In your opinion, what Monument in the D.C. area represents our history in the most heartfelt way?

MAJ David Vermillion — Sat, 23 Apr 2016 17:44:31 -0400

Response by CPT Jack Durish made Apr 23 at 2016 5:57 PM

CPT Jack Durish — Sat, 23 Apr 2016 17:57:15 -0400

There is something about the Lincoln Memorial that stirs my soul. Can't explain it. It simply does and no other comes close

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 23 at 2016 5:58 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 23 Apr 2016 17:58:51 -0400

The Lincoln memorial and all the war memorials men/women tie for 2nd.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 23 at 2016 6:14 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 23 Apr 2016 18:14:02 -0400

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Here rests in honored glory an American soldier known but to God. I am forever humbled by the sight.

Response by CSM William Payne made Apr 23 at 2016 6:34 PM

CSM William Payne — Sat, 23 Apr 2016 18:34:55 -0400

All good choices. It's always humbling to hike around our nation's capital and see the monuments to people and events that helped shape our great country. Reading the words of Lincoln and Jefferson in those monuments causes the hair to stand up on the back of my neck. Then you can go to the National Archives and see the great documents on which our country was founded. Makes you forget for just moment how dysfunctional our government is today. But let's not forget that the government of our relatively young democracy has not always been a bed of roses. Alexander Hamilton died in a duel. The nation devided over slavery under Lincoln. But we have always manage to survive.

Response by CSM Charles Hayden made Apr 23 at 2016 10:17 PM

CSM Charles Hayden — Sat, 23 Apr 2016 22:17:36 -0400

MAJ David Vermillion The Lincoln Memorial!!!! His quotes on the walls are so profound, all I can do is wonder how President Lincoln could be so prescient!

Response by LTC Angie Habina made Apr 24 at 2016 12:59 AM

LTC Angie Habina — Sun, 24 Apr 2016 00:59:40 -0400

DC itself is, or should be, a monument that represents our history in the most heartfelt way. There is a little bit of every American there.
However, you can't walk away from the WWII monument, the Vietnam Wall, or Arlington Cemetery unmoved.
I wish there was a WWI monument in DC. It can't be all war monuments though, we need something that shows a nation of Americans moving forward together, where separate entities become one.

Response by CSM Darieus ZaGara made Apr 24 at 2016 8:08 AM

CSM Darieus ZaGara — Sun, 24 Apr 2016 08:08:39 -0400

Living 60 miles away, and frequenting the city it is hard to say. The hair on the back of my neck often raises when I come in from any angle. If I had to pick one; the most prominent, the Washington monument is a standalone symbol that exemplifies our strength, courage and resolve of our nations forefathers.

Response by LTC Peter Hartman made Apr 24 at 2016 12:38 PM

LTC Peter Hartman — Sun, 24 Apr 2016 12:38:03 -0400

Lincoln Memorial. https://www.nps.gov/linc/learn/historyculture/Inscriptions.htm

Lincoln Memorial Inscriptions - Lincoln Memorial (U.S. National Park Service)

Lincoln Memorial Inscriptions

Response by SrA Troy Barber made Apr 24 at 2016 1:32 PM

SrA Troy Barber — Sun, 24 Apr 2016 13:32:41 -0400

Not one Monument but the thousands in Arlington touches me everytime I am there. There are no words....

Response by PO1 William "Chip" Nagel made Apr 24 at 2016 6:50 PM

PO1 William "Chip" Nagel — Sun, 24 Apr 2016 18:50:42 -0400

The Lone Sailor, The Navy Memorial but I would say that since I am a Plankowner.

Response by PO3 Sandra Gomke made Apr 25 at 2016 10:42 AM

PO3 Sandra Gomke — Mon, 25 Apr 2016 10:42:16 -0400

I've seen all of them and they are all powerful symbols of our country's history. But the Vietnam wall makes me cry every time. I saw it for the first time in 1981. Before the grass was planted and before the computers were installed. I have visited DC multiple times since and never fail to visit that sad and lovely black wound.

Response by Cpl Jon Westbrook made Apr 25 at 2016 1:51 PM

Cpl Jon Westbrook — Mon, 25 Apr 2016 13:51:27 -0400

I'm not sure this counts as a monument, but Marine Barracks Washington was very special to me. I spent 18 of the worst months of my life standing post outside of it in the sweltering heat pouring rain and biting cold, often in dress uniforms. During the summer they run parades open and free for the public. Its basically a huge pass and review and the bands play for the people in the stands. But there is a distinct moment in the performance right after the band stops playing where a lone bugle player plays taps from atop the ramparts.

You can imagine the last moments of the waning twilight when an absolute calm comes over 8th street and not a sound is present other than the bugle paying tribute to everything the Marine Corps is and will become and all that have gone before and all that will go in the future. I can only describe the feeling as a few brief moments of utter reverence and continuity, of truly being connected to every Marine at once spanning 239 years as if they were standing next to you and listening. There is an eerie spiritual reverence about the place that you can feel when you are there. It truly is the soul of the Marine Corps.

Response by Cpl Justin Goolsby made Apr 26 at 2016 1:02 AM

Cpl Justin Goolsby — Tue, 26 Apr 2016 01:02:29 -0400

Everything in DC is grans and powerful in its own way, but what really amazes me is Lincoln. To see him sitting up there truly is a magnificent sight.

Response by CPT David Cosson made Apr 26 at 2016 10:07 AM

CPT David Cosson — Tue, 26 Apr 2016 10:07:40 -0400

Beyond the visual impacts of the Lincoln Memorial, for me the most compelling is the inscription of the Second Inaugural in which Lincoln provided a possible explanation for the failure of his commanders to follow up their respective victories at Antietam and Gettysburg by pursuing Lee and forcing surrender: "Yet, if God wills that [the war] continue until all the wealth piled by the bond-man's two hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil shall be sunk, and until every drop of blood drawn with the lash, shall be paid by another drawn with the sword, as was said three thousand years ago, so still it must be said 'the judgments of the Lord, are true and righteous altogether.'"

Response by LTC Billy Jackson made Apr 26 at 2016 5:41 PM

LTC Billy Jackson — Tue, 26 Apr 2016 17:41:40 -0400

Arlington National Cemetary represents the sacrifice made by many to sustain our freedoms, it is without biase or judgement, it speaks to you in silence. Freedom is not free!

Response by MAJ Rene De La Rosa made May 21 at 2016 11:53 PM

MAJ Rene De La Rosa — Sat, 21 May 2016 23:53:19 -0400

Do not forget about the Thomas Jefferson Memorial. He gets forgotten because he is a hike toward the other side of the Tidal Basin. Inspiring as Lincoln, or the vast landscape that is Arlington. ((Sidenote: I can recall someone who was on the Arlington tour with me who was debating whether or not to get off at the Lee House due to a time crunch for a flight at Reagan. I convinced her that the vista was worthy of her time. When we got back on, I merely told her: "Not a bad piece of real estate." Her comment" "It was certainly worth the time."