"Citizen Soldier", Bronze.
Jim Brothers
Citizen Soldier
24 hours
Veterans of Foreign Wars Centennial Plaza
406 West 34th Street
Kansas City, MO
816.756.3390
Permanent installation.
VFW site: http://www.vfw.org
On Memorial Day, we honor the fallen. This is the day, whatever one thinks about war, to honor those who came back from it alive — and are doing so even today.
Jim Brothers has done both; he created six bronzes for the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, Va., and is the sculptor of today’s featured piece, Citizen Soldier. The life-size bronze stands at 34th and Broadway, forming the centerpiece of the Centennial Plaza outside the national headquarters of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
The statue depicts the same man, once as a Vietnam-era soldier and once as a boldly striding businessman wearing a VFW hat. The positioning makes it appear as though the soldier is laying down covering fire for his future self, both pairs of eyes locked on the same goal.
It was dedicated in 2001, along with the rest of the Centennial Plaza, to mark the 100th anniversary of the organization’s founding. Eight years later, we’re still making veterans.
Funny, they called World War I ”The War to End All Wars.”
Speaking of that conflict, though, a visit to the National World War I Museum at the Liberty Memorial would also be more than appropriate today. It’s only a short drive — or a decent walk, for those who don’t mind stretching their legs — from VFW headuarters. And on the way, or afterward, you can check out Brothers’ iconic The Scout statue in nearby Penn Valley Park.
And, while this might sound like a cliché … if you run into a vet today, don’t hesitate to say, “Thanks.”
