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On Veterans Day, a star will align and pay tribute to our military veterans at precisely 11:11 am in Anthem, Arizona.
That star, of course, is our own sun, and the tribute will be shining through the five pillars of the Anthem Veterans Memorial, which was designed to project a spotlight on the image of the Great Seal of the United States every single Veterans Day.
At exactly 11:11 a.m. every Veterans Day (Nov 11), the sun aligns perfectly with the Anthem Veterans Memorial in Arizona to shine through the ellipses of the five marbled pillars representing each branch of the Armed Forces, illuminating the Great Seal of the United States. đ pic.twitter.com/Kmu6R9gQed
— Armor Up America (@safecallnoworg) November 9, 2019
This unique design was the creation of Renee Palmer-Jones, who lives in Anthem.
The five marble pillars represent the five branches of the United States military. They are staggered in size (from 17 ft to 6 ft) and ordered in accordance with the Department of Defense prescribed precedence, ranging from the United States Army, the United States Marine Corps, the United States Navy, the United States Air Force and the United States Coast Guard.”
Additionally, the brick pavers within the Circle of Honor are inscribed with the names of over 750 U.S. servicemen and women, symbolizing the âsupportâ for the Armed Forces. The pavers are red, the pillars are white, and the sky is blue to represent Americaâs flag. The circle represents an unbreakable border. Anthem resident and chief engineer, Jim Martin was responsible for aligning the memorial accurately with the sun.”
Every year, Anthem has a Veterans Day ceremony to honor veterans, and to watch the memorial light up.
Join us next Monday, Nov. 11, for the annual Veterans Day Ceremony at the Anthem Veterans Memorial. The ceremony begins at 10 a.m.; don't miss the special speakers, music & opportunity to thank our servicemen and women. #salutehonorsupport #veteransday pic.twitter.com/5jBvKdmJ6b
— Anthem Council (@anthemAZcouncil) November 4, 2019
The memorial was dedicated in 2011, and went on to win awards for its distintive – and copyrighted – design.
The Anthem Veterans Memorial is just one of many smaller, local, meaningful veterans memorials that are all over the United States. They are special because instead of relying on big memorials in Washington D.C., or cemeteries, or battlefields to be the only places where those who have served our nation are remembered, these local memorials bring the significance of our gratitude right into our communities.
Veterans Day is the day to seek out those who are among us, maybe living right next door or down the street, and thanking them for their service, and to remember those who did serve. America is built upon those men and women who loved their country enough to give it years, sometimes decades, of their lives in service. Take the time to thank those who can still receive your thanks. You will never be sorry for it, nor regret stopping to honor those who served. Veterans Day is more than a federal holiday, more than a vacation day, more than a sales day. It’s really the start of the Thanksgiving season for an American. So let us first thank those who served to defend our freedoms – today, tomorrow, and always.
Featured image via Pixabay, Pixabay license
Kevin says: I did not serve in the military but grew up in a military family. My father served 30 years in the Air Force. The military personnel, those who are actively serving, those who are retired and those who made the ultimate sacrifice need to be honored for their commitment and service to our nation. I always appreciate seeing our nation’s flag fly on houses in my neighborhood acknowledging either the homeowners service or honoring the service of others.
GWB says: those who are actively serving, those who are retired and those who made the ultimate sacrifice
And those who served just 1 tour. Veterans all.
Kevin says: Yes. Good point. Veterans all. My father spent 25 years in retirement after serving.
Scott says: That monument is both amazing and awesome! God bless all who honorably served.
I’ve been by the Anthem Memorial twice. Never on Veteran’s Day, though. It is still a beautiful memorial at any time, for its very simplicity.
GWB says: It is a very neat design, and some thought was put into it in order to honor the veterans (not the designer – some memorials are just … too much).
(I do wonder how it drifts over the years, though, given all our little adjustments to clocks and calendars.)
So let us first thank those who served to defend our freedoms â today, tomorrow, and always.
Yes, concur.
Let’s also take a moment in all of that to remember our responsibilities. It does not honor our veterans if we thank them with our mouths, but do not defend freedom here at home. Let’s make sure that when they come home, it’s to an America fully free. Educate, advocate, inculcate – the responsibilities of a free citizen in a republic, the love of freedom, and a lack of pity for the tyrant.
To truly honor our veterans, fight at home for that which they fight for overseas. So that they never have to fight at home for it.
GWB says: fight at home for that for which they fight overseas
FIFM
I’ve been there, GWB – and the openings are fairly large. The sun may not be dead center at exactly 11:11 on November 11th every year, but the seal should still be in full illumination despite the four year drift between leap years, and the 400 year drift between skipping a leap year. I don’t know about the even slower axial drift that will affect the solar azimuth, but the marble will most likely be rather crumbled by the time that becomes an issue…
GWB says: I think it would be an interesting time study – a picture every year at the correct time (and for like 3 days before and after, at that time), over a couple of decades. And observe how the sun ‘wobbled’ over it.
Sorry, I’m a science/engineering geek. đ
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