Groundbreaking for American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial November 10 in Washington, D.C.

Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki and Award-Winning Actor Gary Sinise, Memorial Spokesperson, Among Program Participants

Memorial Will Be Nation's First Permanent Public Tribute To Over Three Million Living Disabled American Veterans, Countless Others Who Have Died

WASHINGTON, Nov. 1 2010 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Award-winning actor Gary Sinise and U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki will be among the speakers and hundreds of disabled and able-bodied veterans will be in attendance at the groundbreaking ceremony for the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial on Wednesday, Nov. 10 at 10:30 a.m., at the site, Washington Ave. and Second St. S.W. in Washington, DC.

The Memorial will be the nation's only permanent public tribute to the more than three million living disabled American veterans and the countless hundreds of thousands who have died.

"It cannot be stressed enough how important it is to recognize the sacrifices that our country's disabled veterans have made on behalf of us all," said Mr. Sinise, national spokesperson for the Memorial.  "We owe them a tremendous debt of gratitude and respect.  This Memorial is a magnificent way to help pay this debt."

In addition to Mr. Sinise and Secretary Shinseki, the groundbreaking ceremony – presented by AT&T – will include the participation of Clarence Cross, Veterans Affairs chaplain; Roberto "Bobby" Barrera, chairman of the Board of Directors of the Disabled American Veterans; Anthony Principi, former Secretary of Veterans Affairs; and Lois Pope and Arthur H. Wilson, co-founders and chairman and president, respectively, of the Disabled Veterans' LIFE Memorial Foundation.  The non-profit Foundation was established in 1998 to develop and raise the necessary funds for the Memorial, which will be located on a 2.4-acre triangular site across from the U.S. Botanic Garden and in the shadow of the U.S. Capitol.  

"As a disabled veteran, this Memorial has deep and profound meaning," said Mr. Wilson, national adjutant and chief executive officer of the 1.2 million-member Disabled American Veterans.  "It will also hold a special place in the hearts of all Americans, serving both as a never-ending reminder to all of the cost of human conflict and an essential lesson in courage, sacrifice, tenacity, loyalty and honor, bearing witness to the experiences of our disabled heroes."

"Long after the fighting on the battlefield ends, our disabled veterans continue to fight to reclaim their lives and readjust to society," said Mrs. Pope, the Palm Beach, FL philanthropist and former Broadway actress who conceived the Memorial and whose commitment to disabled veterans dates back to a performance she gave for a group of them 40 years ago.  "Far too often, they are marginalized and forgotten. This Memorial will ensure that they and their sacrifices will always be remembered, while educating future generations about the human cost of war."

Prominent donors to the Memorial include Mrs. Pope; DAV; H. Ross Perot, Sr.; AT&T; Ford Motor Fund; Fifth Third Foundation; TriWest Healthcare Alliance; Health Net Federal Services; FedEx; Conoco Phillips; Union Pacific Corp.; Freeport McMoRan; GEICO; and QTC Medical Services, among others.

For more information on the Memorial and ways to contribute to its construction and endowment, visit www.avdlm.org or call 800-331-7590.

SOURCE Disabled Veterans' LIFE Memorial Foundation