American Sniper is Just Part of the Story

KILLEEN, Texas, Jan. 27, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- "The new movie, American Sniper should not be missed if you love high-action drama and powerful story-telling by some of our best actors," says Lt. General (Retired) Paul E. Funk, EdD. "However, we hope all will understand that this is still a Hollywood production, and while many of the sounds and emotions are compelling, even brutal, these stories often don't match up with the real-life memories of our veterans. I urge you to balance these portrayals with actual stories from our U.S. soldiers. We owe them that; we can't let their stories fade away."

A combat veteran who led men and women into battle in Vietnam and Desert Storm, Lt. General Funk says it was his duty then to protect them.  In his new role as President and CEO of the National Mounted Warfare Foundation, he asserts: "It is now my duty to protect and preserve their legacy. That is why I believe so passionately in the need for the National Mounted Warrior Museum, a vision we are trying to convert to reality in Ft. Hood, Texas."

As part of the effort to develop the Museum, a special showing of American Sniper with Cinergy Cinemas in Copperas Cove is being hosted by Lt. General Funk. He commented on the controversy surrounding the move.

"The real issue is being missed. It's not whether Michael Moore's perspective is wrongheaded, or if the movie is seen as pro-military or anti-war, or even if it's historically accurate.  We realize American Sniper is a Hollywood war story and we are grateful for its intent to celebrate the life of a military hero. However, for many Americans, it is the only impression of battle they will see, and when this current surge of war movies trickles to a halt, both the stories and the storytellers will no longer be visible to the public."

Lt. General Funk, who is spearheading the development of the National Mounted Warrior Museum at Ft. Hood, says: "It's exactly the right place to honor our soldiers' legacy of valor.  Since 1942, we have been preparing and training millions of soldiers to fight evil around the globe, and each has a story to share. These stories will be lost forever if we don't have a place like the National Mounted Warrior Museum."

He urges corporate sponsors, individual donors and interested volunteers to step forward and help. "This is a wonderful opportunity to be part of something bigger than all of us. We have the design and strategy to build a world-class museum that will touch our hearts, build local economies, and educate generations to come. It will take $23 million to make our dream a reality. And that's what we'd call a real Hollywood ending," he concludes.

Visit http://nmwfoundation.org or call (254) 213-5014.

Todd M. Smith
General Counsel
National Mounted Warfare Foundation
512.658.9699
[email protected]

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SOURCE National Mounted Warfare Foundation

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http://nmwfoundation.org