JEFFERSON CITY — Veterans, family and friends gathered at the Missouri Veterans Memorial on Tuesday morning to honor service members with two memorial dedications.
Retired Army Maj. Gen. Hank Stratman stands next to the obelisk dedicated to veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan after the dedication ceremony at the Missouri Veterans Memorial on Tuesday at the Missouri State Capitol in Jefferson City. His military career spanned 33 years, including service in the Gulf, Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
Over 50 people gathered near the memorial’s reflecting pool on the north side of the Missouri State Capitol building. Some dressed in uniforms from their respective branches of the military, detailed with medals, ranks and patches.
Scouts from Troop 4 of Saint Peter’s Church began the ceremony with the presentation of the colors.
The dedications were for two of the nine obelisks at the memorial. One marker honors veterans who served in the Persian Gulf War, and the other honors those who served in the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. The obelisk representing the latter is the newest addition to the Missouri Veterans Memorial.
Attendees, including veterans and their families listen to Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe’s speech
Attendees, including veterans and their families, listen to Gov. Mike Kehoe’s speech during the memorial obelisk dedication ceremony at the Missouri Veterans Memorial on Tuesday at the Missouri State Capitol in Jefferson City. “Monuments like this stand as symbols of courage, duty and enduring gratitude,” Kehoe said.
When the memorial was originally dedicated on Veterans Day in 1991, the Gulf War was ongoing, and the ending date was left off the marker. Now, an end date has been added, and the 2025 ceremony rededicated this marker as well.
Under the canopy of trees on the windy morning, Paul Kirchhoff took the stage to welcome attendees.
Kirchhoff, the executive director of the Missouri Veterans Commission, served 33 years of combined service. He served active duty with the U.S. Army and the Missouri Army National Guard. He also served combat tours in both Afghanistan and Iraq.
Gov. Mike Kehoe gives a speech during the memorial obelisk dedication ceremony at the Missouri Veterans Memorial on Tuesday at the Missouri State Capitol in Jefferson City. “I do know that my ability to stand here today free, safe, and at peace is because others were willing to stand in harm’s way,” Kehoe said.
State Rep. Dave Griffith, R-Jefferson City, spoke of the importance of the memorial to veterans and those who did not return from war. Griffith served as a Green Beret for the U.S. Army 8th Special Forces Group. He currently serves as the chairman of the House Veterans and Armed Forces Committee.
“There’s been a lot of Veterans Day ceremonies and a host of other events, but there was always one piece that was missing,” Griffith said. “Recognizing our veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan.”
The ninth and newest addition to the row of obelisks, termed the Veterans Walk, was three years in the making, Griffith said.
Col. Michael Seek spoke about his personal connection to the wars in the Middle East, and the monument’s importance to all Missouri residents — not just those who served.
“The conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq were not just battles fought on distant shores,” Seek said. “They were deeply personal experiences for countless Missourians, including myself.”
Leaves flutter around the Vietnam War obelisk at the Missouri Veterans Memorial on Tuesday
Leaves flutter around the Vietnam War obelisk at the Missouri Veterans Memorial on Tuesday at the Missouri State Capitol in Jefferson City.
Seek currently serves as both the chief of the joint staff of the Missouri National Guard and commander of the 35th Engineer Brigade. The colonel’s operational assignments included deployments in Afghanistan and Iraq.
“It’s somewhat ironic how I remember some of the worst times in my life fondly because of the people I went through it with,” Seek said. “Words cannot express how honored I am to stand here today on their behalf.”
Gov. Mike Kehoe offered the final remarks of the ceremony.
“Monuments like this stand as symbols of courage, duty and enduring gratitude, because they tell the story of ordinary Americans who answered an extraordinary call,” Kehoe said. “They continue to serve long after they hang up their uniforms.”
Linda Stratman, left, walks next to retired Army Maj. Gen. Hank Stratman after the memorial obelisk dedication ceremony at the Missouri Veterans Memorial on Tuesday at the Missouri State Capitol in Jefferson City. A new obelisk was dedicated to veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the Gulf War obelisk was rededicated, now with the conflict end date etched into the stone.
Kirchoff closed the ceremony by declaring the memorial “finally complete” upon the addition of the ninth obelisk and the addition of an end date to the Gulf War marker.