Guardians At the Wall In Salem Virginia

Veterans guard Vietnam Veterans Memorial traveling replica in Salem
WDBJ 7 News
Shayne Dwyer
Sep 18, 2015

Volunteers known as the Guardians of the Wall make sure that the wall, and the more than 58,000 souls listed on it, are never alone. Half of the guardians are veterans.

SALEM, Va.
The Wall That Heals, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial traveling half-scale replica, is continuing its tour in our area. Organizers said a couple thousand people have already come to see it -- and while those people look on, there is a special group of people helping out.

They're called the Guardians of the Wall, and their job is to help people explore the wall and its history. Official duties include helping people find names, while unofficial duties include making new friends and exchanging war stories.

"They kneel down and they touch it, and you can feel their heartache when you see them crying," Army Veteran and guardian Richard Simms said.

At lease one guardian is with the wall twenty-four hours a day to make sure that the wall is never alone.

"It's the most important job because they are the first folks that visitors see when they come to visit the wall," Col. John R. Miller, Stonewall Jackson Chatper of the Associaiton Of The U.S. Army President said. "They are the face of the wall."
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