Veterans tour Washington war memorials using AI glasses

WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - A group of veterans from across the country toured the nation’s war memorials in Washington on Tuesday, using special sets of AI glasses to help them find fallen service members.

The group was flown into the capital as part of an honor flight trip that was sponsored by Meta.

Many of the veterans that were on the three-day trip, were blind or visually impaired. And each of them were given a pair of the Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses to help them navigate the war memorials that were built in their honor.

“We were able to work with the veterans, who are able to use their glasses to, even those who are blind or low vision... explain to them what they’re looking at, and tell them more information about the memorials,” said John Bockstanz, an Innovation Policy Manager at Meta, who is also an Iraq War veteran.

The glasses use built-in cameras, microphones and AI to perceive wearers’ surroundings then can describe them.

Victor Dunham, a Vietnam veteran from Texas, said he used the glasses to try to find out more about a friend named Anthony, or Tony as he knew him, who died while serving alongside him.

“I was trying to to locate him, and I kept coming up with a major that died on that day,” Dunham said. “Well, when I came here, I had an opportunity to use my Meta glasses and learn a little bit further, and we explored the possibility of trying to find this guy.”

The glasses helped Dunham find Anthony on the Vietnam Memorial wall.

“I didn’t know him well, but I felt like I did, and I was with him obviously, when he died,” Dunham said. “But I closed that loop today.”

Bockstanz said Meta has committed to donating 130,000 pairs of the glasses to visually impaired and blinded veterans across the nation.

“They’re already sharing how these AI glasses are transforming their daily lives,” he said. “Restoring their independence, helping them navigate busy airports, read menus at restaurants, or even matching clothing. And that’s why Meta is supporting our veterans. It is not just a single flight. It’s an ongoing, year-round commitment to giving back.”

Dunham said the the trip was incredible for him and his son Mark, an Iraq War veteran, who also came.

“This experience here has been wonderful for me, and I appreciate it beyond belief,” he said.

The trip was also moving for Bockstanz.

“It’s the most meaningful thing I’ve ever done at this company,” he said.