The 68th annual Commonwealth’s Veterans Day Ceremony will be held Monday, November 11, 2024, at 11 a.m. at the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond.
Members of the public and especially military veterans and their families are invited and encouraged to attend this ceremony to honor and celebrate all men and women who have served in America’s armed forces.
General Gary M. Brito, Commanding General, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC), Joint Base Langley-Eustis, will be the keynote speaker. Virginia War Memorial Director Dr. Clay Mountcastle will serve as Master of Ceremonies. The program also includes remarks from Virginia Adjutant General Major General James W. Ring, a tribute to Virginia’s Blue Star families and the announcement of the winners of the Virginia War Memorial’s 2024 Veterans Day Student Essay Contest.
There will also be a special performance by Virginia Opry performers, Gentlemen South. Additional music will be provided by the Virginia National Guard 29th Division Band.
“The mission of the Virginia War Memorial is to honor, remember and celebrate all veterans 365 days each year, but Veterans Day holds special significance” said Memorial Director Dr. Clay Mountcastle. “With nearly 700,000 veterans plus their family members calling Virginia their home, the Commonwealth has one of the largest number of veterans per population of any state. When we say, Virginia is for Veterans, we really mean it.”
The Commonwealth’s Veterans Day Ceremony will be held outdoors rain or shine in the Memorial’s E. Bruce Heilman Amphitheater. Attendees are encouraged to arrive by 10:30 a.m. to be seated. Admission to the Virginia War Memorial and the ceremony is free and parking is available in the Memorial’s surface lot and underground deck and on nearby streets. The Memorial’s grounds and exhibit halls will be open from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. for visitors.
For those that cannot attend in person, the Commonwealth’s Veterans Day Ceremony will also be broadcast live on WTVR CBS6.1 and 6.3 television in Richmond and livestreamed on WTVR.com.
The Virginia War Memorial is located at 621 South Belvidere Street, Richmond, VA 23220. For more information, please visit www.vawarmemorial.org or www.dvs.virginia.gov or telephone 804.786-2060.
About the Virginia War Memorial
The mission of the Virginia War Memorial is to Honor Veterans, Preserve History, Educate Youth, and Inspire Patriotism in All. Dedicated in 1956, the Memorial includes the names of the nearly 12,000 Virginia heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice during World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Persian Gulf, and the Global War on Terrorism. The Virginia War Memorial is and will always be the Commonwealth’s tribute to those who served and most especially, to those who died defending our freedoms.
The Virginia War Memorial is a division of the Virginia Department of Veterans Services (DVS) and serves as an integral part of its mission in support of all Virginians who have served in our military. It is located at 621 South Belvidere Street, Richmond, Virginia 23220 and is open Monday-Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 12 noon to 4 p.m. Admission is free, except for select events. For more information, please visit www.vawarmemorial.org.
About the Virginia Department of Veterans Services (DVS)
The Virginia Department of Veterans Services (DVS) is a state government agency with more than 50 locations across the Commonwealth of Virginia. DVS traces its history to 1928 and the establishment of the Virginia War Service Bureau to assist Virginia’s World War I veterans. Today, DVS assists veterans and their families in filing claims for federal veterans benefits; provides veterans and family members with linkages to services including behavioral health, housing, employment, education, and other programs. The agency operates long-term care facilities offering in-patient skilled nursing care, dementia/memory care, and short-term rehabilitation for veterans; and provides an honored final resting place for veterans and their families at three state veterans cemeteries. It operates the Virginia War Memorial, the Commonwealth’s tribute to Virginia’s men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice from World War II to the present. For more information, please visit www.dvs.virginia.gov.
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