HOUSTON, Nov. 07, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Service Corporation International (NYSE:SCI), North America’s largest provider of funeral and cemetery services, and its brand, Dignity Memorial, have joined the National Infantry Museum this Veterans Day to officially donate the Dignity Memorial® Vietnam Wall to the Museum. The Wall has traveled throughout the U.S. for more than 20 years, and has been on temporary display at the National Infantry Museum in Columbus/Ft. Benning, GA since March 2014.
“This Veterans Day, SCI is proud to join the National Infantry Museum in honoring our nation’s veterans, active military, and their loved ones, as we officially dedicate the Dignity Memorial Vietnam Wall to its permanent home at this prestigious museum,” said Michael R. Webb, President and Chief Operating Officer at SCI. “The Wall provides a beautiful memorial for those American heroes who have given their lives for our freedom, and we are humbled by the hundreds of thousands of people who have visited or will visit the memorial at its new home.”
"We are immensely grateful for this unique and significant gift," said Col. (Ret) Greg Camp, President and Chief Operating Officer of the National Infantry Museum Foundation. "In the three years the Wall has been on display here, we have watched thousands of Vietnam veterans and their family members spend long moments of reflection there, sharing tears and stories. This Wall is every bit as meaningful to them as the one in Washington. We commend SCI and Dignity Memorial for their contribution to healing, and we're proud to continue their tradition of honoring veterans by making the Wall a permanent installation at the National Infantry Museum."
The dedication of the Wall is part of SCI’s continued commitment to honoring those who serve our country. Dignity Memorial commissioned the creation of the Wall, which is a ¾-scale replica of the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C. Since 1990, the replica has traveled to more than 200 cities across the country, giving millions of Americans the opportunity to experience its healing power. Like the original Vietnam Wall in Washington, D.C., the replica is etched with more than 58,000 names of patriots who gave the ultimate sacrifice for their country.
Since 2000, SCI has also sponsored the Dignity Memorial Homeless Veterans Burial Program. Together, Dignity Memorial, the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, along with local government agencies, have combined resources to honor and provide care for more than 2,500 forgotten veterans across the country. The Dignity Memorial Homeless Veterans Burial Program serves eligible homeless and indigent veterans, providing a full burial ceremony with military honors in a VA Cemetery or a Dignity Memorial network cemetery in 32 states across the country. On March 30, 2016, the company participated in the nation’s largest full military honors service for 42 unclaimed veterans in Phoenix, Ariz.
Additionally, the Dignity Memorial network offers the Veterans Planning Guide, educational veterans’ seminars and discounts for members of veterans’ service organizations. Dignity Memorial is also the Founding Community Partner of the We Honor Veterans program, a collaboration of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization and the Department of Veterans Affairs.
About Service Corporation International
Service Corporation International (NYSE:SCI), headquartered in Houston, Texas, is North America’s leading provider of death care products and services. As of June 30, 2017, SCI operates 1,502 funeral service locations and 475 cemeteries (including 286 combination locations), which are geographically diversified across 45 states, eight Canadian provinces, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Through its businesses, SCI markets the Dignity Memorial® brand which offers assurance of quality, value, caring service and exceptional customer satisfaction. In January 2016, SCI was presented with the J.D. Power President’s Award in recognition of an ongoing dedication to service excellence including quality improvement, customer satisfaction and the development of enduring client relationships. For more information about Service Corporation International, please visit www.sci-corp.com. For more information about Dignity Memorial, please visit www.dignitymemorial.com. As used herein, “SCI” or the “Company” refers to Service Corporation International and all of its affiliated companies.
About The National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center
The National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center, on a 155-acre tract linking Columbus, Georgia, and the Maneuver Center of Excellence at Fort Benning, is the first world-class site to pay tribute to the U.S. Army Infantryman and those who fight alongside him. Voted the #1 Free Museum in America in the 2016 USA Today Readers’ Choice Awards, the museum showcases the contributions of the Infantry Soldier in every war fought by the U.S. by offering immersive participation and engaging visitors in the unique experiences of the Infantry Soldier. The complex also includes a parade field, memorial walk of honor, authentic World War II Company Street, Global War on Terrorism Memorial, Vietnam Memorial Plaza, combat simulators, a full-service restaurant and a Giant Screen Theater. For more information, visit www.nationalinfantrymuseum.org.
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