Where will you be this September 11th?

[darrels joy]

http://www.asyfreedomwalk.com/

Where will you be this September 11th?

The tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001, left an indelible mark on the American consciousness. This September 11th, the nation will gather in Washington, D.C. to remember the victims, honor our veterans, past and present, and celebrate our freedom with the America Supports You Freedom Walk, organized by the Department of Defense.

About the Walk
Q1: What is the America Supports You Freedom Walk?
A1: The America Supports You ?FREEDOM WALK? is an event on September 11 that allows citizens the opportunity to remember the victims of September 11, honor our American servicemen and women past and present, and commemorate our freedom.

The America Supports You ?FREEDOM WALK? is a walk of remembrance and support. Remembrance of the victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks on the Pentagon, Twin Towers, and Pennsylvania and support of the many American men and women in uniform past and present who protect the freedom the walk is commemorating.

Q2: When is the ASY Freedom Walk being held?
A2: The Freedom Walk is being held on September 11, 2005, beginning at 10 a.m. at the Pentagon South parking lot and is free and open to anyone who registers.

Q3: What is the ASY Freedom Walk route?
A3: The America Supports You Freedom Walk is a walk that will begin near the Pentagon crash site, proceed over the Memorial Bridge, pass several National memorials, and conclude adjacent to the National Mall and Reflecting Pool. For more information, visit www.AmericaSupportsYou.com and click on the Freedom Walk icon.

Q4: What other events are associated with the ASY Freedom Walk?
A4: Prior to the FREEDOM WALK the Pentagon will be holding a private ceremony for the families of victims of the Sept. 11, 2001 attack on the Pentagon. Immediately following the FREEDOM WALK, country superstar singer and songwriter Clint Black will hold a concert on the National Mall.

Q5: Who is supporting the Freedom Walk?
A5: The America Supports You Freedom Walk enjoys the support of Stars and Stripes newspaper, Pentagon Federal Credit Union, Subway, Lockheed Martin, WTOP Radio Network, ABC WJLA-TV Channel 7 & NewsChannel 8, and 630 WMAL among others.

Q6: Is this a fundraiser for the Pentagon Memorial Fund?
A6: The Freedom Walk is not a fundraiser but it will bring more visibility to the memorial. To learn how to support the Pentagon Memorial, visit http://memorial.pentagon.mil/

Q7: Where do I check in for the America Supports You Freedom Walk?
A7: Participants are encouraged to arrive at the Pentagon South parking lot between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. The first 1,000 registered walkers to arrive at the Pentagon on September 11 will receive the official America Supports You campaign lapel pin.

Q8: Is parking available?
A8: Walk participants are encouraged to take Metro to Pentagon or Pentagon City stations and follow the signs to the staging area in Pentagon South Parking. Pentagon parking will not be available to the general public. DoD parking permit holders should note that South Parking is closed for this event, but North Parking permit holders will be able to access their parking spaces.

Q9: Why is DoD organizing this event?
A9: Every year since Sept. 11, 2001, the Department of Defense has organized a commemoration for our victims' families, for our victims, for the Pentagon employees and for the volunteers who were there that day helping us and for our men and women in the military. This year we have organized the America Supports You ?FREEDOM WALK? to pay tribute to those groups. It's a way for people in the D.C. area to recognize what happened that day, to reflect on that and to commemorate our victims, their families and our American service men and women, both past and present.

Q10: Is there any additional safety information for walkers?
A10: For visitor safety, the following items are prohibited during the walk, and at the concert viewing area: real or simulated weapons/ammunition, animals, Mace/pepper spray, alcoholic beverages, coolers, glass bottles, fireworks/firecrackers, and laser lights/laser pointers. Baby strollers are allowed for the walk. Backpacks, duffels and bags are allowed but will be subject to security screening.

Q11: Can I volunteer to help with the Freedom Walk?
A11: Those interested in volunteering may sign-up via the event web site at www.asyfreedomwalk.com.

Q12: What is America Supports You?
A12: " America Supports You," is a nationwide program launched by the Department of Defense (DoD) to recognize citizens' support for our military men and women and communicate that support to members of our Armed Forces at home and abroad. For more information, visit www.AmericaSupportsYou.com.

[darrels joy]

"Building a Better Memorial"
Project Team Working to Finalize Memorial Unit Prototype

Amidst the fundraising, site preparation and other project activity, the Pentagon Memorial design team is also hard at work making sure that the design for the memorial units is refined before construction begins.

Since the submission of the original memorial concept, the design work on the memorial units (commonly referred to as ?benches?) has included some drastic weight reduction. While the benches will still look exactly as they appear in current renderings, new calculations have shown that the units will now weigh considerably less than initially expected. The designers have also been working on the finish that will constitute the top of the memorial units.

Meanwhile, the team has been conducting extensive testing on the water circulation patterns in the reflecting pools that will be located under each of the 184 benches. For instance, they have been working on determining the best location for the plumbing nostrils in order to achieve the desired ?ripple effect? in the pools.

The designers traveled to Santa Cruz, CA to visit the plant where the pools are being developed and also experiment with various lighting options for the reflection pools. They reviewed conventional incandescent lighting solutions, but also looked at more environmentally friendly alternatives, such as fiber optic, LED and induction lamps. A lighting mock-up showed that a single light source met the design intent, but preliminary tests produced lights that were too yellow and too blue. ?We?re looking for the whitest and clearest light possible,? said Jill Dowling, the design manager for Centex Lee, the project?s design-build team. The team has found a light fixture that they are now testing for use in the memorial units? reflecting pools. These fixtures are not only being evaluated for correct light color, but also for bulb life, which will have an impact on costs associated with bulb replacement and maintenence. Current tests of the light fixtures suggest an exceptionally long bulb life.

Centex Lee is anticipating the first memorial unit prototype to be ready by early 2005. ?We?re right on track with the memorial unit design,? said Julie Beckman, one of the memorial?s original concept designers. ?After so many hours viewing our progress on a computer screen, we?re excited about seeing the prototype.?

[Boats]

I'll be around - like most - we will reflect on the day. Saw the NGC channel special over the weekend - sure was like a bad nightmare but it was well documented and gave me chills once again.

My regards to those lost souls and their families is about all I can do right now.