“We hold the families of the fallen in our hearts, and we lift them up in our prayers, and America will always honor their sacrifice.” President George W. Bush - July 4, 2006 Iron Mike Plaza - Fort Bragg, North Carolina

This is a rendition of the National Afghanistan & Iraq War Memorial as it might be seen in a mountainous setting. This rendition was completed before a site location was chosen. That location is now Thunderbird Park at the 45th Infantry Division Museum in Oklahoma City, OK. New renditions reflecting the actual site are forthcoming.

The images you see fading in and out of the rendition are special etched black surgical stainless steel tributes. Each fallen hero will be honored with one of these dedications.

This memorial cannot be constructed without your help. The candidates running for President have collectively raised nearly 1/2 billion dollars ( as of January 20, 2008) in this race leading to the 2008 election. Take a second to really think about that figure. These candidates have massive organizations to lead their charges for more and more money and notoriety. In the end, how much will a few people have spent in relation to the cost of this memorial? They can campaign in a safe nation because of the sacrifices of our service men and women.

And while we cannot turn on a radio or television without hearing something about one of these presidential hopefuls, our dedicated military men and women are on the front lines fighting the extremists who would like nothing more than to bring terror again to our shores. You can shop safely in your favorite mall today because of their sacrifices.

The men and women who have paid the ultimate price for our freedom deserve to be remembered now! Left to the government, a memorial to these heroes will not be seen for decades. For many of the parents of these fallen warriors, that will be too late.

Join us in making this memorial a reality today. We cannot move forward without your help. Whether you agree with these wars or not, these men and women have fallen in the line of duty - for you and for me. This memorial is not about political rights or wrongs. Corporal Lunsford's daughter will never know her father. We want her to be able to recall his bravery when she visits this memorial or looks at the personal dedication. A duplicate tribute will be presented to each family.

We do not possess the manpower, the organization, nor the reach of any candidate who is feverishly fighting for this nation's top job. We do have a memorial that will use personal tributes like no others in the world, a wonderful location, and excellent endorsements. We need you! Don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today. Make a contribution to the memorial fund, even if it's only one of your hard earned dollars. Each one says that you care. And help us move the word by using our Tell A Friend button at the top of the page. We have no public relations powerhouse driving this effort. This is a grass roots, each one reach one campaign. Let's Make It Happen!

 

Allow me to answer your questions.

Memorial Renditions by Ricardo Garces