The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are the longest ever fought by the US. Although major ground combat is over in a very real sense the wars have not yet ended. Accepted wisdom would say it is too soon to think about a national memorial honoring veterans of those wars but that is just what is happening as a group of veterans push for a global war on terror Memorial in Washington DC. Joining me is Andrew Brennan Army veteran and head of a nonprofit foundation to get that national monument. Welcome. I understand Iran Capitol Hill. What kind of response have you received so far? For those who are unaware -- unaware this is a reboot Nelson last Congress. A former congressman introduced a bill and in just seven working weeks of Congress we managed to get cosponsors on the original bill. The Congressman announced [Indiscernible] which is very fortunate for us given that we eventually will need to see how we will put the Memorial in Washington on the short-term we needed to find a new house introducer which is not [ Iinaudible ] and the democratically on the bill was originally the democratically and former Marine Corps officer and veteran. To get the go-ahead for this memorial Congress has to change some regulations about memorials. Tell us about that. The commemorative war tax states that a memorial cannot be built for 10 years at -- until after the war has ended. In our case given that this is an ongoing conflict that will likely go on for another few decades at a minimum we are in a position where this war and the folks who fought for which a general officer and sergeant major in their 50s or 60s. There were -- they will never see a memorial unless the law is amended or exempted. The bill that we have cases an exemption [Indiscernible] that have a 10 year restriction and it. This happens to be that no more Veterans Day. I wanted to ask you why wouldn't it make sense to wait for a memorial until the most recent wars and and that the nation really come to terms with these conflicts the way we did with the Vietnam war so those who propagate their lives can be properly honored with the type a memorial that really reflects the context of the conflict. I think the question that you bring up and I get this very often is why don't we wait until we have a firmer conflicts like when we will the San Diego mall nobody knew what these memorials would really be. We have two models with which we look at these memorials. One is the Vietnam experience in their generations experience with the Memorial on the have asked. 35 years of history with the group history come readily and cohesion that was then around that memorial to include rolling thunder and the motorcycle Valley and all of those that you occur for the generation. And you juxtapose that against the World War II experience to [Indiscernible] it is truly sad because for every one that got to see a three did not. -- We are in a position where that veteran is going to be a senior citizen and taking his grandchildren to see this memorial [Indiscernible-static] we can a pass on that history and understanding to our future decision-makers and our children and grandchildren that opportunity is falling apart. This is the reintroduction of a bill that did not move very far last time. Do you think the political landscape has changed enough to get the support you're looking for this time around. I do not think it is a matter of the political landscape changing and all I just it is the committee largely being set by the time the bill was introduced on September 12. There's only seven working weeks left in the Congress last year so we did not even have the opportunity to have a hearing in from of the committee of jurisdiction. I think we are entering back into this process I do not think is a matter of political landscape changing it's just getting is socialized widely enough in the house and Senate to actually get this past. I've been speaking with Andy Brennan the head of a nonprofit foundation for the global war on terror Memorial. Thank you for your time I appreciate it.
A group of veterans is pushing to build a war memorial on the National Mall in Washington for the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars.
The problem is those wars are not over and under The Commemorative Works Act, a conflict must have happened 10 years before the construction of a memorial on the National Mall is authorized.
Two congressmen have introduced legislation to change those rules. The bill would also allow The Global War on Terror Memorial Foundation to being fundraising to build the memorial on the National Mall by 2024.
Andrew Brennan, an Army veteran who served in Afghanistan, discussed the latest effort to build a national war memorial for those who served in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, Wednesday on Midday Edition.
