Page 22 - Amarillo Senior Link Magazine Winter 2020- Online Magazine

VETERAN Resources

Texas Panhandle War

Memorial

Center by Perry Gilmore, PhD
Executive Director
Texas Panhandle War Memorial Center

n September 30, 2020, The War Memorial purchased our general information – The War
The Texas Panhandle War building in September from Randall Memorial and Combined Arms will
OMemorial Center held a small County. That was a big step for us. As find the right provider. This service
but significant Chamber of Commerce we constantly work to improve our is free; veterans have earned it. Our
Ribbon Cutting ceremony. This event services, the War Memorial partnered navigators are trained to know the
marked the official opening of the War with Combined Arms to provide resource providers in our community
Memorial. We had waited months excellent service referrals for veterans and can connect those resources with
to hold this event, waiting for the and their families. The mission of the the veteran. We will follow up to see
COVID-19 pandemic to improve. War Memorial is to help veterans and that the veteran and the resource
their families by assessing veteran and connect so that the veteran’s needs are
About 200 people attended the Ribbon family member needs and finding being met.
Cutting, including some of our valued appropriate service providers to
donors, local government officials, meet those needs. As a Combined Our Museum features a high-tech
veterans, and members of the public. Arms Community Leader, the War Education Center with five computer
The ceremony was honored with a Memorial has access to the vast array kiosks with information on 11 U.S.
fly-over by vintage combat aircraft. of services that fall under the umbrella wars. We have art and artifact exhibits
State Commander of the Military of Combined Arms. on wars from WWI to Afghanistan,
Order of the Purple Heart, Gus as well as a gift shop. Come and learn
Wittschack, presented a Purple Heart Combined Arms is a not-for-profit about the only battle in U.S. military
medal to Bruce and Rosie Das, Board agency, supported by the Texas history in which every soldier was
President of the Texas Panhandle War Veterans Network and Texas Veterans awarded the Medal of Honor.
Memorial Center in honor of their Commission and numerous veteran
son, Eric. Commander Wittshack then and corporate sponsors. Combined The War Memorial Museum and
presented the War Memorial with a Arms is a backbone organization Veteran Referral Coordination Center
plaque designating the War Memorial focusing on bringing organizations are open Monday through Friday 9
as a Purple Heart Museum. together by providing the technology to 5. The Museum is open Saturday 1
needed to refer veterans and their to 5. Come see us at 4111 S. Georgia
family members to appropriate in Amarillo, 806-350-8387, www.
services, ensuring TexasPanhandleWarMemorial.com.
no one falls through
the cracks. This is a
collaborative effort
across Texas.

Whatever a veteran
might need –
employment,
housing, financial
assistance,
reintegration,
transportation,
counseling, or

22 Amarillo Senior Link