The Kingsport Veterans Memorial has a new feature thanks to the efforts of the Rotary Club of Kingsport, Horizon Credit Union, and Tri-Cities Military Affairs – a piece of technology that will make finding a particular veteran’s paver much easier for visitors.

A kiosk now stands on the eastern side of the memorial near the handicapped parking spaces. This touchscreen kiosk allows visitors to search for a veteran’s paver either by name or branch of service, while displaying a map of where the paver is located in the memorial.

Visitors can submit photos and information about a particular veteran, and the kiosk has links to stories about the history of and the expansions made to the Kingsport Veterans Memorial. You can also submit photos and information by going to www.kingsportveteransmemorial.org.

The Rotary Club of Kingsport announced on Veterans Day 2021 its signature project for the year would be the kiosk. It was unveiled last month on Memorial Day.

“We wanted to provide an easy way to find each family member with a mapping system on this new kiosk,” said Brian Trent, president of the Rotary Club of Kingsport. “It’s in a central location for those with physical disabilities, visual impairments, or limited access to technology to easily search and navigate the memorial site. It will also provide a great educational opportunity by presenting more detailed information about the wars, engagements, battles, and other features within the memorial.”

The kiosk project was made possible by Horizon Credit Union, Tri-Cities Military Affairs, and many other local sponsors.

Dedicated in 2008, the Kingsport Veterans Memorial features six granite tablets with the names of more than 370 fallen Kingsport soldiers from World War I to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The memorial also includes 2,120 granite pavers bearing the names of veterans, a Gold Star Families monument and a small plaza with a bronze sentinel statue.

Note: All pavers have been claimed, and there are no plans at this time for an expansion of the memorial.

For more information about the memorial visit www.kingsportveteransmemorial.org.