Thirty-five years ago, in response to Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait, the United States launched Operation Desert Shield, the largest American military deployment since Vietnam. On Monday, August 11 at 7:00pm ET, the Veterans Breakfast Club hosts a special 90-minute livestream conversation with veterans who served during this critical moment in modern military history.

Operation Desert Shield began in August 1990, just days after Saddam Hussein’s forces stormed into Kuwait. As the world watched with rising alarm, President George H. W. Bush ordered a massive mobilization to defend Saudi Arabiaand deter further Iraqi aggression. Over the next six months, more than 500,000 American troops—alongside coalition partners from 34 nations—were deployed to the Persian Gulf, building up a formidable military force in the desert.

Joining us will be Scott C. Stump, a Marine veteran who is President, CEO, and founder of the National Desert Storm Memorial Association. Scott served in eastern Saudi Arabia and Bahrain during Desert Shield and Desert Storm, and conceived the memorial idea and has led the charge ever since. He marshaled private fundraising—including critical support from Kuwait—and steered the association through years of design approvals, legislative hurdles, and permit process. The National Desert Shield and Desert Storm Memorial is now rising near the Lincoln and Vietnam Veterans Memorials on Constitution Avenue in Washington, D.C. It honors roughly 700,000 Americans who served in the Gulf War of 1990–91, grounded in a concept first envisioned in 2010 and formally authorized by Congress in 2014.

Stump’s determined leadership helped secure the March 6, 2025 construction permit and kick off building work, with a projected dedication in spring 2026—bringing to fruition a memorial born of both personal service and long‑term advocacy

This program will also focus on the Desert Shield buildup itself—the staging, logistics, training, and uncertainty that defined Desert Shield:

What was it like to deploy to Saudi Arabia in the sweltering heat of 1990?

How did troops prepare for a possible war that was still months away?

What do veterans remember about the sense of anticipation, camaraderie, and tension on the ground?

How did Desert Shield set the stage for the lightning-fast Desert Storm offensive that followed in January 1991?

Though Desert Shield is often overshadowed by the brief but intense ground campaign of Desert Storm, it was a vital operation in its own right. It marked a new era of rapid deployment, joint operations, and coalition warfare, and proved that the U.S. military could project overwhelming force across the globe in a matter of weeks.

Join us to commemorate this important anniversary and honor the service of those who stood ready in the desert long before the shooting began.

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We’re grateful to UPMC for Life for sponsoring this event!