Cedars, December 2018

December 2018 9 OFF CAMPUS The aim of the National Veterans Me- morial and Museum is to honor the service of veterans and active service members by sharing their stories during service and upon their return to civilian life. Along the inner wall of the museum runs a timeline with historical events and stories of specific military men and women. On the other side of the curved corridor, pil- lars display the paths various service mem- bers take throughout their lives, from feel- ing called to join the military, to speaking the oath, to combat, and finally to return- ing home and reacclimating to civilian life. Beside these pillars are interactive screens where visitors can watch and listen to indi- viduals speak about their experiences. Another corridor leads into the inner- most part of the museum, where important moments from history are played on videos and quotes are displayed on the walls. A stair- case runs down to an art gallery with pictures taken by military and newspaper photogra- phers. Nearby, there is a small booth with the door propped open, an invitation to visiting veterans and current military members to step inside and tell their story. The Veterans Memorial is on the up- permost balcony of the museum, and con- sists of two simple pillars: one citing John 15:13 which speaks about the one who “lays down his life for his friends,” the other quot- ing Michael O’Donnel, a U.S. Army Veteran. “If you are able, save a place for them inside of you … and save one backward glance when you are leaving for the places they can no longer go,” reads the memorial. Between the pillars is a small alcove with a folded flag inside a small glass stand. A folded flag is presented to the closest rel- ative of the deceased soldier to represent their ultimate sacrifice. The three walls are covered in mirrors so that no matter where the eye falls, there is only a repeated reflec- tion of the folded flag and the viewer stand- ing over it. Beyond the pillars, the wall is glass with colored panes, representing the colors of the awards that soldiers can receive. Stepping outside of the balcony leads to a platform on the roof of the building. The end ramp is attached here, along with smaller ramp that runs upward onto the grass covering the last strip of roof and leav- ing visitors space to sit and think. Behind the memorial is a garden with the same pur- pose. Admission is $17 for adults but free for all veterans and active service members. Kassie Kirsch is a junior English major and a staff writer for off-campus news. She loves the outdoors, animals of all kinds, and reading more books than she should. Dr. Justin Heth 15+ years of Residential Life dean mentor wheaton.edu/StuDev Dean of Residence Life, Dr. Justin Heth, remarkably creates student community while upholding campus standards. Work as a graduate assistant alongside Dr. Heth and directly apply classroom theories to impact the lives of college students through the M.A. in Christian Formation - Student Development. disciple maker Photo by Kassie Kirsch The Columbus Veterans Memorial and Museum stands out against the Columbus skyline, a symbol of those it honors.