Shrubs used at the site include Carolina allspice, dwarf sweet pepperbush, Harry's garnet sweetspire, "Gulftide" holly osmanthus, and Burkwood viburnum.

[24] In the wake of this decision, the legislation's backers in Congress quickly added new language to their bill exempting the memorial from the CWA's National Mall ban.

[18] Key considerations were the site's proximity to Capitol Hill, the museums of the Smithsonian Institution, and Washington Metro subway stations.

The man-made below-ground structure supporting the existing parkland and streets was not designed to carry a heavy granite or bronze memorial, nor the weight of a fountain.

[30][32] Brown testified that the DVLMF supported the site because it had a direct line of sight with the Capitol, and would remind members of Congress of their weighty responsibilities when considering issues of war and peace.

[40] To urge the public to donate, Pope herself paid for advertisements which featured General H. Norman Schwarzkopf, poet Maya Angelou, and National Football League star Michael Strahan.

[42] The DVLMF contracted with Tom Brokaw, former NBC News anchor and author of The Greatest Generation (1998), to host a fundraiser in New York City in April 2004, and the estate of Jesse Brown (who died in 2002) agreed to donate the proceeds of Brown's book The Price of Their Blood: Profiles in Spirit (which documented the lives of 10 disabled veterans) to the memorial construction fund.

Senator Tim Johnson (D-South Dakota) introduced legislation in July 2003 to authorize the United States Mint to manufacture commemorative coins which would be sold to raise money for the memorial.

Charity Navigator's Sandra Miniutti said her group gave the foundation zero out of four stars (its lowest rating) and scored DVLMF's operations: "Their finances are out of whack, and it appears they are not adhering to their mission".

It admitted spending $4.9 million on fundraising in 2005, most of it to purchase personalized items such as coffee mugs, T-shirts, stadium blankets, and umbrellas to mail to potential donors.

[60] He claimed that his mother's support of the DVLMF was to blame for the broken agreement and asserted that the memorial foundation had squandered $14 million on high staff salaries, parties, and expensive trinkets.

[59][65] With nowhere nearly enough money on hand to begin construction by the legislatively mandated deadline, the memorial foundation petitioned Congress for an extension, arguing that fundraising would be complete by 2010.

104–329) in October 1996, many groups (including those building federal memorials) had raised funds by paying the United States Mint to manufacture commemorative coins.

[72][73] Perot's contribution (the largest yet from an individual or group not already associated with the memorial foundation) brought the total amount of funds raised for construction and maintenance to $55.1 million.

[77] Rick Fenstermacher, who had now joined the DVLMF as its chief operating officer, said the foundation would begin the process of obtaining a construction permit from the Department of the Interior.

[83] The west and south sides of the site continued to be lined with trees, but the stone walls no longer connected with the paved area around the fountain.

The third element was the triangular reflecting pool, which extended south and east from the fountain,[82] with trees at the north end emerging from the water at seemingly random points.

[84][86] Finally, CFA members thought that raising and lowering the flame would trivialize the memorial,[87] the flagpole should be located in less intrusive place, and that the trees in the reflecting pool would create serious maintenance problems.

[86] The National Capital Planning Commission approved the preliminary design concept of the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial on April 1, 2004.

[88] Extending northwest and southeast from the star-shaped basin was a triangular reflecting pool whose long edge bordered Washington Avenue.

"There were too many elements – fire, a star, water, two kinds of walls, writing, sculpture, landscaping – but there was no clear hierarchy," said one member of the CFA.

[92] Because of the diminution of the screening walls and a more limited number of trees, which reduced traffic noise, the star-shaped basin was now raised to a height of about 3 feet (0.91 m).

[92] Addressing landscape concerns, Vergason said the large, southern grove of trees would consist of ginkgo, with bald cypress along 2nd Street.

CFA members made minor suggestions regarding the opacity of the lettering and the typography on the glass panels, and expressed ongoing concern about the site's accessibility.

The commission was extremely pleased with the final site plan and made a single minor suggestion (ensure even distribution of illumination along the Wall of Gratitude).

While the utilities that owned these lines could move them quickly, the cash-strapped District of Columbia required federal funds to assist it in managing the street closures and infrastructure improvements that would be made during the relocations.

The fund worked closely with Senator Patty Murray (D-Washington), chair of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs; Representative Nancy Pelosi; Representative Tom Latham (R-Iowa), chair of the Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies of the House Committee on Appropriations; Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood; and Victor Mendez, Administrator of the Federal Highway Administration, to secure the funds.

Their efforts were successful, and in mid-2012 the DC Department of Transportation (DDOT) received a $6 million grant from the Public Lands Highway Discretionary Program to construct the street realignments and complete Phase II.

[119] Technifex, a special effects company located in Valencia, California, was hired in 2011 to design and fabricate the one-of-a-kind steel system providing natural gas to the eternal flame.

The shapes did not need to be perfect, as Kirkland preferred a slightly imperfect image that gave the viewer the impression that the "artist's hand" was still crafting the work.