Architect Peter Crissey of Crissey Architectural Group in Syracuse, NY, volunteered his services for the project. Crissey, who is also an architectural professor, held a competition with his students, and Sudeshna Sukla won for her design concept of the Wall of Honor, which called for inscriptions of the veteran's names into large granite slabs. Picture This on Granite reworked the concept, along with assistance from Onondaga County Legislator Lovie L. Winslow, until the final plan was conceived and agreed upon. Another important objective of the project was that the names of the veterans and detailed military logos needed to be clearly visible on the Wall of Honor, both possible with laser etching by Picture This on Granite.