VFW Commander To Join in National Memorial Day Observances
The VFW national commander's weekend of Memorial Day events starts tonight
May 25, 2012
This afternoon VFW Commander-in-Chief Richard L. DeNoyer will
touch down in Washington, D.C., for Memorial Day weekend events.
Every year, VFW leaders converge on the Nation's Capitol for a
series of events across the region to honor the brave American men and women
who gave their lives on the battlefield to defend our great nation. This year,
DeNoyer, VFW National Chief of Staff Walter Gansenberg, and VFW Washington
staff are scheduled to participate in nearly a dozen events around Washington
to honor America's fallen heroes.
The VFW national commander's weekend starts tonight, when he joins fellow
Marines at the Eighth and I Marine Corps Barracks for the evening parade.
On Saturday, VFW National Veterans Service staff begin manning a tent near the
Vietnam War Memorial so that visiting veterans can learn about their earned VA
benefits and speak with trained VFW service officers on how to navigate the complex
VA claims process. VFW staff will man the tent on Saturday, Sunday and Monday
from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m.
On Sunday night, DeNoyer and other key VFW leaders will join members of
Congress and their professional staff at the U.S. Capitol for the National
Memorial Day Concert.
On Monday morning, DeNoyer will begin observing Memorial Day by joining the
president and the first lady at the White House for a breakfast to honor
America's Gold Star Families.
Afterwards, DeNoyer and
other VFW officials will gather at Arlington National Cemetery for the 114th
National Memorial Day Observance, immediately followed by a wreath-laying
ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknowns.
The VFW national commander will close out Memorial Day alongside his fellow
Vietnam veterans at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial for the 30th Annual Memorial
Day Wall Ceremony, which this year includes the National Commemoration of the
Vietnam War's 50th Anniversary.
In addition to the national Memorial Day events hosted in Washington, VFW
members and advocates will gather from coast to coast to honor the sacrifices
of America's fallen war heroes. Next week we will bring you highlights from
DeNoyer's Memorial Day observances, but we also want to share you stories on
this blog. To learn how, click here, or simply email photos and stories directly to vfwac@vfw.org.
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