writer-in-Residence has just finished editing an anthology: From the Frontlines to the Home Front: New Mexicans Reflect on War. Our museum will be hosting reading/discussion groups using this book, which will not be for sale commercially. The book will debut around November 11. Stay tuned for dates and locations for the book groups.

Director Circe and Alexander George, both University of Maryland, Munich Campus alumni, have co-edited an anthology Eins, Zwei, G’Suffa: Memories from Munich Campus which is the third book in a series of memoirs. All proceeds from the book will go to support programming at the Museum of the American Military Family.

MAMF will also sponsor “mid-month movies”, a series of three WWII films generously donated by the WWII Foundation for MAMF to show. The first will be on October 15^th at the Museum at 3:00 PM.

The most important project MAMF is working on is the creation of a memorial honoring military families-all generations and branches. It is slated to be placed in Santa Fe this November —fundraising is ongoing to bring this important memorial to fruition. The museum needs only $5,000 more to complete the project. Please help. All donations are appreciated…and donors will be acknowledged on the memorial signage.

Looking forward to 2017, MAMF plans two exhibits:
Host Nation Hospitality (May-June)and Passports and Pedagogy: One Teacher’s Travels (TBD) as well as a couple of transformative papermaking workshops in February/March.

All programs and exhibits are brought to the public free of charge and so MAMF depends on the generosity of individual donations and grants. Please consider a tax free donation to the Museum of the American Military Family an all-volunteer run 501 c 3 non-profit. To donate, please click here

Or send a check to:

Museum of the American Military Family

PO Box 5085

Albuquerque, NM 87185

MAMF Has Moved to its New Location on Route 66!

June 21, 2016 MilitaryFamilyMuseum Events, Military Family Members, Military News, Museum News, Museum of the American Military Family, News, The Board of Directors

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 21, 2016

For additional information: Dr. Circe Olson Woessner (505) 504-6830

THE MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN MILITARY FAMILY (MAMF) IS ON THE MOVE

Old Route 66 is getting a new tenant. The nation’s only museum dedicated to the mothers and fathers, sons and daughters, spouses, and other family members of those who serve and have served in America’s military is settling in at the I-40 interchange with Tijeras. Founder and Executive Director, Dr. Circe Olson Woessner, says the move is going well, “and we plan a grand opening at 3:30 p.m. on July 9.”

Till last summer, MAMF was an on-line presence, but last July set up temporarily in the Bataan Military Academy yet continued providing programs in various venues, to include Explora, the Balloon Museum, the National Nuclear Museum, the South Broadway Cultural Center, the Special Collections Library, the Veterans Memorial Park, schools, and patriotic ceremonies around the state. Its Operation Footlocker mobile exhibit program travels throughout the country and its Flat Stanley and Flat Stella programs follow military families around the world.

“Like everything we do,” Woessner said, “our move to Tijeras is done by volunteers. We are an all-volunteer entity with no paid staff, and our programs and classes are supported by grants, donors, and volunteers, and they’ve all been packing, carrying, unpacking, cleaning, and painting to get us ready to open next month. All of our Directors and Advisors are volunteers.”

Woessner said the new facility will have an artifacts/exhibit area, a library, a crafts room, and a gift shop. “We’re in a house,” she said; “the former home of Molly who established the historic destination bar bearing her name, so as visitors walk in they’ll see what could be the home of a military family that makes a new home every two or three years.”

Exhibition panels describe the various elements affecting family life in the military and the kinds of schools military children attend around the world.

“We’ll be open Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays,” she said, “and we’ll be free to the public.” She said there’s plenty of free parking and praised the attractiveness of the Tijeras Pass leading some seven miles east of Albuquerque along Old Route 66 (Central Avenue), including the “Musical Road.”

The Museum of the American Military Family (MAMF) is at 546 State Highway 333 (Old Route 66), Tijeras, NM 87059. Tel: (505) 504-6830; info@militaryfamilymuseum.org; P.O. Box 5085, Albuquerque, NM 87185. www.museumoftheamericanmilitaryfamily.org.

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MAMF continues to raise money and enthusiasm for the Military Family Memorial

May 10, 2016 MilitaryFamilyMuseum Brats, Military Family Members, Military News, Museum News, Museum of the American Military Family, News, The Board of Directors, Uncategorized, Veterans

Years ago, MAMF began designing its memorial honoring military families. Since then, people have donated a little over $5,000 towards the project. Originally, MAMF wanted to convert one of the seven military housing units it had been gifted into the memorial, but has since determined that those houses will prove too costly to renovate and rehabilitate for the project.

MAMF has redesigned its memorial, incorporating original artifacts from the historic Kirtland AFB houses. They have commissioned an Albuquerque firm to create 3D dandelion sculptures, which will be unveiled later this summer.

Here’s a rough sketch of the memorial building honoring those who “kept the home fires burning…”

The Memorial will be placed with the New Mexico National Guard in late 2016, thanks to the generous donations of individuals, businesses and organizations. It will take an additional $10,000 to bring this Memorial to fruition. If you’d like to help MAMF create this unique tribute to the countless men, women and children who serve alongside America’s heroes, please click here to donate, or send a check to:
MAMF, PO Box 5085 Albuquerque, NM 87185 . We are a 501c3 all volunteer nonprofit and your donations are tax deductible.

Thank you!

MAMF Military Family Memorial

Honoring All Military Moms–

May 6, 2016 MilitaryFamilyMuseum Military Family Members, Museum News, Museum of the American Military Family, The Board of Directors

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

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.

MAMF Director Circe and her husband Bill at the Army Ball in Redstone Arsenal, AL

Lisa Pino joins MAMF as Community Liaison

December 11, 2015 MilitaryFamilyMuseum Museum News, Museum of the American Military Family, News, The Board of Directors

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

December 5, 2015 MilitaryFamilyMuseum Brats, Military Family Members, Museum News, Museum of the American Military Family, The Board of Directors

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

December 5, 2015 MilitaryFamilyMuseum Museum News, Museum of the American Military Family, News, The Board of Directors, Veterans

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

November 29, 2015 MilitaryFamilyMuseum Museum News, Museum of the American Military Family, News, The Board of Directors, Veterans

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.

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

July 28, 2015 MilitaryFamilyMuseum Brats, Events, Museum News, Museum of the American Military Family, The Board of Directors

FOR 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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