Waynesville, N.C. – Marine veteran Scott Stump spent the better part of two decades fighting to give the Gulf War’s Desert Shield and Desert Storm veterans a permanent place on the National Mall. The Desert Shield and Desert Storm Memorial opened on Oct. 24, 2026, after a 16‑year campaign that relied entirely on private donations.
Local determination, national impact
Stump, who describes himself as “an average everyday American,” first conceived the idea in November 2010 as the 20th anniversary of Operation Desert Storm approached. He said the conflict’s veterans were repeatedly overlooked at national commemorations.
Without a political machine or Washington connections, Stump assembled a team of fellow veterans and insisted the project be 100% privately funded. “I was not interested in encumbering the taxpayer at all,” he told Fox News Digital.
Legislative hurdles cleared
The effort required congressional action. Working with then‑Rep. Phil Roe (R‑TN) and Sen. John Boozman (R‑AR), Stump helped draft legislation that ultimately was included in the National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2015, signed by President Barack Obama in December 2014.
After a unanimous House vote (370‑0) in May 2014, the Senate’s approval proved more complex, forcing Stump to restart the process twice before the bill finally cleared.
Finding a home on the Mall
Securing a location proved even more arduous. What Stump expected to be an 18‑month site‑selection stretched to 39 months. Officials questioned whether the war’s casualty count warranted a prominent monument. After an initial approval for a different site, Stump’s team persisted, winning final approval on June 21, 2018 for a spot near 23rd Street and Constitution Avenue – a location that encourages visitors to walk through, not just glance past.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum praised the memorial, noting it “honors the courage of the Americans who answered our nation’s call, the sacrifice of those who never returned home and the families who supported them.”
Design and future vision
Stump structured the overseeing organization as an association rather than a traditional foundation to keep focus on completing the monument without creating a permanent payroll. He hopes the design, featuring statues of soldiers in ponchos, will forge an emotional connection for visitors, especially younger generations who know little about the Gulf War.
Veterans and community members across the country have already expressed gratitude. A Wisconsin DJ recalled his mother’s Air Force service, and a veteran from Indiana said the memorial’s proximity to the Lincoln and Vietnam memorials underscores its importance.
Private funding success
The entire $30 million project was raised from private donors, corporate sponsors and veteran‑led fundraising events, demonstrating that patriotic initiatives can succeed without burdening the taxpayer.
Stump’s perseverance illustrates how ordinary citizens, guided by faith, family values and a love of country, can shape the nation’s historic landscape.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
