THE WALL THAT HEALS
Submissions due April 4
KYLE — They may not have died in service, but they deserve to be remembered. Vietnam veterans who died following their time in service will have the chance to be honored as part of the prestigious Wall That Heals display coming to Kyle.
From May 4 to 7 at Lake Kyle Park, the city will be hosting The Wall That Heals, a 375-foot replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C. created by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF). VVMF estimates that between 7,000 and 10,000 people will attend the display in Kyle.
As an added component, VVMF is adding an “In Memory” honor roll display to the exhibit. Family members and friends of Hays County Vietnam veterans who died after returning home due to Agent Orange exposure, PTSD or other service-related illnesses are invited to honor them as part of the display. The In Memory program enables these veterans to be forever memorialized and will be part of The Wall That Heals’ mobile education center.
“The impact of the Vietnam War stretches far beyond the 58,281 names on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial,” said Jim Knotts, president and CEO of VVMF. “More than three million Americans served in Vietnam and an untold number of those who served have suffered from service-connected illnesses. No one knew that when the war ended, Vietnam veterans and their families would still be feeling the effects of their service more than 50 years later. In Memory is our way to honor these Vietnam veterans for the sacrifices they made.”
Central Texas AMVETs Post 115, located in Kyle, has been instrumental in getting The Wall That Heals to Kyle. Commander Kerman Hammond said the process began in September 2022. More than 100 requests are made to the VVMF each year and only 32 locations are chosen.
AMVETs’ 73 members have just under 300 events planned so far for 2023 with The Wall that Heals being one of the biggest undertakings so far. Along with having to raise approximately $22,000 to cover the cost, around 200 to 220 volunteers are needed for the 24-hour a day, four-day long display.
Post members involved with the Wall were also required to take a 7-week orientation to learn the different aspects of the program, such as what they can and can’t do and what is required of the display, before they could recruit volunteers or solicit for donations.
“It’s [The Wall] something that allows us to bring the program here because there’s a lot of our veterans that are older, especially Vietnam veterans like myself, and they’ve never been to Washington D.C. and they can’t afford to go … [So] you bring it to them,” Hammond said.
However, the job wasn’t AMVETs’ alone. Along with getting to know other area VFWs better and collaborating with them — from San Marcos to Dripping Springs to South Austin — the journey has also been one that shows the power of the community.
The Post is close to hitting its target money goal thanks to the support of local businesses and organizations, and is only about 40 volunteers short of what it needs.
“It’s a challenge for a small Post like ours, but without the help of the city, we couldn’t do it,” Hammond said. “It’s [Kyle] one of the best I’ve ever been involved in … This city is a place that looks out in their own way, not only for the citizens, but the veterans. You don’t find that often.”
As part of the In Memory program, an online personal remembrance page will be created for each honoree with their photo and biographical information and family members can share the page and leave remembrances about their loved one. To see the honor roll, visit www.vvmf.org/honor-roll. Additionally, families will receive an invitation to the In Memory weekend in Washington, D.C., which includes a ceremony at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial site.
To honor a veteran at no cost, visit www.vvmf.org/InMemory to complete a short application and submit the veteran’s DD214 showing their proof of service in Vietnam, a copy of their death certificate and two photographs. Submissions are due by April 4 in order for them to be honored while The Wall That Heals is on display in Kyle.
If you are a local business or organization interested in donating or a community member interested in volunteering, visit www.cityofkyle.com/TheWallThatHeals for more information.
