5 years ago today, my beloved grandfather passed away. As a young man, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and served a tour in Korean War and was a lover of the arts throughout his life, enjoying his later years watching local theater productions in Oregon. I owe so much of who I am to my grandfather, I see it every day in my personality and it's reflected in my love of the arts. It's because of this that AITAF holds a special place in my heart, it seemed appropriate on the anniversary of losing my grandpa Art and with my upcoming birthday to raise awareness to the cause as well as what funds I could.
AITAF’s mission is to provide high-quality performing arts programming to active duty service members, veterans, military support staff and their families around the world free of charge.
Arts in the Armed Forces serves all branches of the military at US installations domestically and abroad. We choose content that features diverse themes, ages, ethnicities and experiences to create a complex and unique experience for our audiences.
Importantly, after each of AITAF’s events, the artists interact with the audience through a question and answer session.
Your gift will go directly to adding programming so we can impact more military service men, women and their families around the world.
AITAF’s goal is not simply to provide an enjoyable evening, but to use the powerfully emotional shared experience of the performing arts to start conversations capable of bridging the divides between military and civilian, service member and family member, the world of the arts and the world of practical action.
