Ten Year Retrospective: Employee Number One

You’ve just rescued a battleship from an obscure and uncertain future. That fact is exciting beyond words, but one glance at the ship reveals that a daunting amount of effort still is required to restore her to the point where she can be opened to the public.

You need a work force, but you have no money to pay them. What’s your solution?

Volunteers.

They’re passionate, they work hard, and they derive their compensation from the satisfaction of being involved in a project that’s grand and special, and from the relationships they create through that project. It’s a win for everyone.

One dilemma left. You need someone to organize your volunteers. And since your project involves the unique environment of a massive military vessel, that volunteer coordinator needs to possess an innate understanding of the demands and culture of said environment.

Enter Sue Schmidt.

What specialized skills did she bring to the table that made and still make her a perfect fit to wrangle Battleship IOWA’s diverse volunteer cadre? Get the answers and a wonderful window into the earliest days of the ship’s restoration in Richmond, circa the first weeks of November 2011, in our latest video.

(Click photo below for video.)

Veterans Day West

We saw an amazing turn out of visitors on Veterans Day this year and were excited to welcome aboard and honor so many who have selflessly served our nation. Veterans are one of the core pillars of our organization. They’re important to us every day, but we go further to make the holiday even more special. Admission for veterans is free on November 11th and that’s not all.

Join us tomorrow for another day dedicated to our veterans!

Veterans Day West will bring together community leaders, veteran organizations, entertainers, and the general public to provide a family-friendly day full of incredible entertainment. 

FORMAL PROGRAM

• 9:30 AM – Brass Ensemble
• 10:00 AM – Ceremony Begins
• Colors
• Invocation provided by Dr. Kathy Cash
• I Am The Flag by Jimmy Weldon
• Distinguished Guest Speakers: David Canfield, Jim Zenner, Jennifer Campbell, L.E. Michael Johnson.
• Quilts of Valor Presentation – Buffalo Soldiers, Montford Point Marines, and WWII Veterans
• Benediction provided by Dr. Nathan Graeser
• 11:00 AM – Close of Program

RESOURCE FAIR

• 11AM (ish)- 4:00 PM (opens after formal program) 40 resource tables and exhibits on our pier. Participating vendors include: Veteran First Responder, LLC (service dogs); Warriors Road (horseback riding); Mini Therapy Horses; Buffalo Soldiers; American Legion; Marine Corps League; Telacu (education); Veteran Couture (fashion design); Veterans Stand Together; Heroes Barber Shop; Quilts of Valor; and many more!

ENTERTAINMENT

• Ted Atkatz Percussion Seminar (TAPS) Percussion Ensemble
• West African Ensemble featuring students from Switzer Learning Center, Torrance
• Hoochie Suit (music of the ’70s, ’80s, ’90s)
• TAPS Brass Ensemble

FOOD & DRINKS

• Kevin Dobson Memorial Food To Life (F2L) Meals on Wheels affiliate and Veterans West at Battleship IOWA partner will be providing homemade gourmet pizza for this event. 
• Vicky’s Doghouse is a gourmet hot dog kitchen on the fantail of the Battleship IOWA serving a variety of hot dogs, sides, salads, beer, and wine.
• Lasorda Wines Lasorda Family Wines is a family endeavor founded by Baseball Hall of Fame manager, Tommy Lasorda. 

Bring the family and be part of the fun!

This Week, Your Battleship Crew…

…had the privilege of hosting the swearing in of seventy-five new United States citizens.

These ceremonies are inspiring. Every one of these individuals has a unique story and each made the decision to adopt this country as their home.

Battleship IOWA Museum is proud to be the backdrop for this incredibly special moment in their lives and happy to welcome them as fellow citizens.

Become A Plank Owner Today

Be a part of all the incredible things happening at Battleship IOWA and get in on our transition to become the National Museum of the Surface Navy from the beginning. Register to become a Plank Owner, and at the same time, memorialize your service or a loved one’s. One of our goals is to recognize as many surface navy sailors as possible, to pay tribute to their critical and imperative contributions to the fabric of our way of life.

As a Plank Owner, you receive special benefits – including perks in our points system (details coming soon), and recognition on our Plank Owner listing.

Sign up today. It’s free!