Eisenhower Presidential Library release
The public is invited to attend a September Lunch & Learn program on Thursday, September 18, at 12 p.m. noon (CDT) at the Eisenhower Presidential Library. The hybrid program will be held in the Library building indoor courtyard and online via YouTube Livestream. Guests are encouraged to arrive by 11:45 a.m. A light box-lunch will be provided on a first come, first served basis.
Dr. Robert (Bob) Smith, former Fort Riley Museums Director, will join in person as the featured speaker. His presentation will spotlight veterans' connection with history. The memories of veterans and their descriptions of their service—through letters, oral histories and photos —provide historians with a vital window into the past. For a military historian, veterans’ recollections of history’s most significant, and often harrowing, events offer perspectives not found in the official military reports. Historians who write about such events find these stories and memories offer a “human face” to the dispassionate military reports and official documents used.
Smith was born in Nebraska and majored in history at the University of Nebraska. Growing up in a military family, he has always had a passion for military history. His father was a World War II veteran and career Air Force senior NCO. He returned to academia in 1998, earning his MA and Ph.D. at Kansas State University in 2004 and 2008, respectively. In 2011, Smith became Director of the Fort Riley Museum Complex, Fort Riley. He directed the complete remodel of both the U.S. Cavalry Museum and the 1st Infantry Division Museum before retiring in 2024. He teaches military history for the UFM Community Learning Center in partnership with the Kansas State University and the University of Kansas’ Osher Lifelong Learning Program. He has coauthored a book on the history of Fort Riley and is the author of numerous articles on military history.
The 2025 programming season is dedicated to our nation’s veterans. The Eisenhower Museum was originally founded as a tribute to WWII veterans. Join us as we continue to uphold the legacy of honoring those who served. These programs are all made possible courtesy of the Eisenhower Foundation with generous support from the Jeffcoat Memorial Foundation.