FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Backpack Journalists from the Kentucky National Guard Visit The Wall That Heals Story and photos by Ms. Avery Marie Witt Milton, West Virginia ␣ October 7, 2012
It’s not every Thursday that you have the opportunity to visit a built-to-scale traveling replica of the Vietnam War Memorial. This Thursday was quite a bit different than most, a life changing day that put many historical events in perspective. The people I saw, and was able to talk to throughout that mild fall evening, really gave me an unexpected view on how the Vietnam War changed the lives of so many. A few of the people I had the pleasure of speaking to had been directly influenced by the war. The Wall that Heals gave them peace at heart, knowing their perished friends and family members would not be forgotten.
West Virginia lost more military personnel that any other state during that horrible time. For this reason, many may see The Wall that Heals as something that brings tears to your eyes. However, at first all I saw was a long list of names and a field full of flags. These lost souls and the cause for which they fought are not personally known to me. For the most part, as a teenager, I didn’t completely understand at first what he meant when one of the visiting retired soldiers told me that it was great to see young people wanting to learn more on the subject. I now believe that if we really want to know and understand, we need to get the word out to schools and other venues. We need to make known the effects the war had on this country.
Many have been influenced by The Wall that Heals. Having it travel around the U.S. can give visitors a visualization of what we otherwise might passively just talk about – the soldiers that sacrificed themselves for our freedom. The Wall That Heals can definitely make the Vietnam War better known and understood by the people of my generation. I came away from this small town in the hills of West Virginia with a different and much more appreciative sense for the veterans of the Vietnam War.
Considering the reality of all those that gave their lives for our country made me want to make a difference too, just as they did.