Voices of Veterans and Volunteers: Chip Akridge
Voices of Veterans and Volunteers: John “Chip” Akridge
As the Founder and Chairman of the commercial real estate firm bearing his name, John “Chip” Akridge is an innovator in the industry, a committed advocate of community initiatives in the Washington, D.C. region, and a dedicated supporter of philanthropic and charitable organizations. He has served as a member of the Economic Development and Executive Committees of the Federal City Council, and as chairman of the Greater Washington Board of Trade’s Emergency Preparedness Task Force. He has received numerous industry awards and is a strong advocate for the environment. He has served on the boards of leading environmental nonprofits and various agencies of the city government. Chip is a Distinguished Eagle Scout and a Vietnam veteran.
We talked with Chip about his own experience as a veteran, what he hopes visitors take away from their visits to the memorials, and what he wants to share with those who can’t be here in person.
Trust for the National Mall Founder and Chairman Chip Arkidge (right) and his wife Sally, Founder and Co-Chair of the Women's Leadership Committee (left) pictured with U.S. Army Staff Sergeant James Pierce (Ret.), recipient of the Purple Heart, and Volunteer Coordinator and Park Ranger at the National Park Service.
Trust for the National Mall (TNM): Chip, can you share details of your military service?
Chip Akridge (CA): I served proudly in the Army as a First Lieutenant during Vietnam. My service began in 1964 when I enrolled at Georgia Tech and joined the ROTC program. I served in ROTC through college and business school and then did two years of active service, followed by four years of in-active, on-call service.
TNM: How did your military service impact your feelings about America?
CA: It really drove home my belief in this country and what it means to be an American. I’m a proud patriot, and I pray daily for our nation and am thankful to God to have been born here.
TNM: How did your military service impact your leadership abilities?
CA: The Army is a good place to learn by leading others. It’s very structured and organized, and with everything written down, there’s very little done on the fly. I still use [these skills] today in business and in my role as Board Chair at the Trust for the National Mall.
TNM: Speaking of the Trust for the National Mall, why did you decide to serve your country by founding this organization?
CA: It felt like a natural course for me, as the National Mall is a symbol of democracy. It should shine forth to all Americans and to the world. When I founded the Trust, the National Mall did not shine. I was moved and compelled by what I saw happening on my watch. I knew I needed to lead the charge as a way to serve my country and as a way to bring others together to serve too. Using what I learned in the Army about structure and organization, we’ve built an incredible nonprofit that is achieving great things on the National Mall, with lots more to come in the future too.
TNM: How does it make you feel knowing veterans are on the Mall, continuing their life of service by volunteering as Docents and Guides, helping visitors understand memorials and monuments?
CA: Terrific. It is a perfect and natural role for veterans to play, especially at the World War II Memorial and the new Eisenhower Memorial, because they can rely on their training and experience to share unique insights with other proud Americans.
TNM: Knowing that veterans are working with the Trust as volunteers to enrich the visitor experience, what do you hope those visitors take away from their time at a memorial with a Veteran?
CA: When I see active-duty service members or veterans, I stop and thank them for their service to our nation and to our fellow citizens because they sacrifice for and believe in what they do. I hope visitors to the Mall will do the same and also take away the sense that serving is a sacrifice to our country and that the monuments and memorials are a way to give credit for that service. I hope the interaction with a veteran who is volunteering on the Mall will instill pride in the visitor in all branches of our military and in the role they play in protecting our freedoms.
TNM: Do you have any personal traditions when visiting the Mall to honor those who served?
CA: Every year on Veterans Day, I try to visit the Vietnam Veterans Memorial for some quiet, reflective time. Having served during the Vietnam era, I am always saddened and moved by the memorial to the young lives we lost. It’s important to take time each year to remember those who served. Even with the sadness, it makes me proud to be an American and a veteran, and it makes me proud the Trust for the National Mall is here to enrich the visitor experience with the help of Veterans.
To all those who have served, and those who continue to serve, thank you for your service and sacrifice. The Trust is honored to be able to share some of your stories this Veteran’s Day.
Do you or the veterans in your life have a special memory from a visit to one of the memorials on the National Mall? Share it with #MyNationalMallStory @TheNationalMall and HERE.