: 0:12

And now from the Blue Ridge PBS studios in Roanoke, virginia. It's the Virginians of Interest podcast, with your hosts Brian Campbell and arthan Curran.

Brian Campbell: 0:23

Hello and welcome to the Virginians of Interest podcast. My name is Brian Campbell. I'm here with my co-host, Carthan Curran. Today we're excited to welcome two special guests with us Pam Seay and Bob Archer from the Virginia War Memorial. Welcome to both of you.

Bob Archer: 0:36

Thank you, glad to be here.

Brian Campbell: 0:37

Why don't you both take a few minutes and tell us a little about yourself before we get into the War Memorial, about where you're from and how you came to work at the War Memorial?

Pam Seay: 0:45

I was born in Floyd County and mostly grew up in Henry County, went to Norfolk, met a Richmond boy and moved to Richmond. So I've been in Richmond since 1975, which is the year that I first visited the Virginia War Memorial. I spent years, decades, in a nonprofit, retired happily for a few years to do what grandmothers do, and then got a call about an opening at the Virginia War Memorial Foundation, the 501c3 that supports the memorial, and it was a no-brainer. I don't think I even gave it a second thought. Sure, I'll un-retire and go back to work. It's a rare opportunity.

Brian Campbell: 1:32

Thank you, bob.

Bob Archer: 1:33

Yes, I actually reside in Salem and serve on the board of directors for the War Memorial. Speaking of Southwest Virginia, I'm originally from Saltville, virginia, which a lot of people don't know where that is, but again with a family business here in the Roanoke Valley Blue Ridge Beverage and was asked in 2015, I believe, to serve on the War Memorial Foundation Board and have enjoyed that work over you know that time.

Brian Campbell: 2:04

And you're a proud Hokie. I also noticed, I am a Hokie, yes, good, I noticed your ring earlier. Oh, yes, your big ring. Okay, Carthan.

Carthan Currin: 2:11

Thank you, brian. Welcome again Pam and Bob. I will say for our audience that Saltville, virginia is in Smith County. Just for folks to know that I've been there, it's a great little town. Give us some background on how the War Memorial came to be. It was built and opened in 1950. Is that correct?

Pam Seay: 2:36

It was authorized in 1950 by the Commonwealth of Virginia and, typical of Virginia history, it was game on, game off. It took a while to get it built and it was opened and dedicated on Leap Day, february 29, 1956. And it was built because after World War II, that post-war enthusiasm for veterans and for the military, there was a feeling across the country really to do something to honor those veterans who had fought for freedom overseas for other people. Virginia decided to do something different. Instead of the sort of great man approach, great man approach you know, one monument for someone Virginia decided to list the name of every person killed in action in battle overseas. So at that time that was more than 10,000 names and the names are from every city, county, village in Virginia.

Carthan Currin: 3:52

And Pepper. I had been there many times. We'll get to how that location was settled upon. It's an amazing vista of the James River and downtown Richmond. It starts with World War II, correct? I think our listeners should know that the Carillon, which is in Richmond, is the memorial to Virginians that lost their lives in World War.

Pam Seay: 4:17

I.

Carthan Currin: 4:18

And that's in Byrd Park. That's also an amazing, beautiful structure. So it starts with World War II, goes into Korea, vietnam, persian, gulf Wars.

Pam Seay: 4:31

And what we call the global war on terrorism Right right.

Carthan Currin: 4:37

How did the location come about?

Pam Seay: 4:42

At that time, in 1950, belvedere was the main north-south corridor. It was really the only north-south corridor. It was really the only north-south corridor. And the construction of Belvedere and the bridge was the work really of one state senator, john Wicker, who believed firmly that South Richmond and North Richmond it needed to be easier to get back and forth. He also was the chair of the commission that worked to get the memorial built and he wanted it on Belvedere to prove in some ways to prove his point that that was an important corridor. That was an important corridor. If you haven't been there, it is the most breathtaking view of the James River.

Pam Seay: 5:40

It is a beautiful viewscape and it sits on a hill. It's on five acres that were given by the city of Richmond to the state for that purpose. It's commanding, it commands that view.

Bob Archer: 5:55

And easily accessible.

Pam Seay: 5:57

It really is.

Carthan Currin: 5:58

Well, in fact, recently and we can talk about this it's been added to multiple times from the original structure. It has now its own parking deck and a really wonderful addition with multiple exhibits, and I would urge our listeners to really when they come to Richmond. It's a real jewel to visit and to be reverent. And also you have a great and I've actually been associated with a nonprofit. We had our board meeting there. You have some wonderful meeting facilities as well.

Pam Seay: 6:33

We do From 1956 onward. For several decades, the memorial was that it was a memorial, it was a shrine, and that still is its most important function. Now there are nearly 12,000 names etched on the walls. But what happened was the interest in the Commonwealth's participation in all of the country's conflicts that it's been involved in generated a need for educational programming. So in 2010, the Commonwealth of Virginia and the Virginia War Memorial Foundation put together public and private money to construct a wing named for Phyllis and Paul Galanti. Paul Galanti celebrated POW from Vietnam, and that added classrooms and exhibit space. And then, most recently, there was again the demand for programming outstripped the space available. So there was an additional wing added named for Kenneth Wright, a World War II veteran, great philanthropist, and that wing just opened two weeks before we shut down for COVID. But it does have free underground covered parking, another theater, meeting spaces, more exhibit spaces. It is a beautiful, beautiful facility.

Carthan Currin: 8:08

It's a first-class facility. It is a beautiful, beautiful facility. It's a first-class facility. It has an amazing amphitheater which I used to live in downtown Richmond and I would come walk up to the Memorial Day celebration and commemoration. One more quick question, then I'll turn it over to Brian. I'm curious does every state in our union have a state war memorial? Do you all know that?

Pam Seay: 8:33

After World War II, almost I think every state in the union did a memorial. But as often happens with memorials, it's hard to keep them relevant, and what makes the Virginia War Memorial acknowledged to be the best in the country of its type is the fact that through the years it has evolved. We do educational programs on site, online teacher institutes. We've produced 29 documentaries. We've produced 29 documentaries. We have the largest single trove of veteran oral histories that exist in the state, and that is why anyone in this field would say that the Virginia War Memorial is the best memorial of its type in the country.

Carthan Currin: 9:27

And you had some incredible champions in the General Assembly. In fact, later on today, one of our next guests will be a former speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates, Kurt Cox. Oh yeah, I know that he was a huge champion of the memorial Speaker Howe, speaker, howe, there's been a number John Edwards here in New York, right Senator Edwards Frank Hargrove, frank Hargrove, frank. Hargrove, john O'Bannon, right A lot of wonderful legislators.

Brian Campbell: 10:01

Well, let me it's funny, you said that about the space. Actually, I went to an event that Carthage sponsored a couple years ago and I'm a veteran. I was with another veteran and we spilled out. It was nighttime and we spilled out into the area where the names are engraved and the statue is called Virginia Mourning Her Dead.

Pam Seay: 10:16

Is that correct? It's memory, her name is memory.

Brian Campbell: 10:20

Okay Gotcha. It was almost an emotional moment, almost sort of like the clouds opened up. It was a sort of hallelujah thing. And he was from California and he said I don't think we have something like this in California and all I thought was thank God Carthen had invited me to this event or I would have perhaps just been too busy. I think everybody needs to go visit this and I think part of it's just a great facility with lots of things going on. But if you step out and look at those names engraved there with that, how tall is she? She's 22 feet tall With an internal flame.

Bob Archer: 10:50

Yeah, it can be very humbling.

Brian Campbell: 10:53

It's emotional, just to sort of recount that, and this was a couple years ago, so I think, if nothing else, go and see this. But was that part of your? Because the name Etch was sort of the beginning of it all, correct?

Pam Seay: 11:05

Right and Bob and I were talking about this yesterday. Patriotism runs deep in southwest Virginia. This is where I grew up, and to be in the shrine and to see the names from Roanoke, from Botetourt, from Tazewell, from Wise, from Smith it's a disproportionate number of names from this part of the state.

Brian Campbell: 11:31

And the names are categorized that way too. They're categorized by locality, correct?

Carthan Currin: 11:34

Correct World War II, I guess.

Pam Seay: 11:38

And through Vietnam. And through Vietnam, and then for the global war on terrorism. They are listed by year.

Brian Campbell: 11:44

Okay, gotcha Tell me a little bit more about. Back to the evolution again. And I knew about Mr Wright's contribution and so forth. So was this part of a strategic plan all along, or did this sort of just evolve? I mean, how did this? Because it's become such a terrific national model for how to do this? Was it all happenstance, or was it part of some grander plan?

Bob Archer: 12:06

Well, pam can probably address this in more detail than I can. But of course the Commonwealth, from my perspective, has been very generous in their support of the war memorial and the structure, the people that run it, so on and so forth. But there are a lot of programs that they could not do, I think, without extra help. And that, in a nutshell, is sort of where the foundation comes in. And we work hard and have for years, long before I came on the board to raise funds hand-in-hand with the center, the War Memorial and their staff, on programs everything from education and, in some cases, some of the capital construction projects. We help with some of that, but we've played a big role in doing those extra things. It makes it, I agree with Pam, the best in the country.

Brian Campbell: 13:01

Yeah, one last question, and then I'll go back to Carth, and this is also related to your programming. One of the names I noticed was a young man who was killed in the global war on terrorism. I knew his parents. He was from the Richmond area. Isn't there a standing event every Memorial Day that sort of pays homage to the folks on that wall, and how is that structured?

Pam Seay: 13:24

You know, virginia has more than 700,000 veterans and a huge active military population. So part of the growth of the Virginia War Memorial is to continue to show appreciation and respect for what those in the military have done, and one of the really important things we do is to give non-veterans a chance to know what veterans do. So Memorial Day, veterans Day, patriot Day on 9-11, canine Veterans Day those are all. We have 12 commemorations like that and those are all opportunities for veterans and non-veterans to come together to reflect on what service means.

Carthan Currin: 14:18

And typically at the Memorial Day celebrations, usually the governor is the keynote speaker.

Brian Campbell: 14:23

The flags are all. There's all the flags everywhere and modern times.

Carthan Currin: 14:27

Just to point this out, three former governors in modern times were veterans Governor Wilder fought in Korea, governor Robb was in Vietnam and Governor Gilmore served in the US Army as well. Thank you, thanks, carter, just to point that out. Can you discuss some other programs? Yes, Besides Memorial Day, you also do a program around Pearl Harbor, is that correct?

Pam Seay: 14:54

Pearl Harbor Day is one of our commemorations. We do that with the Navy League.

Carthan Currin: 14:58

The Navy. If I'm not mistaken, did Ross Perot financially support the World Memorial or has been there. I remember something in my memory. Is that correct?

Pam Seay: 15:10

He was a huge contributor to the Paul and Phyllis Galanti Education Center because of his respect for Paul Galanti and Phyllis' efforts to shed light on the plight of POWs during the Vietnam War caught his attention and those two worked together.

Carthan Currin: 15:32

In fact, he became a huge advocate during the Vietnam War to not forget and to think.

Pam Seay: 15:40

And he was there that night that it was dedicated.

Carthan Currin: 15:43

He was there. Okay, I thought I was correct in that he commissioned it.

Bob Archer: 15:46

I'm learning a lot from him. We're going to get to you in a minute, bob no no no, and Paul is still with us.

Pam Seay: 15:54

Paul is still on our board and he's amazing and his son Jamie, right, I mean, he's amazing. He's got to be 80-something 86, but his sense of humor and his perspective and his outlook will never be anything but youthful.

Brian Campbell: 16:17

And for those that don't know, he was in captive, a prisoner of war in Vietnam. For how?

Carthan Currin: 16:20

long Seven years, seven years, seven years. And was he in the same compound as John McCain?

Pam Seay: 16:26

for example, he was, they overlapped.

Carthan Currin: 16:28

They overlapped.

Pam Seay: 16:29

Hanoi Hilton.

Bob Archer: 16:29

Hanoi Hilton, Hanoi Hilton which I visited a few years back. It's another humbling place.

Carthan Currin: 16:38

Have any representatives of the Vietnamese government ever visited the Virginia War Memorial?

Pam Seay: 16:44

I don't know.

Bob Archer: 16:45

That's a good question.

Pam Seay: 16:48

There is an active community in Richmond of former South Vietnamese and they are so participatory, especially in the commemorations we see a lot of them.

Carthan Currin: 17:05

So the memorial construction began in 1950, or it was because it overlapped Governor Tuck and Governor Battle. Their administrations were both a part of it. I guess it was open during the Battle administration.

Pam Seay: 17:20

It was opened in 1956. Construction didn't begin until there was a design competition, statewide design competition for what it should look like, and architects from across the state submitted entries. The winning entry was from the Collins Architectural Firm in Stanton, virginia. And then Leo Friedlander, a New York artist, who was very famous in his day and a great patriot. He was mostly an iron. He worked in iron, in fact he did the iron work on the chapel doors at the American Cemetery in Luxembourg. Great, great patriot, and he designed the statue of memory that Brian mentioned. So construction started long about 1954, once the design was settled on and it opened in 1956. But it did open. You talked about beautiful memory. She is 22 feet tall and they couldn't get her in the shrine with her head attached. So during the commemoration memory is there in all her glory, with no head, and her head is by her feet. It is.

Pam Seay: 18:52

Oh wow, I know.

Brian Campbell: 18:57

Which, by the way, I think I was getting my memorials confused when I said Virginia mourning her dead. I believe it's the Ezekiel Moses statue in Lexington on the campus of VMI where those cadets are buried, I believe. So still very important and much smaller, but also a reflective place. Bob, let me ask you you know you kind of glossed over this a little bit. You got involved in 2015. How did that happen? I mean, you're very committed to what you're doing here. You live not close to Roanoke, so you're having to put in a lot of time and effort to participate and do the work you're doing.

Carthan Currin: 19:29

You mean?

Brian Campbell: 19:29

Richmond, richmond, excuse me, what motivated you to sort of take this job on?

Bob Archer: 19:34

Well, let me do it backwards, Okay. Being a veteran, I've known about the War Memorial. My brother is a veteran. We actually went down, were invited down to tour it before 2015. And that was the first time I actually went in and saw what was there and understood what it was all about. Even though I'd known about it, I'd never visited. So it didn't take much when I was invited later to join the board because I believe in what they do. I was invited later to join the board because I believe in what they do and you know, when you talk to anybody a little bit, they understand very quickly what it's about.

Bob Archer: 20:19

It's not a hard sell in a way, but you know I've been active down in Richmond, politically and otherwise, on behalf of our industry and my company. I was involved. I ran the small business advisory board for eight years. So I mean, I just I was fortunate in my family business to have support from my family to allow me to spend time over the years doing these things, and you build networks and that leads to other opportunities, and this one's very special, though. Again, all of us have served on boards and raised money for different things, which is not my favorite thing to do, but you do what you have to do, and this one is different. It's a different discussion and you know people, once they learn and understand the need and what's going on, are usually very, very supportive. So I don't know if I answered your question. You did.

Brian Campbell: 21:22

Let me ask you tell us about your military service.

Bob Archer: 21:26

Well, I Went to Virginia Tech, Corps of Cadets was commissioned, served with 82nd Airborne Division. That's another story for another day. But then, you know, did go to Vietnam. Next Came back from Vietnam, back into the family business, and remained in the Army Reserves and did a 30-year career there and retired as a colonel.

Brian Campbell: 21:53

Wow, great, thank you. Thank you very much. Thanks for sharing that story.

Carthan Currin: 21:56

Brian's a veteran, yes, air Force.

Brian Campbell: 21:59

Air Force not nearly as distinguished as your career, that's okay.

: 22:02

It's all needed and all important.

Brian Campbell: 22:04

Yeah.

Carthan Currin: 22:05

I would like to talk about the War Memorial, its structure. It's an agency of the Commonwealth funded by the General Assembly, but you have this separate foundation, which is an arm of the War Memorial, to raise additional funds. Talk to us a little bit about the governance. How is the governing board? Who serves on that? Does the governor have appointees, does the General Assembly have appointees, or can you expand on that a little bit?

Pam Seay: 22:38

The Virginia War Memorial is a state agency and it is part of the Virginia Department of Veteran Services. So the five acres, the building, that is state property and there are 11 full-time state employees at the memorial. But it's the same public-private business model. Every state college has a non-profit behind it, a 501c3. Every state museum has a 501c3, working to enhance the programming, as Bob said, with private money. Even the state library, the Library of Virginia, has a 501c3. So the 501c3, the Virginia War Memorial Foundation, was established in 2020 after a couple of years of planning and organizing. It has no governor-appointed members on it. It is a private board. There are 30 members and they are members from all across the state. Bob used to be the furthest southwest, but now we have one from Wise County as well, and they are appointed by—there is a nominating committee of the board. They are self-appointed for three-year terms. We are organized into committees. We work closely with the state. The director of the memorial is Dr Clay Mountcastle and he sits on many of our committees. Comes to our board meetings.

Carthan Currin: 24:20

But there is no real state, Like at a university. We have the board of visitors Right there isn't a board appointed by the governor. Does the Secretary of Veterans Affairs of the Commonwealth serve on any?

Pam Seay: 24:32

No, we see a lot of Secretary Crenshaw, but no, he's not on the board. It is an unusual. It's like all the public-private partnerships in the state, but unusual in its own ways.

Bob Archer: 24:48

The only thing I would add is we do operate with a memorandum of understanding with the state, so there is a semi-formal relationship. From that standpoint, correct.

Carthan Currin: 25:13

So, going back to the educational aspect of the War Memorial, what type can you tell our listeners describe the outreach programs you have to kind of put the War Memorial on the road, so to speak, throughout the Commonwealth? Do you have activities, educational activities, that you promote throughout the state, or not?

Pam Seay: 25:27

Oh, absolutely, we do statewide outreach. Oh, absolutely, we do statewide outreach. We send educators on the road to meet with teacher groups and with students. But we also do a lot of, you know, thanks to COVID and I hate to say thanks to COVID for anything, but we learned how important technology is we can give programs in real time to students in Wise County, much too far away for a field trip, and of course we offer field trips and we offer a stipend for any school groups who come to cover the cost of transportation.

Pam Seay: 26:06

So most of our well, all of our outreach is really education focused and a lot of it is with Virginia, educators and students. But we also do documentaries and in fact Bob is the one who got us into these studios, into Blue Ridge PBS. We did a documentary that we aired last October. Last October marked the 40th anniversary of the bombings on the Marine Corps barracks and that very same week our invasion in Grenada, where two more, so in total 18 Virginians were killed that week. And it was thanks to our director in Roanoke that we for the first time did a documentary with the public television station.

Brian Campbell: 26:59

And, by the way, that's an award-winning documentary.

Bob Archer: 27:01

Yes.

Brian Campbell: 27:01

Congratulations, congratulations to Lisa, and it's called One Week in October. Right Is right. So I watched it because I knew about Lisa's involvement in the great Blue Ridge PBS and it was terrific. As a matter of fact, I was complimenting her this morning on it. I was in the military then and the Grenada part was called Operation Urgent Fury and, believe it or not, there was a lot of people from Langley that were sent to Roosevelt Road, puerto Rico, in support of that. So I remember that week vividly and it was just such a well-done piece and I thought you know, my goodness, what a terrific gift to also bring awareness to what you guys do. And I wasn't aware of the significant loss of life. I mean other than the Bay Ridge bombing, I mean, I think, the Grenada part where the helicopter pilot was killed and he was from Newport News. It was just an incredibly well-done thing that brought the memorial to a live. So compliments, kudos to both you guys and Blue Ridge PBS for that.

Bob Archer: 27:57

The pilot lost, if I remember correctly, was the brother of a classmate of mine. So that hit home pretty much yeah.

Brian Campbell: 28:05

The theory was too, the Beirut thing was just awful on a grand scale, but I didn't realize the resistance. It was greater than I thought. So in other words, it was very educational to me about even though they weren't that well armed, there was still a lot of casualties as related to urgent fury and Grenada.

Pam Seay: 28:22

That day was the largest single day loss of marine life since Okinawa life since.

Brian Campbell: 28:29

Okinawa.

Carthan Currin: 28:29

Wow, wow. For teachers that may be listening to this at some point in the future, how would they connect Pam with the War Memorial to learn more about the educational programs? Can you share with that and maybe a phone number?

Pam Seay: 28:47

Absolutely Well. It really is easy to do it online and also at the same time to apply for the stipend, and all schools are eligible for that. But our education department will reply almost immediately to any email inquiry.

Carthan Currin: 29:06

So you have school field trips, you have from all over the Commonwealth come and have a tour.

Pam Seay: 29:14

And adult groups as well. We have special initiatives to get seniors into the building, because that is such a huge veteran population and it's really the only place they can come sometimes to hear how their conflict, how their experience related globally to world events. And all of those documentaries are free to schools. They're all on our website. They're all on our YouTube channel. We don't charge for copies of those.

Carthan Currin: 29:49

Speaking of those documentaries, I think former Governor Wilder and Rob were part of a documentary about their own experiences in Korea and Vietnam, respectfully. Is that correct?

Pam Seay: 30:00

That is, we have their oral histories.

Carthan Currin: 30:02

Oral histories I see.

Brian Campbell: 30:03

Well, yeah, let me give you a shameless plug. So not only in addition to Carthens thing. You know, you and I met Pam because I went to one of your great lectures one night, a terrific lecture on pharmaceutical supply chain stuff, and then I'm on your mailing list now. So two days ago I got the thing about the Cold War luncheon and I thought, my God, I've got to get to this. And I said, oh, my goodness, I've got a conflict. So not only should people visit, but they should sign up for your wonderful lectures, which I think are some of the best around. And it's one of those things that when I see something from you, I'm excited to get it, because I know it's valuable and it's something I'm going to want to be a part of.

Pam Seay: 30:40

Oh thank you, and signing up for the print newsletter, as well as all the e-blasts again. Just go to the website vawarmemorialorg and get on the mailing list. Those lunchtime programs are free and you don't even have to register, you just show up.

Brian Campbell: 30:57

So show up with your lunch.

Pam Seay: 30:58

Gary Powers is the speaker right Gary Powers Jr.

Brian Campbell: 31:00

And he's the son of the U2 pilot. Yes, does he live in Virginia?

Pam Seay: 31:05

Gary Powers lives in Midlothian Virginia.

Carthan Currin: 31:08

Wow, well, his father was from Southwest Virginia, correct?

Pam Seay: 31:12

I think he was. I think so. I don't remember exactly, I think so.

Carthan Currin: 31:15

Yeah, I'm pretty sure on that. I have this crazy idea, bob, I've been thinking about for years I want to share with you now. Now, whoever else is listening, watch out. I've always had this. I just can see it in my head visually having the Corps of Cadets of Virginia Tech and the Corps of Cadets of VMI march from the state capitol to the war memorial like Memorial Day or Veterans Day. I just think, almost like a parade. That would be really awesome, in my opinion.

Brian Campbell: 31:43

All right, bob, the gauntlet's been thrown down. Well, I can say that.

Bob Archer: 31:48

I was fortunate and got to march in the inaugural parade in Richmond.

: 31:51

Which one was that Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets Right.

Bob Archer: 31:54

I'm trying to remember 1966? That would have been Mills-Godwin. That's exactly who it was. And then of course it was one of the last classes to get to march into victory stadiums, which I still miss, Me too. I never saw that. I wish I had seen it. Great events.

Carthan Currin: 32:13

I have a good friend, bunny Paulette, who's a VMI cadet. Absolutely, he was in that same Godwin inaugural.

: 32:20

It's a great day he lost his rifle.

Carthan Currin: 32:22

He couldn't find his rifle, so they put him back on the bus. He got a demerit Anyway he told me that story.

Pam Seay: 32:28

That sounds like.

Carthan Currin: 32:29

It sounds like Bunny, doesn't it? He's going to kill me if he hears this, but anyway. So forget the parade idea, I guess.

Bob Archer: 32:36

No, no, I would not say, forget it, we'll work on it, okay.

Carthan Currin: 32:39

That sounds like.

Brian Campbell: 32:40

I think it'd just be amazing to have that kind of experience, for folks to see both to the War Memorial, but it wasn't there back in the day when there was a lot of rivalry between VMI and Virginia Tech when they were playing each other more regularly right In the Victory Stadium part. We talked about this on a previous show. Was that the VMI-Virginia Tech game or was that Virginia? Yes, yes, it was VMI-Virginia Tech. Thanksgiving Day Thanksgiving Day Thanksgiving Day every year.

Bob Archer: 33:08

Wow, At Victory Stadium we would all come to around the train station and get off the buses or the train before me and march to downtown break for lunch both cores Right and then form back up separately and march on to Victory Stadium and do a formation on the field. And there were a number of pranks that I probably can't go into. Oh, come on. No, no. Well, we did carry in some lime one time and put a big VT on the 50-yard line, but that's the most tame one I can probably talk about.

Carthan Currin: 33:46

As I've heard, both corps would come in separate. Or did you all march together? No, you came in in separate points within the city, right we?

Bob Archer: 33:58

mingled during lunch hour, but beyond that we did things separately marched in separately.

Brian Campbell: 34:03

Were the corps about similar in size? I mean because VMI has never been that big but the corps at Virginia Tech has been as big again, I'm guessing. I'm asking did you feel outnumbered when I was at?

Bob Archer: 34:15

Tech in 1964, give or take a year. Virginia Tech you asked. Virginia Tech made it voluntary as to whether you would be in the Corps or not and that started at that time a decline over time in the size. But when I was there starting out anyway, we were similar size corps of cadets.

Brian Campbell: 34:40

Yeah.

Bob Archer: 34:41

But then it changed pretty quickly.

Brian Campbell: 34:43

And I've heard now it's back again.

Bob Archer: 34:45

Well, they've done a fantastic job with a lot of scholarships and other ways, and I think the goal is around 1,400, and they're fast approaching that and I'll be honest, at one time I thought it would not survive.

Carthan Currin: 35:00

Well, in fact, if I'm not mistaken, they actually had to add an additional residence hall because the Corps has grown. Yes, and I have two close college friends that sons both went to the Corps of Cadets.

Bob Archer: 35:12

I have two close college friends that sons both went to the Corps of Cadets. Well, with their new dorms, their new leadership building, administrative Corps building that just opened, which is spectacular, you should go tour that I'd love to If you'd go with me, I'd be glad to. Okay, I have high hopes for the Corps of Cadets at Virginia Tech.

Carthan Currin: 35:30

Did you know Delegate Hargrove Frank Very much so he was on our Right so I've heard he's a good friend of mine. I went to Ferrum College and he used to be chair of our board and one of his sons went to Ferrum. So I got to know Frank, loved the world of him, just a great man. Have you heard the story about when he was at that he flew a plane over VMI when he was at Tech and the Corps of Cadets and dumped some papers at I have not heard that, but I'm not surprised, Somewhat not particularly favorable writings were on these pieces of paper that he dumped on the VMI parade ground.

Carthan Currin: 36:13

Somebody got his whatever the numbers whatever the call numbers or whatever you call that on a plane and actually reported them.

Brian Campbell: 36:22

But anyway, that's just a great story, Well yeah, it's funny because we've taken a diversion away from the war memorial, but it's kind of relative and that is, I'm getting older and when I was younger there was a lot more. There were more veterans, right. I mean the number of veterans were much larger for a lot of reasons. World War II veterans were around, vietnam veterans, it's just that number has it's something in one out of 100 or something like that. It's just the numbers have dwindled and it's not as big a part of our culture as it once was. I mean, if you think about it, well, the draft, yeah the draft. But also in our colleges and universities there's always been robust, even ROTC programs at other state universities. But that VMI Virginia Tech thing was a really special event. But because of the big-time nature of college athletics that was sort of the death knell of that celebration. At least at Victory Stadium Nobody wanted to give up a home football game, right?

Bob Archer: 37:16

That's probably why. Yeah, and Virginia Tech got bigger and bigger, exactly Bigger.

Pam Seay: 37:21

One of the things that the Virginia War Memorial Foundation does is to offer scholarships to graduating people, kids from Virginia high schools who are going to an ROTC program, and this year one of our scholarship recipients is doing the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets.

Bob Archer: 37:40

Well, you can imagine our board right, the makeup of our board, and they're from all over. Hopefully we'll have more from Southwest Virginia, but a lot of VMI grads, a lot of tech grads.

Pam Seay: 37:53

West Point grads West.

Bob Archer: 37:55

Point.

Pam Seay: 37:56

Naval.

Bob Archer: 37:56

Academy it's. We're not right now Doing business. We're having a good time talking about some of this.

Brian Campbell: 38:04

Well, some of it but it's fascinating. Well, Pam, you brought up a good point too, and that is Tidewater is probably the largest concentration because it's still such an active hub of military, but then you've got Northern.

Pam Seay: 38:14

Virginia and Northern Virginia.

Brian Campbell: 38:15

So it's almost like we've got these vast communities of veterans and it's partly why, I think, even though other places who have patriotically served our country just sort of get overshadowed by those twin pillars of Tidewater and Northern Virginia.

Carthan Currin: 38:32

There are a lot of veterans out here in southwest Virginia. Actually, I'm happy to say, Bob, as I understand it, Ferrum College is working with Virginia Tech to reinstitute ROTC at Ferrum. Rotc at Ferrum.

Bob Archer: 38:45

Well, the other aspect of that is that people may not realize that Radford University has an ROTC program that is administered by the ROTC department at Virginia Tech.

Carthan Currin: 38:55

I did not know that.

Brian Campbell: 38:58

Very active. Well, this is a good question for probably you, pam. When young people come, I mean I'm sort of struck. The older you get, the more you think the next generation is not getting it right. You know, young people today sort of they're on their phones. They're not really as connected as we were growing up. When kids do come on field trips, how does that work? I mean, are they made to put their phones away and are they paying attention? And what happens? How are they different when they leave the war memorial than when they arrive?

Pam Seay: 39:25

You know, one thing that makes a visit to the war memorial if you're part of a group or even if you come in by yourself so special is that almost all of our docent corps are veterans. So those school kids coming in are generally, almost always led by a veteran and there is an authenticity that a veteran gives and you can't really script, always script them. So when they talk about their personal service kids, kids don't want their phone, kids are listening, they it is. It is a special experience and we get terrific feedback from teachers about you know how well behaved their kids were because they were so fascinated by this veteran leading them. And veterans who volunteer at the War Memorial they are the special sauce, they are what makes it so special.

Brian Campbell: 40:25

Well, God bless you for doing that, and I also feel too maybe that's the key to reengaging younger people, and not just military service but civics, and service to something greater than yourself I know you probably have experienced this too is that I always thought that was the great thing about the military is that you were part of something, but it was bigger than you, and the camaraderie you can never replace. I've never had anything quite like it, and that's the secret sauce. When you're there, and then all you want to do you complain about it. When you're in there, and then all you want to do is talk about the rest of your life. So it becomes this sort of galvanizing experience, right with your fellow brothers and sisters in arms, and it just seems to me that that's probably of all the things you do, which you do a lot that may be one that has the greatest dividends is the ability to just simply influence younger people about the true meaning of sacrifice.

Pam Seay: 41:29

I do think that it's through education that you inspire love of country, that the more you know, not just about your country in general but your local history, you know, if you're on a field trip to our place and you're from Roanoke and you're out there in the shrine and you see Roanoke and you see names and some of them are family names that you recognize and know. We have a gallery devoted to the 50 Virginians who've been awarded a Medal of Honor and they are from all over the state. And to see somebody from your part of the state and to put your history in context, that ordinary people make history, that history doesn't just happen, it's visceral, it is a special experience.

Carthan Currin: 42:08

Great Garth. I'm part of the Sons of the Revolution. Has that group ever met the Virginia Sons of the Revolution chapter?

Pam Seay: 42:20

You know, I don't know that they I've been there, I've been out of retirement and back there almost five years and I don't know, I don't know that it's part of that Let me ask you, because that's a good question.

Brian Campbell: 42:31

Your facilities are so nice, right, but you've always had a great place, but you've got a particularly nice place now. So isn't that sort of the message here, too is if you haven't been in a while, you need to come and see how it's different, absolutely.

Carthan Currin: 42:43

And if any nonprofits are listening or anybody, you can rent at the meeting facilities, which are top drawer now and it's an amazing place to meet, so I'll try to promote having an event. Oh, that's great, sons of the Revolution. What is the? Do you have stats on attendance, like this past year? How many people actually visited?

Pam Seay: 43:10

On grounds, we are close to 100,000. Wow, but service-wise, we're closer to I mean, we're more than 400,000. When you think about the people who view our documentaries online or on YouTube, think about the people who view our documentaries online or on YouTube. When you consider that those commemorations we talked about are broadcast on TV, when you consider people who still are watching One Week in October on their PBS channel so we talk more about service the online teacher institutes, classroom programs it's closer to 400, but 100,000 on site.

Carthan Currin: 43:51

Are you part of the? I don't know what the city of Richmond has now. I used to work in economic development for the city and I tried to champion tourism assets that the capital city has. Does the War Memorial work with other tourism assets?

Pam Seay: 44:06

Oh, absolutely Like the State Capitol the John Marshall House, et cetera. We are also part of something called the World War II Heritage Alliance. That includes in Richmond the Virginia Holocaust Museum, but also includes the D-Day Memorial at Bedford MacArthur Memorial.

Carthan Currin: 44:24

In.

Pam Seay: 44:25

Norfolk in Norfolk. That's another special place there are seven of us, and it's a coalition of sites, and their mission is to keep alive the lessons learned from World War II.

Carthan Currin: 44:40

The 250th coming up of our country's independence in 2026,. They have a commission that I'm familiar with and they're planning all kinds of events. Are you thinking about being a part of the 250th and the Commonwealth's essential role? As far as the military genius in. George Washington being giving our British cousins a lot of trouble. So you're going to have some programs associated with that.

Pam Seay: 45:11

It will be the 250th birthday of the Army, the Marines, I mean. It's significant on lots of fronts and so I go to those commission meetings and we're plugging in where we can. Officially, in the Code of Virginia our focus begins with World War II, but there's if you come to the Virginia War Memorial you will see in one of the galleries Virginia's involvement in the Revolution.

Carthan Currin: 45:44

Well, you have actually mannequins with different uniforms from the Revolutionary period all the way, and weapons and weapons, correct. That's a nice collection, nice exhibit. If Harry Truman did visit, maybe you should.

Pam Seay: 45:56

Well, don't keep saying that Now I'm worried about losing my job.

Carthan Currin: 46:01

I have an idea that I think you should. If it's true, you probably should interact with his presidential library and maybe have some folks from that library to come and do a presentation on.

Brian Campbell: 46:11

We're going to have a cardboard cutout of Harry Truman and young Bob at the War Memorial and say that was the visit, not going to arrange that.

Pam Seay: 46:19

Let's say he was there in spirit.

Brian Campbell: 46:21

Exactly.

Pam Seay: 46:22

Then I won't feel quite so exposed.

Brian Campbell: 46:24

I've got one last kind of question comment and then I'm going to turn it over to Carth and then we'll wrap up. Bob, I don't know how your experience was in the military, but some of it was. The cool thing about the camaraderie was there was a lot of competition about where you were from, so there was a lot of pride in being a Virginian versus a North Carolinian or a New Yorker. It's the old military story right, that you take a group of disparate people from very different backgrounds and you put them together for a common cause and they'll do remarkable things. So as much as I'm a native Virginian, I have great pride and everything else.

Brian Campbell: 46:52

I lived in North Carolina about a decade ago and there was a story that was about the youngest man killed in Vietnam and he was an African-American fellow, I think from Goldsboro, and he lied about his age and it turns out he was killed at 16.

Brian Campbell: 47:05

And it's hard to even talk about and his grave had fallen to disrepair and a group of other veterans had gotten together to sort of fix that and stand guard over this guy's grave. And it just sort of struck me then that, as prideful as I am in Virginia and Virginia's service, that at the end of the day, what makes us Americans is the common commitment to our country. So that's my final plug. It's not really a question, but just to say get to the Mormon world Walk, drive, march, crawl. However, you've got to get there, but get there. I still think. If you can go at night as part of a ceremony, like I did with Carth, then it's even more spectacular at night, I think, with the James River flowing down and the names backlit on that glass. It's just an incredible place. So I just feel like put it on your bucket list, if you're listening to this, and do what you can to support these great people and the terrific work they're doing.

Pam Seay: 48:03

I would just say we're free. We're open every day. Parking is free, attendance is free.

Carthan Currin: 48:09

Can't be free. Thank you, Looking at the future. You're on five acres, Knowing the site as I do. Is there any other thoughts of adding any other structure or are you fairly built out with where things are and just other things that you're thinking about? In the next five years, what may be planned at the memorial?

Pam Seay: 48:37

I think our focus is to continue to enhance the grounds we have. We're finishing up nearly a million dollars of creating a public green space.

: 48:51

Wow.

Pam Seay: 48:52

To make those five acres more comfortable, to encourage longer visits, We've planted 88 trees to create some shade. We've planted more than 500 Virginia natives and favorites pollinators. So that is a huge part of what we do, but I think our focus is more on building service than creating more facilities. Unless you know something I don't, Bob no, I think you're right on.

Bob Archer: 49:26

I mean a lot of our work as a foundation again is program-focused, though again we have stepped in when asked to raise funds for building, but primarily it's looking to the future and what we can do from a program and educational standpoint that we spend a lot of our time on Bob does the War Memorial have a direct relationship with the Virginia Tech and VMI Corps of Cadets?

Carthan Currin: 49:55

He's persistent.

Bob Archer: 49:58

Well, a lot of those contacts, too, would come through the Director Clay, who has relationships all over the state. I see, I know they talk at different times, about different issues From time to time. If something comes up to our attention on the board, we have contacts too. We know people at these institutions and part of our strategic plan is building partnerships, and that, to me, is a prime example.

Carthan Currin: 50:24

Well, I'm curious too have you had like reunions where you and your other classmates that were in the Corps of Conducts at Virginia Tech do you have? Because you have wonderful facilities, as Brian has indicated earlier, for receptions events?

Bob Archer: 50:39

Well, a lot of my reunions have been tech-focused, Tech-centric right. But you're exactly right. If people were aware of the facility in Richmond, maybe that's geographically a perfect place to have a reunion. That facility could more than handle those type of events.

Carthan Currin: 50:56

Well, I urge our listeners that are interested in that kind of thing to really take advantage of that because, as Brian indicated, the view is unbelievable. It really is Very special.

Brian Campbell: 51:09

Well, I think, is that it Carthan.

Carthan Currin: 51:11

Yes, sir, other than the marching of the cadets. Well, back to the parade. He's not giving up on that. I'm going to work on that. I'll keep you posted on the parade activities.

Brian Campbell: 51:18

Yeah, on behalf of not just Carthan but all Virginians, thank you for both, for what you do. I Virginians thank you for both for what you do. I think that it's like we said earlier you're serving a purpose greater than yourselves and you should take great pride in that, and I thank you not just on behalf of us, but on behalf of all Virginians. Thank you for being here today, Thank you, Thank you. Thank you for listening to the Virginians of Interest podcast. If you like what you've heard today, please like, subscribe and share this podcast.

: 51:41

Thank you for listening to the Virginians of Interest podcast. To hear other episodes of this podcast, head to virginiansofinterestcom.