Veterans Urged to Wear Medals with Pride
WASHINGTON – From concerts to somber ceremonies and a moment of silence, Americans from coast to coast will recall the sacrifices of military members who paid the ultimate price for freedom on Memorial Day, Monday, May 26.
“This is our nation’s day to remember its debt to those whose sacrifice in blood and battle secured a legacy of liberty for future generations,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Dr. James B. Peake.
He reminded veterans to wear their military medals on Memorial Day, a practice called the Veterans Pride Initiative launched by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in 2006.
The personal exhibition of service medals on patriotic holidays is one way for veterans to show their support of the U.S. military and particularly those serving in the Global War on Terror, and to inspire conversation about military heritage with young people.
Information for veterans about the wearing of medals and how to replace lost medals is available at http://www.va.gov/veteranspride.
A tradition dating to the 19th Century after the Civil War and originally called Decoration Day, Memorial Day is marked at VA facilities across the country, especially VA’s national cemeteries, whose commemorative events honor about 1 million American men and women who died in service during wartime periods, including more than 651,000 battle deaths.
This year, more than 100,000 people are expected to attend activities at VA’s national cemeteries, with color guards, ceremonies honoring decorated veterans, and band and choir performances.
Some national cemeteries will feature an “Avenue of Flags” flanking both sides of the curb line, usually along the main entrance road, sometimes consisting of burial flags donated by the next of kin of veterans who are buried in these national shrines. Other national cemeteries may place individual flags at gravesites.
VA’s 125 national cemeteries include 10 opened in the past nine years. Another six cemeteries are under development. VA currently maintains 17,000 acres where 2.8 million gravesites are located. By 2010, veterans burial space is expected to be available to 90 percent of veterans within 75 miles of where they live.
Directions to VA’s national cemeteries and a guide to their Memorial Day activities are available at http://www.cem.va.gov/cem/cems/2008MemorialDay.asp. General information about Memorial Day, including its history, a commemorative poster and activities links, may be found at http://www.va.gov/opa/speceven/memday/.
VA is a cosponsor with the White House Commission on Remembrance of an annual Moment of Remembrance at 3 p.m. Eastern time, nationwide on Memorial Day, a time to pause and reflect on the valor of the fallen and the bond of freedoms that unite Americans. Many institutions will pause their activities — from sporting events to announcements in public facilities — to call the nation together to share its common bond in silence.
# # #
###
Reporters and media outlets with questions or comments should contact the Office of Media Relations at vapublicaffairs@va.gov
Veterans with questions about their health care and benefits (including GI Bill). Questions, updates and documents can be submitted online.
Veterans can also use our chatbot to get information about VA benefits and services. The chatbot won’t connect you with a person, but it can show you where to go on VA.gov to find answers to some common questions.
Subscribe today to receive these news releases in your inbox.
