The National LGBT Veterans Memorial Project is running a design competition for the LGBT Veterans Monument at the historic Congressional Cemetery in Washington, DC.
The memorial is intended to be a lasting testament to the contribution gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender service members have made to the security of the United States.
The Board of Directors of NLGBTVM has entered into an agreement with the Board of Directors of the historic Congressional Cemetery to establish the Memorial there and has purchased cemetery plots for the project. The plan includes the option to inter cremains for those veterans who wish to be memorialized on the site. For those who want to have their service recognized but who do not want to bury their ashes, there is an option to acquire a brick or paver engraved with their name and service information.
The plan includes accepting, through a contest, designs for the Memorial/Monument from artists nationwide. A committee will select from the designs submitted those that best meet the requirements and then those will be juried by a committee of professionals to select the winner of the design contest.
The deadline for design submission will be Oct. 15, 2013.
Retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. and Chair of the project's board Nancy Russell has stated that the group has obtained a contract with the Congressional Cemetery for monument site.
"The time has come for those of us who were forced to serve in silence to honor our fellow veterans with a dignified and impressive memorial in our national capital," Russell said. "The National LGBT Veterans Memorial will be a fitting testament to those who have served our nation with honor."
More information at www.nlgbtvm.org or from Chair@NLGBTVM.org .
Donations for the memorial project are currently being accepted on the website or checks can be mailed to: National LGBT Veterans Memorial Project, PO Box 780514, San Antonio, TX 78278-0514.
The National LGBT Veterans Memorial Project is a recognized 501(c)(3).
