The Global War on Terror (GWOT) Memorial
“Stalled in Congress for years, the GWOT Memorial Act simply would not have passed without With Honor Action and the For Country Caucus.” – Rep. Mike Gallagher, Member of the For Country Caucus
A walk along the National Mall in Washington, D.C. is a sobering reminder that freedom always comes at a cost. From the hollow columns of the World War II Memorial to the tens of thousands of names inscribed on the Korean War and Vietnam Veterans Memorials, it’s clear service is the bedrock upon which the American story was built.
Soon after With Honor Action was formed, the organization committed itself to the mission of ensuring Global War on Terror veterans receive the recognition they so rightly deserved with a Memorial on the National Mall, where it will become a sacred space for all Americans to honor these veterans’ commitment and sacrifice to our great nation.
Legislation creating such a Memorial was first introduced in 2016. After significant advocacy, Congress finally authorized the creation of the Memorial one year later, an effort led by bipartisan For Country Caucus members Representatives Seth Moulton, Jason Crow, and Mike Gallagher. However, Congress still needed to pass a necessary provision to allow construction of the Memorial on the Reserve portion of the National Mall, the same piece of land the other war memorials on the Mall reside on.
At the start of the 117th Congress, Reps. Crow and Gallagher reintroduced the GWOT Memorial Location Act, which would have allowed for the Memorial to join its brethren in its rightful place on the National Mall. Thanks to the coalescing of the For Country Caucus behind the Act, including a letter sent to President Biden advocating for passage and testimony by then-For Country Caucus Chair Rep. Jared Golden and Senator Joni Ernst, a With Honor Action Senate ally to the Senate Committee on Natural Resources, it subsequently passed that year with significant bipartisan margins.
Efforts continue to support the construction of the Global War on Terror Memorial. With Honor Action has been fortunate to participate in annual “Ruck the Reserve” events to call for attention to the Memorial, along with members of the For Country Caucus and bipartisan allies in the United States Senate.
While the effort to secure GWOT’s proper place on the mall wasn’t easy, the important missions never are. Please consider supporting the construction of the GWOT Memorial. You can learn more about the effort here.
“As part of our advocacy efforts, With Honor Action coordinated an opinion piece by all living Secretaries of Defense, calling for the prominent placement of the Memorial on the National Mall. The piece was instrumental in convincing staffers and Members to get this done.” – Washington Post, September 8, 2021
"Thanks to the leadership and support of With Honor, the GWOT Memorial will one day take its place alongside the existing war memorials in one of our nation's most sacred locations. It will be a place where Americans can come to honor, heal, be empowered, and unite behind all who have served and are still serving in America's longest war."
Michael Rodriguez CEO, Global War on Terrorism Memorial Foundation
“The Global War on Terrorism Memorial Act, which I led with my fellow veterans and members of the For Country Caucus Reps. Jason Crow and Mike Gallagher, would not have passed without the leadership of With Honor Action. I’m looking forward to our continued partnership in the years ahead and working with the veterans in the For Country Caucus as they expand their network to veterans in the Senate who share the same commitment to bipartisan solutions.”
Joni Ernst (R-IA) Senator