The Anthem Veterans Memorial in Anthem, Arizona features five pillars representing the branches of the United States Armed Forces–Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard–that each have a hole in it, allowing light to pass through. They are all perfectly aligned to spotlight a mosaic of the Great Seal of the United States on the ground on only one day out of the year–Veterans Day.
Designed by artist Renee Palmer-Jones, the permanent installation commemorates the brave men and women who have served in the US military forces, past and present. Full of symbolism, Anthem Arizona Community explains: “The brick pavers within the Circle of Honor [are] inscribed with the names of U.S. servicemen and women, symbolizing the ‘support’ for the pillars. The pavers are red, the pillars are white marble, and the sky is blue to represent America’s flag. The circle represents an unbreakable border”
Altogether, it is an intricately and thoughtfully constructed installation that utilizes natural sunlight seeping through the elliptical openings of each column to highlight the Great Seal at 11:11am on the 11th day of the 11th month each year. The very first year it was erected and ceremoniously took effect was 2011 (11/11/11).
