Virtual reality for military veterans: T-Mobile teams with Honor Flight Network, VR to bring memorials to war vets – USA TODAY

Virtual reality will be used to help some military veterans visit war memorials in the Nation's Capital from their homes.

With the help of wireless provider T-Mobile and augmented reality and VR channel Healium, the Honor Flight Network will bring to veterans' homes the virtual experience of visiting the World War II Memorial and other Washington, D.C., memorials during May, which is Military Appreciation Month.

Volunteers with the Honor Flight Network, anon-profit organization that flies veterans to Washington, D.C., to see war memorials honoring veterans' service and sacrifices, will be equipped with VR headsets and hotspots that connectto T-Mobile's 5G network. The network will travel to small, rural towns across the U.S. to veterans' homes and give them thevirtual tours.

'Twelve Minutes': Video game mystery in miniature that repeats until you find the solution

Instagram for Kids: State attorneys general urge Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg to nix plan

World War II veteran JD Sinclair experiencing a VR visit to war memorials in the Nation's Capital. The rural Missouri man was a Seaman 2nd Class during WWII stationed aboard the USS Columbia in the North Atlantic.(Photo: T-Mobile/Healium/Honor Flight Network)

The VR experience includes theChanging of the Guardat Arlington National Cemetery, and video and sound from the World War II Memorial, Korean War Veterans Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the Women in Military Service For America Memorial. Theres also a virtual tour of the USS Nimitz in the Pacific Ocean.

We are losing our World War II Veterans at a rate of hundreds a day, and sadly many may not live long enough to be able to see their memorials in person, said Healium CEO Sarah Hill in a a statement.While nothing is as good as a real, in-person Honor Flight trip, this is a beautiful way to take Veterans there if theyre not able to travel.

Last month, T-Mobile announced its 5G home internet service and competitor Verizon has an offering, too but you will want to check coverage maps for availability. 5G can providebroadband speeds that outperform cable-delivered connections.

Faster, more robust connections mean more will be able to experience VR applications that "can transport us to new places, giving us immersive experiences that better connect us to our world, said John Saw, executive vice president of advanced and emerging technologies at T-Mobile, in a statement. We are delighted to team up with Healium and Honor Flight Network to help give back to those who have served our country.

Follow Mike Snider on Twitter: @MikeSnider.

Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/gaming/2021/05/11/military-veterans-get-virtual-reality-tour-war-memorials-home/5037690001/

More:

Virtual reality for military veterans: T-Mobile teams with Honor Flight Network, VR to bring memorials to war vets - USA TODAY