Veteran for Peace Chapter 163 in Des Moines, Iowa joined the local Catholic Worker to hold a silent vigil outside the entrance of a new National Guard Recruiting Center at the Jordan Creek Town Center in West Des Moines.
The Iowa Army National Guard hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its off-base Recruiting Operation Center, Friday, March 10. In the National Guard's press release they stated opening a recruitment center in the mall was "“a safe, neutral environment for Iowans to meet with our Citizen-Soldiers and learn about the opportunities of a lifetime.”
VFP members Ed Bloomer, Gill Landolt and Al Burny held the VFP banner and Gil held a hand made poster "IA National Guard Leave Our Kids Alone" (See photo above).
The vigil was short lived because 20 mins into the vigil the Jordan Creek Town Center security person shut them down. The 3 left peacefully, their point not lost on the many national guard members who saw them kick out of the mall.