It’s something that U.S. Senator Joe Donnelly (D-IN) has been working on and advocating for the past few years, and it’s been given the green light to continue to move forward.
Senator Donnelly along with several Gulf War veterans, including former Mayor of Indianapolis, Greg Ballard, and Scott Stump, president and CEO of the Desert Storm War Memorial Association presented to a packed audience Monday morning at the Indiana War Memorials in downtown Indianapolis, an update on the progress that’s been made so far toward building a Desert Storm war memorial. “It’s a way to honor and commemorate the legacy of these heroes,” said Donnelly.
In 2014, Donnelly got bipartisan legislation signed into law with Senator John Boozman of Arkansas to authorize the construction of a National Desert Storm and Desert Shield War Memorial that will be built in a prominent location in our nation’s capitol- Washington, D.C.
Donnelly said that since then, there has been significant progress that’s been made to move forward with construction of the memorial. Right now, they’re in the process of raising money, which is all privately funded. Once there’s enough, construction will get underway.
“It’s the least we can do for the men and women who put their lives on the line for us,” said Donnelly. “Our Gulf War veterans are getting their due, and that there’s recognition for our families who lost their loved ones.”
This is good news for Christine Jensen, a Gold Star mother and Indianapolis resident. Her 22-year-old son, Brian K. Simpson, made the ultimate sacrifice in Operation Desert Storm. “It’s a great thing,” she said. We don’t want our sons and daughters, mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers that were killed to ever be forgotten.”
When construction does begin, it will take about 36 months to complete.
