RICHMOND, Va. -- Behind the walls of one of the most iconic memorials in the Commonwealth, you’ll find veterans ushering in visitors, leading tours for curious minds of all ages.
On a bright, sunny day, reminiscent of the bravery echoed by those honored at the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond, you’ll also find Laura Hatcher of Alexandria and her oldest son, Dylan.
That is where CBS 6 News Anchor GeNienne Samuels met them both.
Laura Hatcher told GeNienne her mission was clear that day - to ensure her son saw an exhibit before it retired next month.
"You don't want to be the one brother that didn't see it." She told her son. Laura was referring to the “50 Years Beyond: The Vietnam Veteran Experience.”
It’s where tales of service, pain, triumph, and transition are told, almost 50 years after the war came to an end.
“This generation did not get the recognition that they deserve.” Laura shared with Dylan.
Each veteran was captured with a click and their stories were told by them, using their own voices.
“What I love most is the fact that it's interactive. So that QR code at the bottom, when you scan, that goes to a snippet of the video where we interviewed them. Pamela Vines was my partner in this behind-the-scenes. It was just so heartwarming to see a grandchild of the veteran scanning that with their phone. So every generation, if you think about it, was included in this, right? This is digital, but it's an old-school analog way of looking at photography. .. They thought about, the future.”
Stories of Vietnam vets are no longer ignored and no longer forgotten at this exhibit.
Laura’s visit during Women’s History Month and Virginia Women Veterans Week cast a poignant hue over her trip from Alexandria.
“I know for a fact, being a minority, being a woman, I had to work 10 times harder than my male counterpart. I cannot imagine what these women in Vietnam had to go through because the numbers were even smaller back then.”
Yet amidst the adorned walls of valor, Laura felt grateful.
“It’s a reminder of the great women that came before me. I am proof of the product of them forging a path for me and the women that I served with. Nothing but pride and honor.”
This sacred place was even more meaningful to Laura because of her time in uniform.
“I'm a Naval Academy graduate, the great class, we like to say, of 1992.”
From Navy diver to Navy Captain, Laura's 31-year journey encapsulated the essence of service and sacrifice.
"Every command I went to, my ultimate goal was to leave it better than I found it. And that the person that came in behind me, I wanted to make sure that they can continue to be successful in that position because I left it in good stead.”
More than three decades of service came to an end in 2018.
GeNienne asked, “How was that transition for you?”
“It's emotional. I just get emotional with the question you just asked. It's emotional. You lose your identity. Our entire resume is on our uniform. And as a captain, especially a tall African-American woman, I stand out. I have a lot of bling on my uniform. I got a lot of rank. I didn’t have to say anything. There is an assumption and credibility that walks in with that rank. I had to do something to get there. As soon as you walk out of that uniform and put on civilian clothes, nobody knows who you are.”
Laura eventually found herself looking through a lens.
“I joke a lot. I took my hobby and I turned it into my 'jobby.' I was doing it on the side anyway, but I didn't immediately realize this, but reflecting back, I realized that this is an opportunity to go back with the people that I can communicate best with. I can continue to serve them and serve my entire life.”
Laura now provides “service” through the lens of her camera, where she is still a pivotal part of the tapestry of history, this time, out of uniform.
“This was so endearing. This was so important to me to be just a piece of history. And I would love to do more things like this. Because look how many lives I impacted. Fifty, at least.”
Her photography business is Laura Hatcher Photography.
“My tag lines are, celebrate your service, document your journey. Your legacy deserves better.”
This is something Laura wishes she had done better during her 30 years of active duty.
“I have regret, and I don't want them to have regret. When I retired in 2018, I put together a slide show so that my guests could have something to look at before the ceremony started. I really struggled to find pictures of myself in uniform throughout my entire career. Thirty-one years is a long time. You'd think I'd have a lot of pictures.”
As the photographer behind the veteran's images, her work will last generations and leave an indelible mark.
“I do get choked up, mainly because each one of the families that saw this and that was a recipient of these pictures, they are forever impacted, especially the ones that have passed away. We're sitting in front of John Jack Fraser Jr. And I just heard this morning that this was the image that they used during his funeral service. And that's heartwarming, right? I'm so glad I was able to contribute to that, but his legacy deserves that.”
Laura wants to remind all service members, active duty and retired, that your time in service is far beyond just a job. She says you're a tiny percentage of the United States that is eligible to serve. And an even smaller percentage that wants to serve. So document it so you can leave a legacy for years to come.
Laura says she photographs anyone wanting to remember a special moment in time, event, or occasion.
Catch up on Women's History Month and Virginia Women Veterans Week coverage below:
Local News
She joined the Army as a teen. Now she's making sure others thrive in uniform.
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Why she started an organization to help support homeless women veterans
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