September 6, 2006

Veterans Affairs Secretary to Speak at Opening of Moving Vietnam Wall Ceremony

(MADISON) – Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary John A. Scocos will deliver the keynote address, “Vietnam: Reflections on Service and Sacrifice,” at the Opening Ceremony of the Moving Wall, a traveling, half-size replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.

The Opening Ceremony will take place in Madison at VFW Post 8483, 5737 County Road CV on Thursday, Sep. 7, at noon.

Following the Opening Ceremony, the Moving Wall will be on display 24 hours a day for “100 Hours of Honor,” until closing ceremonies on Sep. 11, 2006.

As a 30th anniversary remembrance, in 2005, Scocos revisited the history and the stories of the Vietnam War through a series of 15 columns published across the state, entitled, “Vietnam: Reflections on Service and Sacrifice.”

The series, published across the state and available on the Department’s website, provided a reflective overview that included some of the battles, Wisconsin stories, and lessons of Vietnam. Scocos’ keynote address will provide highlights from the series.

The Moving Wall was first displayed in October 1984 in Tyler, Texas. Its construction was paid for, just like the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., solely from contributions from the public.

The overall length of the Moving Wall is 252.83 feet and is composed of 74 separate frames. Each frame contains two silk-screened panels which are approximately one-half the length of the Memorial in Washington, D.C. The tallest panels have 137 lines of names, while the shortest panel has one line. Two structures of The Moving Wall now travel the USA from April through November, spending about a week at each site.

This is the first time that the Moving Wall has visited Madison, Wis.

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