“Killer Chick”
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The American Office of the Secretary of Defense sent this on to DID, and we thought we’d pass it on to all of our readers in the Washington area. The American Veteran Center’s 10th Annual Conference begins today, and will take place November 8-10 at the Renaissance Washington Hotel. there is still time to register and attend.

The AVC conference is one of the largest annual gatherings of decorated military combat veterans, and will host some of the greatest heroes of WWII, Korea, Vietnam and Iraq/Afghanistan. It features 3 days of speaker panels, wreath laying ceremonies at the World War II, Korea, and Vietnam memorials and an awards banquet. The conference also features salutes to Medal of Honor recipients and service members wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan. Some of the participants include:

(click to register)

Sgt. Marco Martinez: Ex-gang member joined Marines and received the Navy Cross. Author of “Hard Corps: From Gangster to Marine Hero.”

SSgt. David Bellavia: Nominated for Medal of Honor for conduct during the 2004 Battle of Fallujah. Co-founder of Vets for Freedom. Author of new book “House to House.”

Maj. Kim Campbell: Female pilot decorated with Distinguished Flying Cross for flying her damaged plane through heavy fire in the initial attack into Iraq – DID’s A-10C FOCUS article included an “after” photo from that raid, reproduced above. Her call sign and nickname is “Killer Chick.”

Maj. Jason Amerine: Army Special Forces. Was already in the Middle East training forces on 9/11. Worked directly with Karzai during overthrow of Taliban in 2001. Featured in new video game produced by the Army.

Vets from “We Were Soldiers”: Well-known Vietnam veterans, due to the movie and book. Hal Moore (played by Mel Gibson), Joe Galloway (Barry Pepper) and Bruce Crandall (Greg Kinnear).

B.G. Burkett: Authored “Stolen Valor: How the Vietnam Generation Was Robbed of Its Heroes and Its History.” Helped identify fake heroes in Vietnam and Iraq.

Capt. Tom Hudner: Medal of Honor recipient, for crash-landing in enemy territory in order to come to the aid of Jesse Brown. Jesse himself was the Navy’s first black pilot, receiving his Wings on October 21, 1948. He would later be awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.

Veterans of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team: Japanese American unit, formed from interned Japanese-Americans.

The Band of Brothers: 101st Airborne, portrayed in the series of that name.

Tuskegee Airmen: Legendary unit of America’s first black pilots.

Iwo Jima/Flags of Our Fathers: Vets from platoon that took Mt. Suribachi and raised the flags.

For interviews or registration, contact Tim Holbert at 703-302-1012 ext. 220, or via through the contacts at the AVC web site.