Intergenerational Legacy Transmission

Provides mentorship to youth and sponsors community programs that promote patriotism, national security, and support for veterans and active service members. Activities include organized ceremonies, educational initiatives, and local community services.

Presents the MG Fred Gorden Leadership Award annually to a cadet in the Department of Foreign Languages at the United States Military Academy. Also recognizes individuals during annual events for their contributions to military service and community leadership.

Hosts a multi-day celebration during the first Army football home game of the season, including a police-escorted motorcycle ride from Newburgh to Highland Falls ending at the Buffalo Soldier Monument, co-hosted with the National Buffalo Soldiers Troopers Motorcycle Club. The weekend also includes the Cadet Gospel Choir Reunion Event, the Heroes on the Green Golf Classic & Social, and concludes with a concert by the West Point Army Band at Trophy Point.

Brings descendants, educators, and veterans into schools, community centers, and public forums to share lived experiences and connect the legacy of the Buffalo Soldiers to leadership and civic responsibility. Conducts classroom outreach, experiential learning projects, and storytelling initiatives to make history personal and purposeful for students, reaching 1,500 students and 700 veterans through Operation Impact since 2021.

Designed, funded, erected, and dedicated a permanent statue honoring the contributions of the 9th and 10th Cavalry Detachments at the United States Military Academy at West Point in September 2021. The organization collaborated with sculptor Eddie Dixon and the West Point Museum to complete the monument, which serves as a lasting tribute to Buffalo Soldiers who served from 1907 to 1946.

Organizes an annual memorial celebration each Labor Day weekend at West Point to honor Buffalo Soldiers and U.S. Army veterans, a tradition ongoing since 1962. Events include a wreath-laying ceremony, military honors (color guard, buglers, 21-gun salute), and gatherings that bring together descendants, veterans, and the public. The organization has hosted this event for over 60 years, including the 58th through 64th annual celebrations between 2017 and 2025.

Organizes high-profile events featuring national leaders and celebrities, such as hosting President Barack Obama’s greeting of Buffalo Soldiers Lewis Coffield and Sanders H. Matthews Sr. in 2014, and co-hosting an evening event with Gary Sinise in 2018 sponsored by Johnson & Johnson. Also hosts social events like a Masquerade Ball in Nashville to engage broader audiences.

Runs year-round programs including after-school activities at West Point, back-to-school drives, veteran wellness initiatives, and intergenerational gatherings that foster camaraderie, leadership, and continued civic contribution among veterans and youth. These programs aim to connect generations and promote education, service, and community connection.

Established and seeded with approximately $100,000 an endowment fund dedicated to the long-term preservation and maintenance of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, ensuring its upkeep beyond immediate renovation efforts.

Hosts an annual Phelps Award ceremony to connect generations of military service members and organizes other veterans-focused events and concerts at the Vietnam Veterans Plaza following its restoration.

Installed and maintains key commemorative elements at the plaza, including a Walk of Honor listing the names of 1,744 New Yorkers who died in the Vietnam War, a 70-foot-long glass block and granite memorial wall etched with excerpts from 83 letters written by veterans, and a sculpted replica of a Vietnam-era battle helmet used in the annual Phelps Award. Also displays a 10-by-20 foot map of South Vietnam showing military bases and major battle locations.

Performs ongoing maintenance, beautification, and restoration of the New York Vietnam Veterans Memorial Plaza at 55 Water Street to protect it from deterioration due to age and weather. Activities include cleaning, repairing, and upgrading structural and landscape elements such as the reflecting fountain, glass block and granite memorial wall, and surrounding plaza features.

Offers a live feed of the Vietnam Veterans Plaza for remote viewing, particularly to support disabled veterans, and provides educational content about the Vietnam War, including historical context, U.S. military service and casualty data, and information on Medal of Honor recipients.

Reopened and rededicated the Vietnam Veterans Plaza in November 2001 as the first public space officially dedicated and reopened in lower Manhattan following the September 11, 2001 attacks, reaffirming its symbolic role in the city’s recovery.

Redesigned, funded, and rebuilt the 90,000 square foot Vietnam Veterans Plaza, completing major renovations in 2001. The project included structural upgrades, ADA-compliant ramps, ceremonial entrances with U.S. service flags, and enhanced landscaping to improve accessibility and dignity of the memorial space.

Participates annually in the POW/MIA Rally known as "Rolling Thunder" held in Washington D.C. each Memorial Day weekend to advocate for recognition of prisoners of war and those missing in action.

Organizes fundraising rides, annual raffles, poker runs (including a Suicide Prevention Poker Run), and participates in local and national charity events to support veterans, needy families, and community programs.

Forms special motorcycle honor guards and ceremonial teams to honor military service and motorcycling bonds, and teaches motorcycle and driver safety in the community and schools in cooperation with ABATE and other national motorcycling organizations.