The Eyes of Freedom traveling military memorial on display at UAA July 26-28

The Eyes of Freedom, a traveling memorial dedicated to honoring the service and sacrifice of all U.S. military veterans, will be on display at the Alaska Airlines Center from July 26-28, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. All are welcome to engage and reflect on the memorial. Please also consider volunteering for the eventif your schedule allows.

The exhibit honors 23 fallen heroes from the Marine Forces Reserve's 4th Reconnaissance Battalion who were killed in action in Iraq between May and August 2005, including Anchorage's own Lance Cpl. Grant Fraser, who attended Service High School and served part of his term of duty in Alaska.

The memorial also features Silent Battle, a sculpture by Anita Miller created after witnessing first-hand the struggles of returning combat veterans coping with post-traumatic stress and the loss of their brothers and sisters in combat and at home.

"One of the central purposes of the memorial is to remind viewers of the 'Silent Battle' that many veterans experience after returning from deployments. Survivor guilt, grief and trauma can be common emotions for returning combat veterans," said Jonathon Sanders, program director for UAA Military and Veteran Student Services. "Healing trauma can be a communal effort. Works of art like The Eyes of Freedom are a way for veterans to process this internal conflict and work toward a better understanding of themselves."

The Eyes of Freedom will be open to the public free of charge at the Alaska Airlines Center, from July 26-28, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information on the traveling memorial, visit eyesoffreedom.org.