We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Secretary Eric Shinseki for being chosen to be Secretary of Veterans Affairs in President Obama's cabinet. Without a doubt, no one is better suited for this job. Secretary Shinseki's experience, leadership and commitment to the welfare of all veterans ensures that everyone receives rightfully deserved care and benefits for service, whether that service was in the past or in today's battlefields.

It has been a privilege and an honor to work with Secretary Shinseki over the past two years while he served as national spokesperson for the Go For Broke National Education Center. Though we miss him, we know that Secretary Shinseki's visionary leadership is being put to good and needed use. All us here at the National Education Center are extremely proud of him. We wish him the greatest success. We also look forward to working with him again in the future.

Over the course of Secretary Shinseki's work with us, he repeatedly credited the 100th, 442nd, MIS, 1399 and all WWII Japanese American veterans for creating opportunities that enabled him to climb the ranks to become Army Chief-of-Staff and now, to serve the President of the United States. Secretary Shinseki embodies the traits and values of our WWII veterans and lives to the standard that they set. His successes are rooted in his determination, courage, patriotic duty and leadership. Truly, the legacy of the veterans continues.

Go For Broke National Education Center has a long and important journey ahead to ensure that education and awareness of Japanese American World War II veterans' experiences is established nationwide. The fundraising part of this journey may not be easy in this economy but we are inspired by the veterans we represent. We've already raised several million dollars for our efforts, including the $4 million awarded to us by Congress in its last budget. A new education center next to the Go For Broke Monument is in our sights, but we still have a lot more work to do.

The veterans have overcome adversity and against all odds, succeeded. With their "go for broke" spirit, we will do that, too. Thank you for your continued support, and please join us as we celebrate 20 years of keeping this legacy alive.

Sincerely,
Christine Sato-Yamazaki

Had it not been for the Emperor of Japan, Kan Tagami's first day of school in Hiroshima would have been uneventful. Instead, the boy from Selma, California, stood confronted by an irate principal, all because he failed to bow before a man's picture he did not recognize. That man was the emperor.

"How come you didn't bow?" the principal demanded. Tagami replied, "Why am I bowing to the emperor? I'm not Japanese."

Surviving soldiers of the 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional), also known as Merrill's Marauders, convened for the 62nd reunion of the Merrill's Marauders Association, held in Atlanta on August 29, 2008. The Hanashi Oral History Program attended the event to reconnect with these brave individuals and to capture their oral histories as part of the project. Over the past few years, Hanashi has recorded interviews with Nisei Military Intelligence Service (MIS) veterans, including M/Sgt. Roy Matsumoto and T/Sgt. Grant Hirabayashi, who served with the Marauders.

In October 2008, the U.S. Army awarded the Go For Broke National Education Center a $450,000 grant to collect oral histories of Japanese American soldiers in the Military Intelligence Service (MIS) who served as linguists in occupied Japan. The Center for Military History will use these recordings for a sequel to Dr. James McNaughton's book, entitled "Nisei Linguists: Japanese Americans in the Military Intelligence Service during World War II," published in 2006 by the U.S. Army Center of Military History.

The Go For Broke National Education Center's Oral History Video Archive now has 700 full-length interviews available for viewing online. The Oral History Video Archive is the largest online audio/visual resource focused solely on World War II Japanese American veterans.

Join the more than 2,000 people that have already registered to access the Oral History Video Archive by going to www.GoForBroke.org and clicking on the Oral Histories link. Access to the archive is completely free.

Twenty years ago Japanese American veterans formed the Go For Broke National Education Center to build a monument that would ensure their story was told. In June 1999, their dream was realized when the Go For Broke Monument was erected and dedicated to commemorate the legacy of the 100th Infantry Battalion, 442nd Regimental Combat Team, Military Intelligence Service and other soldiers who served overseas during World War II. This year, we honor their accomplishments as the National Education Center celebrates its 20th anniversary. Join us as we celebrate the Go For Broke Monument's 10th anniversary on Saturday, June 6, 2009.

The Go For Broke National Education Center proudly announces the adoption of the Hawaii Army National Guard's 29th Brigade and the Army Reserve's 100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry. Working in partnership with other veterans' organizations, churches, school and other groups, nationwide care packages from the mainland will be sent to more than 1,500 soldiers while they are deployed in Kuwait and Iraq.

The Go For Broke National Education Center held its successful 7th Evening of Aloha gala dinner on Saturday, November 15 at the Bonaventure Hotel & Suites. Retired General Eric K. Shinseki, former U.S. Army chief-of-staff, headlined the event, which was sponsored by Anheuser-Busch, Union Bank of California, and Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.

The Hawaii Air National Guard (HiANG) welcomed the Go For Broke National Education Center's board of directors to ride their new C-17, named the Spirit of Go For Broke in September 2008. Joining the board on this momentous flight were veterans from the 442nd Veterans Club and the MIS Club of Hawaii, invited guests and National Education Center staff.