Reserve Your Tickets
Honor the courage, sacrifice, and service of our nation’s heroes at this year’s Veterans Day Ceremony.
In recognition of the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, our program will pay special tribute to veterans of all generations. The ceremony and afternoon events will celebrate their accomplishments, acknowledge their sacrifices, and reflect on their enduring contributions to our country.
This year’s keynote address will be delivered by Major General Burke Whitman, USMC (Ret.).
Program Participants also include:
• Col. John Thompson, Master of Ceremonies
• Wayne Coleman, Bagpiper
• Timothy Miller, Tenor Soloist
• Master Sergeant Sparkle K. Adams, US Air Force (Ret.)
The ceremony is free to attend. Pre-registration is highly encouraged. In the event of inclement weather, the ceremony will move to an indoor location.
We are pleased to offer exclusive access to the Museum from 9:00am-12:00pm for Veterans and their families only. Veterans and their families will receive free admission by presenting a valid ID. The Museum will open for general admission at 12 pm. All General Admission prices that day will be discounted to $11.11 in recognition of the Veterans Day holiday.
Experience special programming throughout the afternoon, including guided tours, WWII exhibits Our War Too and Their Finest Hour, oral histories from the Veterans History Project and more.
Day of Programming Schedule
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Ceremony | 11:00am-12:00pm
Major General Burke Whitman- Keynote
Lieutenant Colonel John Thompson- Master of Ceremonies -
Resources at Veterans Park | 9:30am-12:00pm
Additional Programming | 12:00pm-4:00pm
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Guided Tour of "Our War Too"Times: 1:30pm and 2:30pmJoin Timothy Frilingos, Director of Exhibitions, for a guided tour of Our War Too: Women in Service. This groundbreaking special exhibit honors the nearly 350,000 American women who answered the call to serve their country during World War II. Through this tour, learn about servicewomen’s wartime efforts, their accomplishments, and their impact that extends into the present day.
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Guided Tour of "Their Finest Hour"
1:00—1:30 pm
2:00—2:30 pm
3:00—3:30 pm
Experience one of our newest exhibits on Atlantans’ role in WWII with a guided tour led by Sue Verhoef, Director of Oral History and Genealogy. This exhibition honors the sacrifices of the World War II generation by sharing their stories from more than 850 oral histories preserved in Kenan Research Center’s Veterans History Project.Limited tickets available on site, first come first served.
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Veterans History Project Video | Ongoing
The Veterans History Project oral history collection contains video and audio interviews of veterans who served in World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Persian Gulf War, the Global War on Terror, and civilians who supported them.
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Digital Collections Pop Up | Ongoing
Visit our Gatheround Gallery to see a specially curated selection of artifacts from our collections highlighting those who served in WWII, the Vietnam War, and other conflicts.
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Salute a Service Member | Ongoing
Show your appreciation for our active-duty service members by coloring a postcard and writing a message of thanks!
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Resources | Ongoing
Veterans History Project Table
Education Department Travel Trunks and more!
About the Keynote Speaker
Major General Burke W. Whitman is an American executive, board director, and former US Marine commanding general.
In business, he serves as CEO of Colmar Holdings and on the boards of directors of Omega Healthcare Investors (NYSE) and Amicus Therapeutics (Nasdaq). Previously he was CEO of HMA (NYSE Fortune 500), CFO of Triad (NYSE Fortune 500), and president of Deerfield Health, all three of which were merged with other companies.
In military service, he served for 34 years as an infantry, recon, and general officer of US Marines, with 14 years cumulatively on active duty, during which he led ten overseas deployments including peace enforcement in Bosnia and multiple combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. He commanded ground combat forces at all levels, served as the commanding general of a Marine Division and of US Marine Forces, and as a general officer with the Secretary of Defense.
As a volunteer, nationally he has served on the boards of the Federation of American Hospitals, Marine Corps Heritage Foundation, Marine Corps University, Nashotah Theological Seminary, Toys For Tots Foundation, and the United States Secretary of Defense; he is a member of Business Executives for National Security, and a volunteer ordained chaplain. Locally in Atlanta he has served on the boards of the Buckhead Coalition, Lovett School, Northern Trust advisory board, and Piedmont Healthcare Foundation; he is a member of the Rotary Club of Atlanta. Burke is a regular university lecturer and a public speaker on leadership and national security.
More Ways to Learn
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Exhibition
World War II was the most significant event of the 20th century, transforming the world and the lives of all who survived.
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Exhibitions
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Projects & Initiatives
The Veterans History Project oral history collection contains video and audio interviews of those who served in World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Persian Gulf War, the Global War on Terror, and civilians who supported them.
This program is generously sponsored by the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation Veterans Community Fund.
We are grateful for the continued support of ATLVets and Atlanta Vietnam Veterans Business Association (AVVBA) in the planning of our Veterans Day Ceremony.
