Until war is obsolete, a portion of the Missouri Veterans Memorial will remain a work in progress.
An update to the memorial, located on the north side of the Capitol, has been endorsed, informally, by the Missouri State Capitol Commission, a panel charged with the preservation, restoration and renovation at the Capitol complex.
The memorial would be expanded and updated to honor veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Funding would come from private sources.
We're on board.
The memorial was dedicated in 1991 and recognized every war the United States has been involved in since Missouri became a state.
As visitors approach from the east, they pass a series of eight granite markers, recognizing conflicts ranging from the Mexican-American War, 1846-1848, to the Persian Gulf War, 1990-(no ending date inscribed).
The path leads to the lower portion of a fountain and reflecting pool, containing an outline of the state and the words: Missouri Veterans - Guardians of Liberty."
Plans to expand the memorial remain largely conceptual, according to the state's Office of Administration, the office of Sen. Mike Kehoe, R-Jefferson City, and a commission member.
According to an Associated Press report, the commission was approached by J.C. Standlee, a local resident, who said he has been researching how the memorial could be updated and asked the panel to endorse his efforts to talk with veterans groups and businesses interested in the project.
The Missouri Veterans Memorial offers a venue of solace and reflection amid inspiring architecture, located between the scenic Capitol and a panorama of the Missouri River.
The memorial, however, has not been updated in nearly 25 years.
We await expansion plans commensurate with the integrity of the state's tribute to its "guardians of liberty."