Veterans Administration partners with nonprofits to honor fallen soldiers on Memorial Day
May 1 (UPI) -- The Veterans Administration will partner with a trio of nonprofits to honor veterans interred in the VA's national cemeteries, the administration announced Thursday.
The VA said that, through the partnership with Carry The Load, the Travis Manion Foundation and Victory for Veterans, there will be at least 70,000 volunteers visiting 54 national veterans cemeteries on Memorial Day.
"These collaborations allow us to express our collective appreciation for Veterans' service and sacrifice," said Ronald Walters, Acting Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs. "Through shared efforts, we honor their legacy and ensure their stories are never forgotten."
More than 5.4 million people are buried in VA national cemeteries, including more than 4 million ranging from the Revolutionary War to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. They include fallen soldiers and eligible family members.
The VA encouraged people to visit the Veterans Legacy Memorial to share memories and stories about service members.
VA officials said that, beginning May 1, Carry The Load Memorial May activities would see volunteers visiting 17 VA national cemeteries, traveling thousands of miles along three routes.
This year's Travis Manion Foundation's "Honor Project" will be the largest in its history, with 2,500 volunteers visiting more than 50 cemeteries in more than 25 states throughout Memorial Day weekend, VA officials said.
Meanwhile, volunteers with Victory for Veterans will recognize veterans by placing flowers on veterans' graves, VA officials said, adding that since 2021 the program has expanded to placing flowers at 10 VA national cemeteries.
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