You don’t have to live in Washington, D.C. to experience the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall.
Traveling versions of the wall will crisscross the country this year.
The Wall That Heals is operated by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund. Since it was unveiled on Veterans Day 1996, more than 600 communities have seen the traveling display.
The exhibit features a three-quarter scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. Measuring 375 feet in length and standing 7.5 feet high at its tallest point, the exhibit rises above visitors as they walk towards its apex, a key feature of the design of The Wall in D.C.
The 53-foot trailer that carries the exhibit transforms into a mobile Education Center. Its exterior trailer features a timeline of “The War and The Wall” and provides additional information about the memorial in D.C.
The Wall That Heals kicks off its travel schedule this year in Florida on Feb. 20 and includes stops in more than 20 states.
More information is at https://www.vvmf.org/The-Wall-That-Heals/2020-Tour-Schedule/.
The American Veterans Traveling Tribute features an 80 percent replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall and measures 360 feet long by eight feet high at its apex. Flags are also flown over it.
The Traveling Tribute begins its schedule March 4 in Arizona and includes stops in 15 states. For additional information visit https://www.americanveteranstravelingtribute.com/schedule
The Mobile Vietnam Memorial Wall has a couple of events planned for 2020, beginning March 26-30 at Bucklin Park in El Centro, Calif., It will also be on display Nov. 6-12 at Sun Valley Community Church, in Tempe, Ariz.,
The all-volunteer organization keeps up-to-date information on its website at www.avwall.org and on its Facebook page.
The Moving Wall is a half-size replica of the D.C. Wall and has toured the country since 1984. Two replicas travel from April to November, spending about a week at each location they visit.
For more information on its schedule. visit http://www.themovingwall.org/
The Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall is a 3/5 scale replica that stands six feet tall at its center. It measures almost 300 feet from end to end. Vietnam and All Veterans of Brevard, located in Brevard County, Florida, manages it.
Its schedule can be found at http://www.travelingwall.us/schedule_of_appearances.htm.
Before visiting one of the traveling walls, a doctor said veterans with post traumatic stress should consider their expectations for the visit and how it fits into their recovery goals.
"What do I hope to get out of this?” Dr. Sonya Norman, director of the National Center for PTSD Consultation Program, told VA blog, VAntage Point. “Know what you expect so you’re not disappointed or overwhelmed. That can help the visit be a rich and meaningful experience.”
Hauling the Wall That Heals is a powerful experience for truckers