#HonoringVets: Share your community’s Veteran memorial

I have the privilege of living near Washington, D.C., which means I get to visit our country’s national monuments and memorials. The World War II Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument and Vietnam Veterans Memorial are some of the most iconic structures in America.

D.C. is not the only place with great memorials. There are monuments and structures all around America honoring our nation’s leaders, Veterans, wars and military campaigns.

Battlefield Cross at Sioux Center Veteran Memorial

I was recently visiting my parents in Iowa. We strolled through a few nearby towns and I sought out the local sites. I found a couple Veteran memorials and was pleased to see how wonderful they are. Many of these memorials include a list of names of locals that have fought on behalf of our nation. They’re often listed by branch of service or the era they served in. In Sheldon, Iowa, I got to see my father and grandfather’s name etched into the beautiful stone slab recognizing their service. My uncle died shortly after returning from Korea. There’s a small military memorial at the entrance of his grave site. In Sioux Center, Iowa, where my mother was raised, her brother’s name can be found on the Vietnam portion of the Sioux Center Area Veteran Memorial.

These memorials are important to the communities they represent. They’re important to the Veterans who are reminded they’re efforts, and their friends, are not forgotten.

We want to spotlight the memorials and monuments in your area. Send us a picture of a memorial with the name of the site, the location, your name – and Instagram handle (if you have one) to newmedia@va.gov.  We’ll choose the best ones and share them on our Instagram page @DeptVetAffairs. Take your time with the photo. Pay attention to lighting, composition, and framing. We want to recognize your community’s landmarks in the best way.