By Blair Drake, MOAA Contributing Editor

Over 4 million American men and women served in uniform during World War I. More than 116,000 died from combat and disease, and over 200,000 returned home wounded. Now, more than a century later, MOAA member Maj. David Hamon, USA (Ret), is working to ensure their service and sacrifice is not forgotten.

“There are no surviving living veterans, and the family members are removed by several generations,” he explains. “Now that it's 100 years off, we seem to have forgotten about the war and the people who served.”

Since 2016, Hamon has been serving on the United States World War One Centennial Commission, which was created by an act of Congress in 2013 with a mission to “plan, develop, and execute programs, projects, and activities to commemorate the centennial of World War I.”

He first got involved with the commission as a volunteer, helping at information tables at local events. Now he serves in a full-time role as veterans' service organizations and military director, liaising with veterans', military, and government organizations to establish long-term relationships and help spread the word about the commission's activities.

Though the official centennial commemoration wrapped up in 2018 with events including a nationwide bell toll Nov. 11 to observe the 100th anniversary of the armistice, other projects remain.

Hamon says much of the work going forward will focus on education initiatives in schools and the development of a national World War I memorial in Pershing Park in Washington, D.C. - a project he says is urgent.

“Ask a veteran how they want to be remembered,” Hamon says. “They don't want to be forgotten. Maybe an individual servicemember doesn't care about what they accomplished, but having been a veteran and served, they want the country and their family to remember and respect that. No one gave these folks [from World War I] the chance to answer how they want to be remembered, so we need to develop a place to contemplate and remember their service and sacrifice.”

For Hamon, a self-proclaimed World War I-era history buff, his involvement with the commission and passion for its mission is personal: His grandfather served and died as a result of the war.

“I have an interest in keeping the flame alive for him and for all those who served,” he says. “And I'm happy to serve and work as part of a great team that has a passion for seeing this project through.”

Learn more about the U.S. World War One Centennial Commission and its projects.