We're looking at a black marble monument honoring every branch of military service. Two reflecting benches and a giant gleaming flag pole accompany the monument, and peaking from behind the pillars of that monument is a second, smaller monument bearing the forever young face of one of the service men buried at Saulmon Cemetery.

Marine Lance Cpl. James Brown of Owensville, killed in Iraq, was buried at Saulmon Cemetery three years ago this month, and his military portrait is reproduced on fired porcelain embedded in the face of the smaller monument.

At 1 p.m. Saturday, up to 1,500 men and women are expected to arrive to witness the unveiling of the monument, which honors Brown and the 49 other buried veterans of virtually every war this nation has fought.

Burghardt, a past state commander of the Military Order of the Purple Heart, designed the new monument at the tiny cemetery, as well as a Purple Heart monument in Evansville.

He and friend Ben Benjamin worked to make the monument a reality, with help from people across the area.

The monument, Burghardt notes, is not the project of any one organization, because many have contributed.

Engineers, electricians, landscapers, a monument company and many others didn't ask questions, they just pitched in to make the project happen.

Saturday afternoon the monument will be unveiled with color guards, Gold Star mothers, Rolling Thunder, The Patriot Guard, VFW, Marine Corps League and many others witnessing the event.

Former congressman John Hostettler is the keynote speaker for the program, and retired Air Force Master Sgt. Julie Schembre, a former soloist with the Air Force Band, will perform.

In addition to all those veterans, former Gibson Southern High School classmates and Titan football players are turning out for the occasion.

Burghardt said donations will be accepted to help Saulmon Cemetery's board of trustees maintain the cemetery.

He's working to have some of the Civil War and War of 1812 gravemarkers replaced.

The monument is up, and some people might say the project is complete, but the work goes on in a continued commitment to maintain the final resting place of those who served.

And to that, I say, "Ooh-rah!"