One of the most sobering/good things I've seen: When I worked for Washoe County Parks, the Traveling Vietnam Wall was stationed at my park. In and of itself, it is impressive as a smaller replica of the Wall in D.C. Many, many people came to see it; families, brothers and sisters in arms, students, and Joe Everyday. Many came in the night when they could be alone with their thoughts. Rubbings of names were made and flowers, photos, and memorabilia left.
But perhaps the most visibly, viscerally impacted group was the students. Busloads would come in and park away from the Wall. Laughing and joking (too cool for school), the students would meander closer and closer. As the dark wall gave way to dark with white lines, the laughing and talking decreased. As the white lines turned into separate, smaller lines, even more quiet. Then, when the realization came that each one of those lines was a name, tens of thousands of names, silence fell. They say a picture is worth a thousand words; 60,000 names is far more powerful. For those who haven't lost loved ones or lived through war time, that number is hard to grasp when read in a book. For true realization, one needs a photo. Or a wall.
Thank you to all our military members who gave the ultimate sacrifice.