Virginia War Memorial Foundation announces program to reunite veterans with their units
VENN
RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- The Virginia War Memorial Foundation has announced a multi-year program dedicated to providing a venue and reuniting Virginia veterans with their units and the American conflicts in which they served.
According to the Virginia War Memorial, the inaugural Salute to Service program will take place on March 21, 2026, and will commemorate 35 years since Operation Desert Storm.
Officials said each program will offer a day of celebration and remembrance of a major conflict in a space with peer support, camaraderie and historical context.
The following are the Salute to Service programs slated to take place each year:
- 2026: Operation Desert Storm
- 2027: Vietnam
- 2028: Global War on Terror
- 2029: Cold War and the Fall of the Berlin Wall
The program will consist of speakers, moderated discussions, musical performances and documentaries to provide context and a broad perspective of what Virginia veterans experienced in their campaigns and the people they served alongside.
A wreath-laying ceremony and free time on the Virginia War Memorial's grounds, located at 621 South Belvidere Street in Richmond, will also allow veterans to remember and honor those who did not return.
The Virginia War Memorial said the shared history of veterans, and the public's understanding of it, will be enhanced through individual oral histories, photographs and artifacts.
“The Virginia War Memorial Foundation’s mission is to preserve the stories of veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice, to honor all veterans and active-duty military, and inspire love of country through education,” said John Cogbill, Virginia War Memorial Foundation Board Member. “This event brings our mission statement to life and helps reunite Virginia’s Gulf War veterans and is a major milestone in the Virginia War Memorial Foundation’s history of support.
According to the Virginia War Memorial, requests for invitations to the Operation Desert Storm Salute to Service celebration will open in March 2025. To be added to the mailing list, contact info@vawarmemorial.org.
