This is week two of our Cold War Biographies. Today, we will focus on John Welch, board chair for the Cold War Museum.
John has been one of the driving forces behind the museum, and here is a little more about him!
Tell us a little about yourself,
what your position is at the Cold War Museum and how you got involved with
it.
I was born the last of six kids a
month after Kennedy was assassinated to a couple of Depression Babies who rinsed
and re-used the plastic baggies from our lunches. Mom and Dad came from
Brooklyn, moved us around NY some, until we settled with the Bell System in
North Carolina in 1978. They were married 53 years when cancer took Mom in
2003, and they still serve as an example of how dedicated, loving and rewarding
marriage can be. They were the great teachers of my life, and I’ll do well if I
live to be half the man my father was.
In the early 1990’s I met Gary Powers Jr. at
George Mason University. I was focused on a straight-A grade average to make up
for my under-graduate; it was an important part of learning
that anything is possible with enough effort. Gary and I were in the MPA
program together and became friends. He had an idea for a memorial to his Dad
and asked me to help. We soon realized that there was a much bigger story to
tell, and thanks to Gary’s unbelievably tireless efforts The Cold War Museum was
born. I was a pretty good background guy. Gary was (and is) great as a public
speaker and many other things, but our differences made us a good team. I’m
skipping a lot here – Gary deserves a lot more credit. In 2010 I took over as chairman. I’m honored
and privileged to lead this effort, and pray I’m up to the task.
Leslie (my wife) and I met at work in DC.
She’s beautiful, funny, smart and dedicated. I’m blessed to have such a partner
in life. Lucas was born in 1999 – just as the Millennium Bug was scamming the
tech industry. Joshua was born in 2003, just in time to be held by his Nana
before her reassignment as his guardian angel. They are my purpose in life.
While the museum and other charitable efforts I support are important, if I can
look back on my life knowing that I took proper care of my wife and children
then I’ll move on with confidence and humble self-satisfaction.
While nonprofit management and
fundraising are my specialty and my current career, I’ve wandered a bit. I’m
fascinated by the long-game in public policy and public administration – which
is a Cold War theme. Consider how many governments have been formed under the
premise of serving “the people” only to later subjugate them. I believe in
systemic change, which is made possible only if institutions like The Cold War
Museum encourage people to seek the truth. I’m also fascinated by how things
work, which is why I became licensed general contractor and home inspector. My
first car was a 1965 Corvair that I disassembled at age 14 and had running and
ready when I got my license two years later. Despite my efforts, it was still
unsafe at any speed. Now I enjoy using the tools and skills I gained as
a contractor to help my friends and family occasionally, as the aging back
allows. And I enjoy applying myself to exceptional missions – most notably that
of The Cold War Museum.
The Cold War was the most volatile
and dangerous time in history. It holds many lessons that should be studied
toward securing a more safe and secure world for our children. It is important
to recognize and remember the significant (and in some cases, ultimate)
sacrifices made by Cold War Veterans and civilians to attain and/or protect
Freedom. Freedom has a cost that is paid by few but benefits many. Honoring
them is the right thing to do. And we must be ever mindful that Freedom, when
taken for granted, is in peril. Thus the need for a Cold War Museum: learn
from history or repeat it.
I guess it’s the SA-II
Russian-made missile. Aside from being cool, I like the fact that it was
constructed as part of a strategy to defeat our Free society and now resides in
our museum, helping to tell the story of Democracy’s victory of Communism. And
in a museum that doesn’t charge admission – it’s Free too!
My first opportunity to vote in an
election came when Ronald Reagan ran for his second term. I remember feeling
safe with him in charge.
I don’t know – who’s your favorite
super hero? Every man or woman who signed on the dotted line making a
commitment to stand between you and me and a bullet is my hero. That’s why I’m
so eager to build a Cold War Memorial – not only for those who served in uniform
but also for those whose service can never be publicly known. If you want me to
narrow it down, I’d go with my older brother who served in the Marines in the
late ‘70’s and took an oath that remains intact to this day to defend America.
And if you’ll allow me to stretch the definition of the Cold War slightly I
would claim another family warrior as a favorite: my Dad served in the Pacific
theater toward the end of WWII and to my astonishment and great satisfaction
trained on Japanese codes with the Signal Corps at Vint Hill, Va. Small
world!
You’ll notice that when I write I
capitalize words that my English teachers wouldn’t: Free, Freedom, Veteran…
For important reasons I choose to my apply time, energy and resources to telling
the Cold War story, honoring those who served, and helping our children learn
that Freedom is worth everything. It’s a bedrock value handed down by our
Founding Fathers; it’s what brave men and women fought for in our past wars; and
it’s what motivated many to break free of authoritarian regimes during the Cold
War. During the Cold War people fought for their “inalienable rights,” and
those of others. I wish to honor their legacy, tell their story and ensure that
their values endure. Hence, The Cold War Museum.
I hope you enjoyed this interview, and remember to check back on Wednesdays and Fridays for new posts!
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