The Indiana Military Veterans Hall of Fame (IMVHOF) is calling for nominations for its first group of honorees. The not-for-profit organization received its 501(c)3 designation this year. Its board of directors is compiled of representatives from the business, government and retired military sectors. The Chairman of the board, Russell H. Dowden, Jr., COL, USA (Retired) was inducted into the Arkansas Military Veterans Hall of Fame in 2011 as that is his home state. Now a Hoosier, Mr. Dowden formed the idea of creating a similar organization here. The IMVHOF stated objective is “To publically emphasize the honor brought to our state and nation by the sacrifice of Indiana military veterans and their families.” The IMVHOF will be ‘virtual’ for now via its website, but plans are to build a physical monument in the future. Up to fifteen veterans will be honored for military service achievements and/or community contributions. To be eligible, a nominee must meet any one of these criteria:
- Been born in Indiana
- Entered military service in Indiana
- Lived in Indiana for a minimum of eight years
All branches of the U.S. Armed Forces, all ages, living or deceased, and males and females will be considered equally. The complete nomination packet and criteria can be found at imvhof.com.
Nominations will be accepted through end of day September 1, 2014.
The first induction ceremony will take place on November 7, 2014 at the Garrison at Ft. Benjamin Harrison in Lawrence, IN. Event details will be available on the website as it nears. Tax deductible donations can be made via check or money orders made out to IMVHOF and sent to: IMVHOF P.O. Box 269098 Indianapolis, IN 46226.
