Commonwealth’s Veterans Day Ceremony To Be Held At Virginia War Memorial on November 11, 2020 - Ceremony Will Be Livestreamed on Social Media and Select Broadcast Television Stations
On November 11 at 11 a.m., the Virginia War Memorial will host the 2020 Commonwealth’s Veterans Day Ceremony. Due to the threat of inclement weather, the ceremony had to be moved inside. Because of the need to social distance, the number of people that can be accommodated inside for the ceremony is curtailed. The Virginia War Memorial is currently at capacity for inside seating. However, we invite all to watch the live broadcast of the ceremony on WTVR-TV CBS6.1 and CBS6.3 in Richmond. The ceremony will also be livestreamed on the Facebook page of the Virginia War Memorial, the Facebook pages of the Virginia Department of Veterans Services, WTVR CBS6, (Richmond) and WTKR News Channel 3 (Norfolk).
Virginia War Memorial Director Dr. Clay Mountcastle will serve as Master of Ceremonies for the ceremony. Scheduled speakers will be senior Virginia leadership, Virginia Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs Carlos L. Hopkins and Virginia Department of Veterans Services (VDVS) Commissioner John Maxwell. Patriotic music will be provided by the 380th Army Reserve Band and the bagpipes and drums of the Combined Bands of Clan MacLeod and Benedictine College Preparatory of St. Andrew’s Legion. The program will also include recognition of winners of the Virginia War Memorial’s 2020 Veterans Day Student Essay Contest.
“One in every 12 Virginians is a veteran,” noted Dr. Clay Mountcastle, Virginia War Memorial Director. “As our Shrines of Memory, exhibits, and documentary films here at the Memorial showcase, Virginians have proudly answered the call to duty to defend and protect our nation and our commonwealth in peacetime and in war for over 250 years. Veterans Day gives all of us the opportunity to honor and thank these men and women for their service and sacrifice.”
For more information about the 2020 Commonwealth’s Veteran Day Ceremony, please visit www.vawarmemorial.org or www.dvs.virginia.gov or call 804.786.2060.
About the Virginia Department of Veterans Services
The Virginia Department of Veterans Services (VDVS) is a state government agency with more than 40 locations across the Commonwealth of Virginia. VDVS traces its history to 1928 and the establishment of the Virginia War Service Bureau to assist Virginia’s World War I veterans. Today, VDVS assists veterans and their families in filing claims for federal veterans benefits and provides veterans and family members with linkages to services including behavioral healthcare, housing, employment, education and other programs. The agency operates two state veterans nursing homes, provides an honored final resting place for veterans and their families at three state veterans cemeteries, and operates the Virginia War Memorial. For more information, please visit www.dvs.virginia.gov.
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 a division of the Virginia Department of Veterans Services and serves as an integral part of its mission in support of all Virginians who have served in our military.
The Virginia War Memorial is located at 621 South Belvidere Street, Richmond, Virginia 23220. The Memorial is open Monday through Saturdays, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. and Sundays, 12 noon to 4 p.m. Due to current COVID-19 guidelines, visitation to the Memorial’s Galanti Education Center and Wright Pavilion are limited to 50 guests at one time. Social distancing and facemasks are required. For more information, please visit www.vawarmemorial.org.