VA invites Veterans and public to join annual Memorial Day ceremonies at 130+ VA cemeteries

WASHINGTON — 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. VA’s National Cemetery Administration (NCA) invites Veterans, their families, caregivers, survivors, and the American public to attend these commemorative ceremonies planned throughout Memorial Day weekend. View a complete list of VA Memorial Day events.

During these events, cemeteries typically conduct wreath-laying ceremonies accompanied by commemorative speeches, music, a moment of silence, and the playing of Taps. All VA national cemeteries will be open throughout Memorial Day weekend from dawn to dusk.

“This Memorial Day weekend, we encourage Veterans and all Americans to join us as we remember and honor our nation’s fallen heroes,” said VA Secretary Denis McDonough. “We are forever indebted to the service members who gave their lives in service to our country, and we will never forget their sacrifice.”

On Memorial Day, VA also encourages all Americans to honor the life and legacy of Veterans by leaving a tribute on the Veterans Legacy Memorial. The site contains a memorial page for each of the nearly 10 million Veterans interred in VA National Cemeteries, VA grant-funded cemeteries, Department of Defense-managed cemeteries (including Arlington National Cemetery), U.S. Park Service National Cemeteries, and thousands of private cemeteries where Veterans have received a VA-provided gravesite marker since 1996.

On Memorial Day, VA’s senior leaders will participate in many of these ceremonies, including:

• VA Secretary Denis McDonough will speak at New York Veterans Cemetery Finger Lakes on May 27th in Waterloo, New York, the community recognized as the birthplace of Memorial Day.  
• VA Deputy Secretary Tanya Bradsher will speak at Baltimore National Cemetery on May 30th in Baltimore, Maryland. 
• VA Chief of Staff Kimberly Jackson will speak at Wood National Cemetery on May 27th in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 

This month, VA is also participating in a 20,000-mile nationwide march across the United States with 214,000 volunteers honoring Veterans, survivors, service members and families. The annual partnership between Carry the Load and NCA supports rallies at 32 VA national cemeteries, covering 20,000 miles along five separate routes across 48 states. Sign up to participate here: Memorial May 2024.

For information about VA burial benefits, visit one of VA’s National Cemetery locations in-person, visit online at VA burial benefits and memorial items, or call toll free at 800-827-1000. To plan for you and your family, visit NCA’s pre-need eligibility website. Live streaming, recorded video and photographs from many ceremonies will be shared on NCA’s Facebook and X (Twitter) pages.