Armen Ra Plays The National Anthem On The Theremin For Memorial Day And Dedicates The Star Spangled Banner To Veterans With PTSD

Theremin virtuoso Armen Ra performed the “National Anthem” and dedicated the presentation to veterans suffering from PTSD. Sharing the video on his official Facebook page in honor of Memorial Day weekend, the performance went viral and touched many with its haunting, sorrowful beauty. Persian-American Ra is known worldwide for his mastery of the theremin, an electronic instrument that is played with vibrational frequency rather than direct contact. As the theremin is known for its moving and unforgettable sound, the “Star Spangled Banner” was more touching as each ethereal note was played.

Armen Ra included the following sentiment along with the performance video.

“For all the young souls sacrificed for oil and money. For all of the veterans who are on the streets with PTSD and unimaginable scars. Thank you.”

Those who listened to the performance shared the sentiment and thanked Armen for his beautiful performance that soared like an anguished cry for those who served the country and gave their all for freedom.

You may listen to Armen Ra’s unforgettable rendition of the “National Anthem” dedicated to veterans in the video player below.

Scar Spangled Banner

For all the young souls sacrificed for oil and money. For all of the Veterans who are on the streets with PTSD and unimaginable scars. Thank you.

Posted by ARMEN RA on Saturday, May 25, 2019

While the “National Anthem” is officially named “The Star Spangled Banner” you may notice that Armen named his performance the “Scar Spangled Banner.”

This is reflective of what he said in the description when he spoke of veterans living with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and “unimaginable scars.”

According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, approximately thirty percent of all Vietnam veterans suffer PTSD. Twelve percent of every 100 Gulf war veterans have PTSD and eleven to twenty percent of every 100 Operations Iraqi Freedom and Operations Enduring Freedom veterans have PTSD.

While many veterans who have engaged in combat suffer from PTSD, there is a growing number of women who have reported sexual harassment and rape during their time in the military. Of course, sexual harassment and rape aren’t limited to women alone. Studies haven’t revealed how many trans veterans are suffering PTSD due to sexual harassment and rape. Those statistics are in the early process of being gathered.

This Memorial Day, join with Armen Ra in honoring and remembering those veterans who are suffering unimaginable scars.