VIEW VVMF PRESS RELEASE HERE

What:
Thousands of veterans, families and friends from around the country will come to Washington, D.C. for the annual Memorial Day Observance at The Wall, co-hosted by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund and the National Park Service.
Who:

Featured speakers will be:

  • Peter M. Holt, CEO of Holt Companies and San Antonio Spurs, chair of the Campaign to Build the Education Center at The Wall and a Vietnam veteran;
  • Air Vice Marshal Kym Osley, head of the Australian Defence Staff (Washington) and the Australian Defence Attache, Embassy of Australia;
  • Dr. Heidi Kraft, deputy coordinator, U.S. Navy Combat Stress Control Program;
  • Karen Cucurullo, acting deputy superintendent, National Mall and Memorial Parks, National Park Service; and
  • Diane Carlson Evans, founder and president, Vietnam Women's Memorial Foundation.
  • Jan C. Scruggs, founder and president of the Memorial Fund, will be the master of ceremonies.
  • The pledge of allegiance will be led by Brian Laguardia of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America.

The name of one serviceman recently added to The Wall will be read by his family members during the Memorial Day ceremony. Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. Enrique Valdez's name was added to Panel 17W, Row 51 earlier in the month.

Grammy Award-winning musical artist Sam Moore will perform several songs.
When: Monday, May 25, at 1:00 p.m.
 
Where: The Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Constitution Ave. and 21st St. NW, Washington, D.C.
Webcast: The Memorial Day Ceremony can be seen on TV Worldwide's Web site, www.usvets.tv, beginning on Wednesday, May 27.
Sponsors: The Embassy of Australia
TV Worldwide and its Internet TV channel for American veterans, USVets.TV
Base Technologies Inc.

Established in 1979, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund is the nonprofit organization authorized by Congress to build the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.  Since then, the Memorial Fund has evolved into an international nongovernmental organization dedicated to preserving the legacy of The Wall, promoting healing and educating about the impact of the Vietnam War. Its initiatives include educational programs for students and educators, a traveling Wall replica that honors our nation's veterans and a humanitarian and mine-action program in Vietnam. The Memorial Fund is also building the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Center, an underground educational facility, near The Wall.