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| Five granite pylons with hand-carved service logos and laser etched inserts are positioned outside the main monument. |
Several years ago, as he addressed a Memorial Day crowd, Dave Carroll, commander of Post 9340 in Columbia Station, Ohio, was in awe of all the flags on veterans’ graves. But he soon noticed a problem.
“During the ceremony, I placed a folded flag on a monument, but I noticed it was dedicated to the firemen in the community,” he said. “I was moved that there was no permanent monument to honor our community’s veterans even though so many had served.”
Carroll talked to his Post members, and everyone agreed that they needed to do something. They asked a friend of the Post to come up with a design. After calling different companies, they finally found a monument company willing to take on the job.
“Some of these companies didn’t think a Post with only 150 members could complete a project this size,” Carroll said.
But the small Post wasn’t intimidated by the scale of the job at hand.
With the monument finally designed, Post 9340 worked on fundraising, a process that would take three years to complete and also included efforts by the local elementary school students who sold flags. The Post also sold engraved bricks.
“We broke ground on the monument on Veterans Day in 2006,” said Carroll. “It was cold and raining, but the event was attended by almost 300 people.
“I will never forget one of the truck drivers who delivered the granite we used,” continued Carroll. “As a recently discharged Iraq veteran, he had to walk away when he saw the monument’s center pylon because he was overcome with emotion.”
Post members and citizens donated their time and tools to construct the monument. Finally, on Memorial Day in 2007, 1,000 people attended the dedication — an impressive turnout for a town of only 5,000 people.
“I pass this monument several times a day, and I am amazed at how many people visit,” said Carroll. “You get the feeling that this is now hallowed ground.
“There are very few times in life when dreams come true,” he continued. “This memorial proves that a Post — even a small one — can do great things for the community.” | 
