New York GWOT Veterans Recognition Campaign
Honoring 20+ years of service and the 25th anniversary of 9/11
Why We’re Launching This Now
In partnership with the museum, we have initiated a campaign to recognize and honor New York State Veterans of the Global War on Terror. The campaign has 5 initiatives that will document and memorialize the service and sacrifice of the men and women who have served post 9/11—many of them our neighbors, family members, and friends.
These initiatives reflect the Friends’ mission to preserve contemporary military history with the same reverence as the past. Your support will help ensure that the stories of this post 9/11 generation are remembered, respected, and shared with future visitors.
“New Millennium, New Challenges” Exhibit
The completed Global War on Terrorism exhibit at the New York State Military Museum.
Select any photograph to view the full-size image.
In the Field
GWOT Deployments.
What We’re Building
Five integrated initiatives to honor, preserve, and educate:
Permanent GWOT Exhibit (NY Military Museum)
A museum-quality exhibit recognizing New Yorkers and their families who served in the GWOT. Target unveiling: September 2026.
Transportable GWOT Exhibit
A professionally designed traveling exhibit that can appear statewide—promoting our museum and engaging our GWOT Veterans and their families at ceremonies, community events, schools, and veterans’ programs.
New York GWOT Veterans Memorial
A solemn tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice and to all who served with honor across more than twenty years of deployments.
Statewide Oral History Program
Interview teams capturing first-person stories of service to preserve, understand, and teach selfless service and sacrifice. Integration with the mobile exhibit will allow for capturing veteran and family stories statewide.
Statewide Lecture Series
Public talks that illuminate the post-9/11 era—diplomatic, financial, and military actions taken to counter terrorism—integrated with the traveling exhibit.
Timeline
Campaign Progress Updates
A monthly record of planning, outreach, fundraising, and exhibit development.
October 2026
The GWOT Committee hosted an event for donors to view our exhibit. It was well attended by all but two of our major donors. Thx to JoAnn Swapp for putting it together. All were very impressed by the content of the exhibit.
GWOT Committee met on October 14 th to review our initiatives and decide our priority of effort for the upcoming months. Mike Ingersoll attended as well. We began the meeting by reviewing our charter objectives, the main one being supporting TAG and his representative the Museum Director. It is important that the GWOT Committee ideas are in sync with Col Goldenberg’s vision.
GWOT Committee met on October 14 th to review our initiatives and decide our priority of effort for the upcoming months. Mike Ingersoll attended as well. We began the meeting by reviewing our charter objectives, the main one being supporting TAG and his representative the Museum Director. It is important that the GWOT Committee ideas are in sync with Col Goldenberg’s vision.
We have two major initiatives remaining in our campaign to recognize and honor our GWOT Vets.
1. High Rock Park memorial.
2. Mobile GWOT exhibit.
The park initiatives looked to be on a good track but repeated meetings with Saratoga
DPW while well received, we have heard nothing from the City about the way ahead. It has also become apparent that the government bureaucracy is very problematic. Finally the cost of this project is becoming more expensive and would be at the expense of other initiatives. Unless something changes we will have this project on the back burner.
That puts the mobile exhibit front and center. John Andonie and Rich Goldenberg have worked out a concept that has consensus approval. We will begin next steps to roll out this project.
September 2026
GWOT permanent exhibit is up for public viewing and has been fully paid for. GWOT committee is hosting a special evening event Oct 1st . JoAnn Swapp has led the effort. We have invited our major benefactors as well as all board members, advisors, docents and of course museum staff.
Donors plaque was finalized and will be mounted in time for the Oct 1st event. The committee now is moving its focus to our Mobile exhibit and memorial. John Andonie has been lead rep from GWOT on the mobile exhibit. We have solicited Mark Ustin’s assistance in guiding our efforts to find sustainment funding for this initiative. We met Sep 29th with museum director Goldenberg to lay out next steps.
Joe Taluto, Director Goldenberg, Chris Morton met with Mike Ingersoll Sep 17th to discuss moving forward on the High Rock Road memorial initiative. We have been encouraged by Saratoga DPW interest in establishing the memorial at High Rock in proximity to the 9/ll steel sculpture. A follow up meeting with Tad Roemer Deputy DPW Commissioner, Mike Ingersoll and Joe Taluto was held Sep 21st. Roemer will bring the concept drawings to DPW Commissioner and others to get consensus on the way forward. Looks like we have momentum for this project.
The GWOT web pages on the friends website have been updated to reflect the completion of the GWOT exhibit to include pictures as well as financial goals. TY to Adam Mason.
GWOT committee will meet in total prior to the Oct board meeting.
August 2026
Excom approved a donors appreciation plaque to be displayed along with the GWOT exhibit. Cost of the plaque is not more than $2,000. The plaque will recognize those that have already donated $1,000 or more so far and will continue to be updated for those that donate during the next year (2027). Updates will cost about $200.
The GWOT Committee agreed to buy signage to direct people to the 9/11 tempered steel memorial monument at High Rock Park. We are still hopeful that we will be able to build a memorial park to go along with the 9/11 tempered steel monument.
Joe Taluto attended a museum update dinner hosted by Mark O’Rourke. He passed out GWOT trifolds and gave a GWOT campaign update to those in attendance.
The GWOT Committee is developing an invitation list for the Oct. 1 GWOT soft opening. Donors and Friends of the NYS Military Museum will be invited. All board members and docents will be invited by group invitation.
July 2026
The GWOT Committee met to discuss the continued development of the Mobile GWOT Exhibit. Major General John Andonie presented a concept briefing, and the committee concluded that the mobile exhibit is a worthwhile initiative that should continue to move forward through concept development and operational planning.
October 1, 2026, has been established as the exhibit unveiling for donors and Friends of the New York State Military Museum. October 7, 2026, has been designated as the official public unveiling, hosted by the Adjutant General.
The GWOT Memorial initiative at High Rock Park remains active and is awaiting additional information from the LA Group as planning continues.
A follow-up planning meeting was held between Chairman Joe Taluto, Major General John Andonie, and Museum Director Rich Goldenberg to further refine the Mobile GWOT Exhibit concept and establish next steps.
The previously announced William Gundry Broughton Foundation grant has been approved, providing $25,000 in funding to support GWOT initiatives.
June 2026
Received a $10,000 grant from the Seymour Fox Foundation.
Paid St John Group $37,295 for construction of display cases for the GWOT exhibit. Final payment will be due upon completion in September 2026.
The GWOT Committee is focusing on the establishment of a Mobile Exhibit. The Memorial initiative is still being pursued but will take additional time and effort to determine a suitable location.
May 2026
Grant requests were submitted to the William Gundry Broughton Foundation and the Seymour Fox Foundation.
The Friends coordinated with the NYNG Family Readiness Council, a nonprofit organization that has supported GWOT veterans and their families for more than 20 years.
Reviewed updated drawings for the GWOT exhibit and adjusted the completion budget. The projected completion date was September 1, 2026.
Major General (Ret.) John C. Andonie, serving on the GWOT Committee, took the lead on development of a mobile GWOT exhibit.
Planning continued for GWOT exhibit opening events and the proposed GWOT memorial.
April 2026
Received $2,100.00 in donations.
Chairman Joe Taluto accepted a speaking engagement at CBA JROTC graduation and received a $1,000 donation to the GWOT campaign.
Met with LA Group at the museum to discuss a possible memorial site in front of the museum.
A review of the GWOT exhibit was conducted to ensure inclusion of all services, family programs, Medal of Honor recipients, and Gold Star families.
March 2026
LA Group design for the memorial was reviewed and discussed. The front of the museum was recommended as a possible location for the memorial in lieu of High Rock Park. DMNA was contacted for consideration.
Payment of $24,000 was sent to St John Design Group.
Work on the Museum exhibit was scheduled to begin.
February 2026
Saratoga-based LA Group was contacted for memorial design and development, and meetings were conducted.
Initial payment of $24,000 for phase one of the museum exhibit was approved by the Friends Board of Trustees.
Print materials for the GWOT Campaign were discussed.
January 2026
Articles regarding the New York GWOT Veterans Recognition Campaign were sent to veterans service organizations for publication in their newsletters.
The Committee recommended High Rock Park as a possible location for the New York GWOT Veterans Memorial.
Vendors were contacted for memorial design.
A contract for phase one of the Museum exhibit was received.
December 2025
The December 6 launch event was conducted at the Museum with county and city officials and numerous military associations and veterans service organizations in attendance.
$22,000 was donated to the GWOT account.
November 2025
Museum exhibit cost and payment timeline were established.
Outreach to veterans service organizations was conducted, including the VFW, American Legion, MOAA, IAVA, and Jewish War Veterans.
October 2025
Website updated with separate GWOT content.
Discussions led to the five initiatives to be pursued: the Museum Exhibit, New York GWOT Veterans Memorial, Transportable GWOT Exhibit, Statewide Oral History Program, and Statewide Lecture Series.
A December New York GWOT Recognition Campaign event was planned.
September 2025
The GWOT Committee was formed in September 2025, with its first meeting held September 17.
Facts, statistics, and definitions regarding GWOT were clarified.
The number of New York GWOT veterans killed in action was determined.
A website update was established as a priority, including development of separate GWOT pages on the Friends website.
Campaign Resource
Download the GWOT Campaign Brochure
View or download a printable trifold overview of the New York GWOT Veterans Recognition Campaign, including the exhibit vision, campaign timeline, committee leadership, and ways to support the project.
This brochure can be shared with donors, veterans organizations, community partners, and anyone interested in helping preserve the service and sacrifice of New York’s post-9/11 veterans.
How to Support
Donate: Your tax-deductible gift supports the traveling exhibit, oral histories, statewide lectures, permanent New York veterans memorial, and the continuing GWOT recognition campaign.
Friends of the NYS Military Museum is a 501(c)(3); contributions are charitable to the extent allowed by law.
Become a Campaign Partner
Add your name or organization to a growing coalition supporting this work. Recognition opportunities are available across the traveling display and programs.
Supporting Organizations
We are grateful for the leadership and partnership of veterans service organizations and community groups across New York State.
Campaign Committee
The New York GWOT Veterans Recognition Campaign Committee leads fundraising, partnerships, and statewide outreach.
- Chair: Major General (Ret.) Joseph J. Taluto
- Vice Chair: Lieutenant Commander (Ret.) JoAnn Swapp, MS
- Members: Major General (Ret.) John Andonie, Chris Carola, Erica Deschamps, Paul Fanning, Alex Grayson, Hon. Timothy Holmes, Adam Mason, Command Sergeant Major (Ret.) John Willsey
Meet our Board of Trustees & Executive Bios
Contact
For inquiries and partnerships:
Help New York honor GWOT veterans and teach future generations.
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