'America Stretching out Her Arms"

I shared some of the most intense experiences of my life with the people I knew in Vietnam. I will never forget the people I served with, and I realized soon after I came home that I wanted to make sure all Americans never forgot the sacrifice of these brave souls, living and dead. That is why I started the effort to build the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, also known as "The Wall," in Washington, D.C.

 This year marks the 25^th anniversary of The Wall. Back then, I would never have dreamed that The Wall would enjoy the reputation it has today. While the color of the stone was a matter of contention in 1982, today, people come from all over the world to photograph reflections in its shiny black granite panels. The Memorial is universally revered and respected. It has influenced how Americans mourn their dead, how we memorialize those who are lost. The Memorial has taught us it is possible to separate the warrior from the war, to respect the individual even if we do not support the conflict. These were costly lessons, but I am glad that our country has learned them.

This Veterans Day, we will come together at The Wall as we always do, to recognize those who served, to mourn those who died, and to underscore our belief that this nation is the greatest on Earth. And we will celebrate what we achieved 25 years ago when a nation weary of war dedicated precious space on the historic National Mall to honor those who answered their country's call to duty.

I remember the jubilation that so many Vietnam veterans experienced the day we dedicated the Memorial. For many, it was a day to be proud of something they had previously hidden. There were reunions and a parade, all of which gave these tired veterans the recognition that was long overdue. There was healing as well-some of it occurring when families and veterans saw The Wall for the first time. The breach that the Vietnam War caused in our society began to heal that November day in 1982, when we unveiled a long black wall filled with the names of the dead and the missing.

People still visit the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in record numbers, despite the fact that it was built two and half decades ago. In 1982, mothers brought their children. Now, those children are bringing their children, introducing them to the legacy of their family, etched in black granite in the heart of the nation's capital.

A Gold Star Mother once likened The Wall to an angel enfolding in its wings the over 58,000 who gave their all in Vietnam. When I see The Wall, I think of America stretching out her arms, saying, "Welcome Home."

Jan C. Scruggs is the founder and president of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund. He served in Vietnam with the 199^th Light Infantry Brigade of the U.S. Army.