Robert Monroe - he was a Vietnam combat Marine. But this one page that I want to try to describe to your listeners really describes the power of VLM. LAPAGLIA: You know, while we have 4.8 million veteran pages, each page is special to someone. There are so many incredible stories on the site. SUMMERSS: I mean, there's so much incredible data. And that still holds true today - you know, the power of VLM for people to share the history and the story of their veteran's life no matter where they are. And so we did it intentionally because we still wanted people to have the ability to memorialize their veteran. You know, we intentionally escalated our ability to make the site interactive in 2020 - in the middle of the pandemic - and that was largely because we weren't gathering, of course, in large numbers for Memorial Day ceremonies. The idea of being able to have that experience - have that digital connection while being halfway across the country must be really powerful for people. The biggest thing that struck me is - I live in Maryland, and multiple members of my family that served in the Army are buried in Leavenworth, in Kansas. SUMMERSS: I spent a little bit of time on this website. So it really - VLM - what we're finding, it shows really that intersection of the veteran experience. I did this little search on the back end last week about - you know, what are the other topics that are being mentioned? And, you know, I found tributes and content that referenced things like PTSD, veteran suicide, disability, serving under - don't ask, don't tell - burn pits, Agent Orange, the health care that veterans receive from VA medical centers, racism experiences while the servicemember was in the military and more. We sometimes see very raw grief, but we also see laughter. LAPAGLIA: We just went over 60,000 memories shared to veteran pages. SUMMERSS: Tell us a little bit more about the kinds of data that the Veterans Legacy Memorial is making accessible to people. And it broadens that experience to a worldwide audience - to those who can contribute to and appreciate the stories of those patriots who we've loved and lost. LAPAGLIA: We want to broaden the experience of what you might typically see in a cemetery, where a loved one has left flowers or a note or is standing there talking to their loved ones. SUMMERSS: So James, what is the goal of this project? What experiences - what feelings are you hoping people experience when they use this website? James LaPaglia of the Department of Veterans Affairs helps manage the memorial and joins us now. This year, the memorial has added 27 new cemeteries to its database, including Arlington National Cemetery. That means anyone who visits the site can submit a tribute, add biographical information, even photos. The Veterans Legacy Memorial features an interactive page for every veteran in its database. It is an online memorial for millions of deceased U.S. But visiting a physical space isn't possible for everyone. For many Americans, Memorial Day includes a visit to a cemetery, honoring their loved ones who died while serving in the military.
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