On August 2, 1990, Iraq invaded the independent nation of Kuwait located on the Persian Gulf. Led by Saddam Hussein, Iraqi forces — the fourth largest army in the world at the time — annexed Kuwait as a result of an economic rivalry and disputes over oil rights. Within days, the United States deployed nearly 700,000 U.S. troops to the region. As a part of Operation Desert Shield, the U.S. and its allies collectively mobilized nearly 1 million troops in preparation to liberate Kuwait. On January 16, 1991, Operation Desert Storm began as an air attack on Iraqi forces, followed by a ground attack on February 24. The Iraqi resistance fell apart shortly thereafter, in just 100 hours.

Although fighting was brief, Gulf War veterans were exposed to harsh environmental, chemical, and combat dangers. A total of 148 service members were killed in combat, with an additional 145 deaths as a result of disease and injury. Seven young men from Virginia were killed in action and are enshrined on the walls of the Virginia War Memorial’s Shrine of Memory.

The Salute to Service Reunion Celebration, scheduled for March 21, 2026, will be dedicated to those who served in Desert Shield and Desert Storm and to those who did not return home.

An Invitation from Joe Barto to the Veterans of Desert Storm

Did you serve in Desert Storm? Next year marks the 35th anniversary of that short, but decisive conflict. I am proud to tell you about the Salute to Service Reunion Celebration, sponsored by the Virginia War Memorial Foundation. Our plan is to host annual reunion celebrations to salute the service of Virginia's veterans from particular conflicts. 

The first of these Salute to Service Reunions, scheduled for March 21, 2026, will be dedicated to those who served in Desert Shield and Desert Storm.

It will be a day of celebration and remembrance on the majiestic grounds of the Virginia War Memorial. I am inviting you to join us, and the people who served with you, for a day designed as a tribute to you and and as away that together, we can remember the seven Virginians kiled in Desert Storm and memoralized on the Shrine of Memory.

If you have never visited the Virginia War Memorial, you owe it to yourself to experience the power of this Shrine to provide a quiet space for peaceful reflection and an emotional connection to those, like you, who wanted to live, but were willing to die when called to serve. The Salute to Service Reunion Celebration will recognize the valor and sacrifice of Virginia's military veterans in the pursuit of liberty and democracy for all. That has always been our mission, and the Salute to Service program is the next major milestone in the pursuit of our sacred responsibility. 

The program will consist of speakers, musical performances, and documentaries, providing rich context and a broad perspective to Desert Shield and Desert Storm. A wreath-laying ceremony and free time will allow veterans to remember and honor those who did not return. You will have an opportunity to contribute to the history you helped create through oral histories and photographs.

Enjoy refreshments, lunch, and a happy hour reception. In future years, we will work to reunite veterans from Vietnam (2026), the Global War on Terrorism (2027), and the Cold War (2028).