Anthem Veterans Day Memorial In Arizona Illuminates Only Once A Year, On Veterans Day At 11:11 AM

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Anthem Community Council

Today is Veterans Day, the one day of the year where we collectively honor, celebrate and thank all the brave men and women that have served our country. And while their sacrifice warrants more than just one day of the year and a handful of Instagram posts, it is import to remember that freedom doesn’t come free.

That being said, there are a ton of Veterans memorials all across the country, but this one in Anthem, Arizona, might be the coolest of them all.

You know those movies where once every million years the planets align and the sun shines perfectly through some sort of ancient contraption leading the way to a hidden treasure or the secret everlasting life. That’s what Anthem Veterans Memorial in Anthem, Arizona, reminds me of.

Every Veterans Day, for exactly one minute, at 11:11am, the sun shines through the 5-pillar monument illuminating The Great Seal of the United States.

“The five marble pillars represent the five branches of the United States military. They are staggered in size (from 17 ft to 6 ft) and ordered in accordance with the Department of Defense prescribed precedence, ranging from the United States Army, the United States Marine Corps, the United States Navy, the United States Air Force and the United States Coast Guard.”

“Additionally, the brick pavers within the Circle of Honor are inscribed with the names of over 750 U.S. servicemen and women, symbolizing the ‘support’ for the Armed Forces. The pavers are red, the pillars are white, and the sky is blue to represent America’s flag. The circle represents an unbreakable border. Anthem resident and chief engineer, Jim Martin was responsible for aligning the memorial accurately with the sun.”

Pretty damn cool.

Thank you to all who have served.

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