Photo By Spc. Hubert Escarpeta | A television projector displays a mosaic of the Great Seal illuminated by sunlight at...... read more read more
ANTHEM, Ariz.: The day began with thousands of locals and tourists attending the Veterans Day Ceremony and ended with commemorating the Anthem Veterans Memorial's (AVM) 10th anniversary here, Nov. 11, 2021.
The Veterans Day ceremony and 10th Anniversary commemoration of AVM comprised of placing wreaths to honor veterans who were Killed In Action, rededication of the service branch pillars, and speeches from notable veterans. Afterward, the solar spotlight of the Great Seal was observed at 11:11 a.m., accompanied by a single flyover of four F-16 Fighting Falcon aircrafts flown by pilots stationed at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona. The solar spotlight resulted in the illumination of the Great Seal mosaic centered in front of the pillars.
Based upon a proprietary design by civil engineer Jim Martin and designer Renee Palmer-Jones, AVM consists of five marble pillars representing each branch of the U.S. Armed Forces. Two thousand two hundred brick pavers encircle the monument, with names of veterans dating back to the Revolutionary War.
"This project started around 2008 when I had spoken as a guest at a Veterans' Day ceremony," said retired U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Ronald Tucker, a former naval commander with 36 years of service and founder of AVM. "It just came to me as a cool idea. We found the right people and put together a sensational team. [Jim] was just thrilled at the prospect of having to figure all of this out so that every year, at 11 minutes after 11, sunshine through AVM makes a circle around the Great Seal. We had to get it all lined up, get the azimuth and elevation correct…everything had to be perfect."
Retired U.S. Air Force Col. Thomas H. Kirk, Jr., a former fighter pilot, and Korean War and Vietnam War veteran, said that AVM honors the achievements and sacrifices of all veterans and active military service members.
"The emphasis is always on the recognition and appreciation of veterans and their service," said Kirk. "Everyone here is proud of this thing, and there is nothing else like it in the United States or anywhere else."
For retired Adm. Thomas 'Tom' Fargo, who served as the 29th Commander of the U.S. Pacific Event and keynote speaker, the Veterans Day ceremony and AVM were milestones.
"This is the first time that I have seen this memorial, and it is just spectacular," said Fargo. "It really is about the gathering of the community together to recognize our veterans."
Kirk said that he encourages everyone that has not visited AVM yet to do so when they can and experience its significance within the veteran community.
"My point is I'm going to ask people to drop by in, take a look at this memorial and think about being a better American, and always remembering and being appreciative of veterans," said Kirk. "That's what this whole thing is all about."
| Date Taken: | 11.12.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 11.13.2021 20:43 |
| Story ID: | 409276 |
| Location: | ANTHEM, AZ, US |
| Web Views: | 284 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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Anthem
Veterans Day
Armistice Day
AVM
Anthem Veterans Memorial
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