Memorial Day

Today, the Department of Veterans Affairs announced that it will host Memorial Day ceremonies at more than 130 national cemeteries across the country to commemorate the lives of those who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation, as well as all Veterans buried in VA cemeteries.

Between now and May 27, the Department of Veterans Affairs will participate in a 20,000-mile nationwide march across the United States with 214,000 volunteers honoring our nation’s Veterans, service members and families.

I’m honored to join all of you here today at the beautiful Brigadier General William C. Doyle Veterans Memorial Cemetery. Memorial Day commemorations are an important moment for all of us to honor those who sacrificed their lives in service to our nation. Your presence here is testimony to your commitment to those fallen heroes—and to the forces that stand guard the world round every day.

Bonnie Carroll, thank you for those very kind words of introduction, for your steadfast leadership of this incredible organization, and for the vital work that you and your colleagues have done to organize this National Seminar for the past 29years on behalf of the survivors of our fallen Veterans and servicemembers.

Today, VA announced that it will host Memorial Day ceremonies at more than 130 national cemeteries to commemorate those who made the ultimate sacrifice for their nation.

On May 22nd, 2009, Mike was leading his Marines on a foot patrol when an Improvised Explosive Device—or IED—exploded underneath him, badly severing his left leg and sending shrapnel through his body.