WASHINGTON — 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.
The annual partnership between Carry The Load and VA’s National Cemetery Administration supports rallies at 32 VA national cemeteries covering 20,000 miles along five separate routes across 48 states. Teams will walk throughout the ‘Memorial May’ campaign, converging on Memorial Day weekend for a final rally in Dallas, Texas. View the full list of NCA national cemeteries and the dates and times of Carry the Load marches.
“We honor our nation’s heroes interred in our national cemeteries every day, but most especially throughout Memorial May,” said VA Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs Matt Quinn. “Throughout this month, we welcome and encourage all Americans to join us in the marches honoring our nation’s Veterans, service members, and their family members.”
To participate, register with Carry The Load in advance. No donation is required to participate. Carry The Load, a non-profit organization, provides active ways to connect Americans to honor the sacrifices of our military, Veterans, first responders, and their families. People of all ages can join the month-long national movement to honor and remember our fallen heroes.
NCA will post video and photographs of Carry the Load cemetery visits on NCA’s Facebook and X (Twitter) accounts.
Over 5.4 million people — including 4.1 million Veterans from the Revolutionary War to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan — are buried in VA national cemeteries. NCA honors eligible Veterans, active-duty service members, and eligible family members with final resting places in national shrines and with lasting tributes that commemorate their service and sacrifice to our Nation.
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.
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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.
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