Upcoming Events

• 11/6 Book Club: “New Cold Wars”
• 11/11 Veterans Day Commemoration
• 11/20 “Spies in the Hanoi Hilton” with David Taylor
• 11/21 Discussion with Damien Cristofari
• 12/7 Marshall Plan Tree Walk Lighting Ceremony

20th Annual Veterans Day Commemoration ­– November 11

Join Us to Honor America’s Veterans

Our 20th Annual Veterans Day Commemoration is right around the corner!

We hope you will join us on Monday, November 11 at 10 a.m. for our 20th Annual Veterans Day Commemoration. This special event, which we are cohosting with the Town of Leesburg and Loudoun County, will take place on the grounds of Dodona Manor.

Ken Falke, Founder & Chairman of Boulder Crest Foundation, a 21-year veteran of the U.S. Navy Special Operations Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) community, will reflect on the meaning of the day and the remarkable contributions of military veterans to our community.

Vintage military vehicles will be on site for exploration, and Dodona Manor will be open for free tours.

*Parking is available at the Loudoun County Government Garage on Loudoun Street.*  

Transportation from the garage is provided by Cartwheels. We recommend arriving early and parking by 9:00 a.m. to allow ample time to journey to Dodona Manor.

Learn More, Become a Sponsor and RSVP

New Profile of General Marshall

Magazine-style Profile by Veteran Author Jeff Denny

The Marshall Center has published a new magazine-style profile of General George C. Marshall, designed to introduce the icon to new generations less familiar with 20th century history.

Here is an excerpt from the article, which was penned by veteran writer Jeff Denny:

“Personal branding and self-promotion are trends today. But that’s not how Marshall reached the pinnacle of success and the annals of world history. On top of his leadership talents, personal qualities and proven record of performance, he turned bad jobs into opportunities to fix what was broken.”

We invite you to read this fresh take on this American luminary and share it with your networks.

December 7: 2024 Marshall Plan Tree Walk

Mark your calendars for the 2024 Marshall Plan Tree Walk and Lighting Ceremony on Saturday, December 7 at 4 p.m.!



The Marshall Center’s signature holiday event combines the magic of the holidays with recognition of the Marshall Plan countries. Seventeen decorated trees, one for each participating nation, will stand along the brick walk by Dodona Manor for all to enjoy until the end of the year.

This year, we are welcoming the Old Dominion Chorus to regale us with a selection of holiday favorites.

The event is free, open to the public and perfect for kids and families. Return and visit any time until January 4 to see the decorated trees. No entry fee required, thanks to our generous sponsors!

“I have returned”: MacArthur’s Philippines Redemption

Eighty years ago, in one of the iconic moments of World War II, General Douglas MacArthur declared, “I have returned” upon his triumphant landing on Leyte Island in the Philippines in 1944. MacArthur had little in common with General Marshall, but they shared a mutual respect and demonstrated that strong and effective leadership comes in different shapes and sizes. 

Check out the newest article in our “Time for Leadership” series on this defining moment in history and how MacArthur’s audacious, larger-than-life leadership style shaped events. 

November 6 Book Club: “New Cold Wars”

China’s Rise, Russia’s Invasion and America’s Struggle to Defend the West

Join us on Wednesday, November 6 from Noon – 1 p.m. ET for a Zoom discussion of “New Cold Wars” by David Sanger.



New Cold Wars—the latest from the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and bestselling author of The Perfect Weapon David E. Sanger—is a fast-paced account of America’s plunge into simultaneous confrontations with two very different adversaries. For years, the United States was confident that a newly democratic Russia and increasingly wealthy China would join a Western-led order that promised prosperity and relative peace—ideally on Washington’s terms. By the time America began to emerge from the age of terrorism, it was clear that history would tell another tale.

Volunteer Profile: Bill Brooks

Mr. Bill Brooks is the leader of the all-volunteer docent cadre at Dodona Manor. He has volunteered as part of the docent team since 2009, working tirelessly to share the lessons of General Marshall with guests for 15 years.

“Working in tandem with other Docents to inform people about the professional and personal life of one of America’s greatest soldiers and statesman, and then gauging from their comments or other actions that you have effectively conveyed the Marshall story, is especially gratifying.”



“It is then a special pleasure to explain to guests how the Marshall Center, through its Ethical Leadership Conferences and Middle School programs is helping to create such future leaders using Marshall as a role model.” – Bill Brooks

Thank you, Bill for your great work and leadership of our wonderful volunteer team!