Fairbanks, AK - The Alaska Federation of Natives passed a resolution during their annual convention last month in support of a Native American’s Veterans Memorial in Washington DC. No such memorial currently exists. Tribes across the nation are trying to change that.
If you been to the Vietnam Veterans War Memorial in Washington DC, it’s likely you’ve also seen a bronze sculpture of three Soldiers that stands nearby. “The soldier in the middle represents the Caucasian, the soldier on the right represents the African American and the soldier on the left wearing the boonie cap is commonly referred to as the Hispanic or the Latino," explans Steven Bowers. He's a member of the Seminole Tribe of Florida. He says he feels underappreciated for his service during the Vietnam War with the 173rd Airborne Brigade. “Our own research tells us the American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian served more per capita than any other ethnic group in the whole country, but we’re not recognized,” he says.
For the last two years, Bowers has led the American Indian Veterans Memorial Initiative to establish a memorial on the National Mall. Last month, he was in Fairbanks to garner support from the Alaska Federation of Natives. During the annual convention, AFN delegates passed a resolution in support of the effort. Alaska Native veterans who attended the convention were pleased with the vote.
Earlier this year, Hawaii Democrat Senator Brian Schatz introduced a bill to reauthorize construction of a Native American Veterans’ memorial on the National Mall. In the House, Oklahoma Republican Markwayne Mullin introduced a similar bill. Both bills have been referred to committees, but they haven’t gone anywhere since. Steven Bowers says that’s nothing new. “Other Indian people have tried this. There’s been six other attempts to put some recognition in Washington DC,” says Bowers.
There is no timeline for the initiative, but it has received support from more than 130 tribes across the nation, including the Navajo tribe, 18 tribes that make up the Pueblo Council in New Mexico and Arizona and all 57 tribes that make up the Affiliated Tribes of the Northwest Indians.