As the sun sets on another Veteran’s Day – it is important to remember those Native Americans also a part of the Armed Services, past and present. According to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, American Indians and Alaska Natives serve in the U.S. Armed Services at higher rates than any other group. With more than 140,000 AI/AN Veterans living in the United States, it is definitely worth taking a moment to thank them for their service to this country.
Today, November 11, 2022, saw the dedication of the new memorial at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian.
The memorial was originally placed on-site two years ago, but due to COVID-19, the dedication was delayed. The memorial was designed by Harvey Phillip Pratt, an artist from Oklahoma, a Vietnam Veteran, and member of the Cheyenne and Arapahoe nations. The dedication ceremony began with a procession along the National Mall, ending at the ceremony stage in front of the U.S. Capitol.
For a complete history of Native American Military Service, visit the USO website.
References
Department of Veteran Affairs, American Indian/Alaska Native Veterans Fact Sheet, https://www.va.gov/HEALTHEQUITY/docs/American_Indian_Heritage_Month_Fact_Sheet.pdf
Dixon, Janelle Harris, Smithsonian Magazine, November 9, 2022, "A Long-Deserved Tribute to Native American Veterans," https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/long-deserved-tribute-native-american-veterans-180981097/
DeSimone, Danielle, USO, "A History of Military Service: Native Americans in the U.S. Military Yesterday and Today," November 8, 2021, https://www.uso.org/stories/2914-a-history-of-military-service-native-americans-in-the-u-s-military-yesterday-and-today
Jodi Rave Spotted Bear
(Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation)Founder & Editor in Chief
Spoken Languages: English
Topic Expertise: Federal trust relationship with American Indians; Indigenous issues ranging from spirituality and environment to education and land rights
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