Would you like to gain more appreciation for the veterans of our country? Or maybe you are a veteran and you would like to pay respect to your fellow service men and women? There are places all over our nation to do so.
Arlington National Cemetery is one of the most notable sites for veterans to visit and remember their fallen comrades before them. It is located just outside Washington D.C. on grounds of the estate formerly owned by the family of Robert E. Lee’s wife Mary Anna Lee. It was established during the American Civil War, but now veterans and military casualties from every war since are buried in this cemetery, bringing the total buried to over 300,000. There are over 70 sections to the cemetery remembering different wars. There are also many other memorials, such as a section remembering the military nurses, the men who lost their lives aboard the USS Maine, the crew of the Space shuttle Challenger, and the Tomb of the Unknowns. The Tomb of the Unknowns represents all of those who lost their lives and have never been identified. There is one man from each war entombed and it is constantly guarded each day. This is a great place to visit and remember all who have lost their lives in battle for their country.
The Iwo Jima Memorial is a statue just outside the walls of Arlington National Cemetery. Based off of a photo taken during the Battle of Iwo Jima, it shows soldiers raising the American flag during battle. It bears two inscriptions that explain its importance; “Uncommon Valor Was a Common Virtue” and “In honor and memory of the men of the United States Marine Corps who have given their lives to their country since 10 November 1775″.
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial, located in Washington D.C. is a national war memorial that honors the U.S. armed forces who died during the Vietnam War or who have still not been accounted for. It lists the names of all of those killed during the war. It consists of the Vietnam Women’s Memorial, the Statue of the Three Soldiers, and the most known of the three parts, the Memorial Wall that lists all of the names. It is also surrounded by beautiful gardens.
The Korean War Veteran’s Memorial is also located in Washington D.C. to remember the men and woman who served during this war. It depicts soldiers marching through Korean terrain surrounded by a black wall mirroring their images. In front of them there is a pool of remembrance. Here people can come to pay respect to American bravery.
The Alamo located in San Antonio, Texas, is one of the most historic buildings in the U.S. The building was originally constructed as a mission in 1718, and moved twice before reaching its final destination in 1724. The Battle of the Alamo occurred in 1836, where over 150 Texans died including some of Texas’s folk heroes such as David Crockett, William Barrett Travis, and Jim Bowie. A nice little hint is to go late a night when the lights reflect the bullet holes. It gives it a more intense feeling that a battle really took place.
Pearl Harbor Naval Base in Honolulu, Hawaii was the scene of a major attack during World War II, where the Japanese targeted the U.S. On Dec, 7 1941, six Japanese carriers launched 183 planes at Ford Island, following with a fleet of 170 planes at Pearl Harbor. Unwarned the United State’s Navy had no idea it was coming. Nine ships were completely sunk, along with 21 damaged. Many men died that day to protect the base. Today the U.S.S. Arizona still sits under water in remembrance of this devastating day.
Gettysburg Battlefieldin Pennsylvania remains a historic site for veterans still today. The battle fought betweens July 1-3, 1863 was often considered the war’s turning point and also had the most casualties. It was here that the Gettysburg address was given by Lincoln, reminding us of the equality of all people. This battle changed our country and the fallen are still remembered today.
Fort McHenrylocated in Baltimore, Maryland, is a star shaped fort known for defending Baltimore Harbor against the British during the War of 1812 in the Chesapeake Bay. It was here that Francis Scott Key wrote the “Star Spangled Banner” as he saw the American Flag rise, giving hope to all of the American Soldiers who had given up. Fort McHenry is a symbol of hope and the American Spirit.
West Point Military Academy is a 4 year coeducational federal service academy that was established in 1802. It is located in New York and played a very important role in the Revolutionary War. West Point is the longest continually occupied post in the United States. It sits on the high ground overlooking the Hudson making it a good look out to prevent the British Ships from sneaking up on them. It is home to many historic sites, landmarks, and monuments itself. Candidates must be of the highest caliber to enter, and many times must receive nomination from a congressman.
The Indiana World War Memorial Plaza was constructed to honor the veteran’s of World War I. Located in Indianapolis, Indiana it was designed to be the headquarters of the American Legion and a memorials to the state and nation’s veteran’s. In a five block radius there is an obelisk, a memorial cenotaph, and the Indiana World War Memorial. The memorial houses a museum, the Shrine Room, and an auditorium all designed to honor veterans.
There are many more places around the country honoring veterans. As well there should be. These men and woman have sacrificed their time, families, and sometimes their lives for our freedom and happiness. We should be grateful and show our respect to them. By visiting these places we can gain a greater appreciation for the service men and woman of our country.
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For the past 20 years LowVARates.com has been dedicated to serving veteran homeowners. We specialize in providing VA loans to qualified veterans for mortgage purchases and refinances. These loans provide lower interest rates and monthly payments than other traditional loans.
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The new Good Faith Estimate that arrives in 2010 is a way to allow you as the consumer to see exactly what your settlement charges are and will be. It provides much greater transparency to the consumer. The problem with the new GFE is that it advocates shopping for the lowest cost loan, which we all know doesn’t always come with the best available service. I believe this new good faith is going to lead to a lot of heartache for borrowers interested only in pricing. Having an educated, experienced loan officer that can discuss your goals and objectives for the given loan is a critical component of loan shopping. Here at Flagship Financial you will get great customer service along with very competitive pricing. Nobody has spent more time and energy becoming nimble to the changes in this marketplace than Flagship Financial. I anticipate that we will continue to adapt and show resilience in this ever changing market. If you look at our track record it is quite compelling when you see the number of Veterans and FHA homeowners we’ve helped thru the years. The one area of the GFE that makes complete sense to me is the tradeoff table. Using the table will allow a borrower to see exactly what the tradeoff is between lower interest rates and lower costs. However it doesn’t compare the overall savings associated with these changes. The new GFE is longer (3 pages) and will provide more disclosure and seems easier for the consumer to identify what settlement charges will be at closing. It will require a further inquiry as pertaining to qualifying before quoting an interest rate. There will be no more GFE shopping taking place among competitors until a thorough investigation has been done to determine eligibility. The consumer will have to realize before receiving a quote from a broker or lender he/she may be asked to provide authorization to pull credit prior to receiving this new GFE. Initial quoting of interest rates will be given in a range, understanding that there are number of factors that determine pricing.
