Greetings to all of you from our team at the Virginia Department of Veterans Services (DVS).  I am deeply honored and look forward to serving our more than 670,000 military veterans, their families and our thousands of transitioning service members in my new role as DVS Commissioner.

For nearly 100 years, DVS has worked diligently to ensure that those who wore the cloth of our Nation receive the financial, educational, medical, employment and other benefits they earned. This mission remains the same in 2026 and in the years ahead.

As a proud U.S. Navy veteran, I have dedicated much of my post-military career to working with fellow veterans. As Commissioner, I promise that DVS will honor your service by delivering impactful programs and services. Here is how we plan to serve you:

• We will seek further collaboration with our local communities and partners - so together we can improve awareness of and accessibility to resources for veterans and their families.
• We will continue to develop innovative ways to make it easier for veterans and families to find answers to their questions and solutions to their concerns through the dedicated services offered by DVS team members at more than 50 locations across the Commonwealth and through the Virginia Veterans Network (VVN).
• We will help veterans, military spouses and transitioning service members find meaningful and fulfilling employment in the civilian world through the many education, transition, and employment programs offered in our Commonwealth, including the Virginia Values Veterans (V3) program.
• We will provide the best-in-class skilled nursing care, memory, care, and short-term rehabilitative care at our four state veterans homes in Richmond, Roanoke, Virginia Beach, and Warrenton.
• We will offer beautiful final resting places for veterans and their eligible family members at our state veteran cemeteries in Amelia, Dublin, and Suffolk.
• We will continue to honor and remember the nearly 12,000 service members who made the ultimate sacrifice from World War II to the present day at the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond, the premier state-level memorial in the nation. At the Memorial, we honor the service of all veterans and their families by preserving their history, educating the public, and inspiring patriotism in all.

To do this right, we need to hear from you, so we look to you for your input and suggestions. I will be traveling around the Commonwealth over the months ahead and hope to meet and hear from you. You can also reach me by email at Commissioner@dvs.virginia.gov.

Virginia prides itself on consistently being ranked as one of the best states in the nation for veterans to live, work, and retire.  Together, we will make sure that Virginia continues to lead in veterans services while inspiring future generations to do the same.

Thank You.

Very respectfully,

John Maxwell
Commissioner

At the Virginia Department of Veterans Services (DVS), we are dedicated to ensuring that every veteran, service member, and military-connected individual receives the care and support they deserve. Suicide prevention is one of our top priorities, and together, we can make a difference.

That's why we launched the Virginia Identify Screen & Refer (VISR) pilot program in 2020. VISR is transforming how we identify and respond to suicide risk among military-connected individuals. By providing a standardized and evidence-informed approach, VISR ensures that every interaction has the potential to save a life.

Why VISR Matters

Suicide remains a pressing issue within veteran and military communities. VISR provides professionals and community partners with tools to identify risks early and connect individuals to appropriate resources—timely intervention saves lives.

What VISR Offers

Since its launch, VISR has:

• Trained more than 140 individuals across the Commonwealth
• Delivered instruction through two core pillars:
• Military Cultural Competency – Building understanding of military norms, experiences, and barriers to care
• Suicide Prevention Training – Focused on risk identification, screening practices, and effective referral pathways

Join the Effort

Becoming VISR certified connects you with a statewide network dedicated to preventing suicide among veterans. Together, we can make Virginia a leader in veteran suicide prevention.

Learn more and get certified today. Questions? Reach out to Jonathan Patrick, Suicide Prevention Coordinator, Virginia Department of Veterans Services, (804) 366-2938, jonathan.patrick@dvs.virginia.gov

To find training opportunities, visit Pathways to VISR Certification.

Need immediate help? Dial 9-8-8 (Veterans Press 1) for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

Calling all dog owners and dog lovers: you are encouraged to bring your dogs and be a part of the 4th Annual “.9K9” Virginia War Memorial Dog Walk at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 14, 2026 in Richmond. The Memorial is located at 621 South Belvidere Street, Richmond 23220.

The “.9K9” Dog Walk will commence in the Memorial’s Heilman Amphitheater at 10:00 a.m. and proceed for approximately .9 kilometers around the grounds of the Memorial at 621 South Belvidere Street in downtown Richmond. There is no fee to participate in the Dog Walk, but pre-registration is required.

The mission of the “.9K9” Virginia War Memorial Dog Walk is to honor and remember the contributions and sacrifices of military, law enforcement, search and rescue, and other service dogs on the battlefields of war and in our local communities. There will be special panels placed along the course with facts about military service dogs throughout American History. Participants will receive a special “Pawsport” to be stamped at each educational stop along the route. This event will be held rain or shine.

Participants and their dogs must register in person and complete a waiver form in person at the Virginia War Memorial between 9:30 and 9:50 a.m. on Saturday, March 14 or pre-register online at https://vawarmemorial.org/events/k9veteransday/. Dogs must be on a leash and have an ID tag on their collars with the dog’s name and owner’s information. All dogs must be accompanied by an adult over 18.  While there is no age limit for persons who wish to participate, children under the age of 18 must also be accompanied by an adult. Participants do not have to have a dog to join the walk. Wheeled devices except for wheelchairs and strollers are not allowed.

Virginia is one of several states that officially acknowledge and commemorates March 13 each year as National K-9 Veterans Day. This was the date in 1942 during World War II that the U.S. Army began training for its War Dog Program, known as the “K-9 Corps”, marking the first time that dogs were officially part of the U.S. Armed Forces. 

K-9 Veterans Day has been officially commemorated in the Commonwealth of Virginia and at the Virginia War Memorial for 13 consecutive years since its inception in 2013. As March 13 falls on Friday this year, the 2026 “.9K9” Virginia War Memorial Dog Walk is being held on Saturday, March 14 to allow more dog owners and families to participate in this fun and educational event.

The Virginia War Memorial grounds and indoor exhibits will be open to the public for visitation from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on March 14.  Admission is free and parking is available in the Memorial’s surface lot and parking deck. For more information, visit https://vawarmemorial.org/events/k9veteransday/ or https://www.facebook.com/VirginiaWarMemorial/ or call the Memorial’s information desk at 804-786-2060.

The Commonwealth will honor, recognize and celebrate the contributions of all women who have served and continue to serve in the U.S. military during Virginia Women Veterans Week, March 15-21, 2026.

This year’s theme is “She Leads the Legacy: Trailblazers in Motion,” with special emphasis on highlighting Virginia’s over 110,000 women veterans who have paved the way and continue to provide leadership throughout their communities.

As part of the weeklong commemoration, the Virginia Department of Veterans Services (DVS) will host the Virginia Women Veterans Recognition Ceremony at 11 a.m., Wednesday, March 18 at the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond. The special event will include guest speakers, tribute, and the presentation of Virginia Women Veteran lapel pins to all women veterans attending. A luncheon honoring women veterans will follow the ceremony.

This year is the ninth consecutive year that the Commonwealth of Virginia has celebrated the third week or March as Virginia Women Veterans Week. 

Registration is required to attend. Register for the Virginia Women Veterans Recognition Ceremony and Luncheon here. Register for the Virginia Women Veterans Recognition Ceremony only here.

For more information, please visit www.dvs.virginia.gov.

Sunday, March 29, 2026 is officially National Vietnam War Veterans Day. The Virginia War Memorial in Richmond will hold a special open house from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday, March 27 to honor and recognize the service and sacrifice of Virginia’s Vietnam-era military veterans.

This is the ninth consecutive year that the Commonwealth and the Virginia War Memorial will commemorate National Vietnam War Veterans Day.  Members of the public and especially Vietnam veterans and their families are invited and encouraged to attend the open house event. Admission is free.

The open house will include a curator’s table of historic memorabilia from the Vietnam War era, oral history interviews of Vietnam veterans, and the Memorial’s traveling exhibit, “50 Year’s Beyond: The Vietnam Veteran Experience.”

There will also be continuous showings of the Memorial’s Virginians at War series of Vietnam war related documentary films in the Reynolds Theater and docent-led tours of the inspiring Shrine of Memory-20^th Century where the panels listing the Virginia service members killed during the Vietnam War are engraved.

Special 50^th Anniversary Vietnam Veteran Lapel Pins will be presented to all Vietnam veterans who have not yet received one. All veterans who served in any branch of the United States Armed Forces at any time between November 1, 1955, and May 15, 1975, anywhere in the world, are eligible to receive one Vietnam Veteran Lapel Pin.

“Virginia is proudly home to more than 670,000 military veterans – one of the largest numbers of veterans per population size of any state – and of these, more than 200,000 served during the Vietnam War era,” said Dr. Clay Mountcastle, Virginia War Memorial Director.  “Every day, here at the Virginia War Memorial, we remember the over 1,300 Virginia men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice while serving and the over 40 who did not return and remain classified as Missing in Action (MIA). Nine brave Virginians also received the Nation’s highest military award, the Congressional Medal of Honor, for their heroic actions serving in the Vietnam War. We honor and remember each of them in the Memorial’s Medal of Honor Gallery.”

“This year and as in past years, it is especially important that all our fellow Virginia citizens take the time to observe National Vietnam War Veterans Day to show our continued appreciation to our fellow citizens, family members, and neighbors who answered the call to serve our Nation during the Vietnam War era,” noted Virginia Department of Veterans Services Commissioner John Maxwell.

For more information about the National Vietnam War Veterans Day Open House and other upcoming events at the Virginia War Memorial, please visit www.vawarmemorial.org, www.dvs.virginia.gov or call 804.786.2060.

Jesse Grapes
Richmond, Virginia

Please give an overview of your military service and the branch in which you served.

Working out of London, England, and immediately following the September 11th terrorist attacks, I resigned my position at Arthur Andersen and joined the United States Marine Corps. After completing OCS and the USMC Basic School, I was commissioned as an infantry officer in Quantico on March 3, 2002. Thereafter, I was deployed to Kuwait as a 2nd Lieutenant to assume command of 3rd Platoon, Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines for the invasion of Iraq in 2003. I continued my service in the Marines, serving on three combat tours of duty in Iraq in 2003, 2004 and 2009. My service was most distinguished by the Battle of Fallujah in 2004.  There, I was decorated with the Purple Heart for wounds received from an enemy grenade and also the Bronze Star with “V” distinguishing device for valorous actions in combat. My military accolades have been well documented in film on the Military Channel’s Shootout series, a feature on HBO’s Vice News, the PBS film The Last 600 Meters. I also appeared live on CNN’s Andersen Cooper 360 and Fox News’ Hannity and Colmes as a military correspondent. Upon receiving my final promotion to Major, I left the Marine Corps to begin a career in education. 

What was or were your most rewarding assignments while serving? 

Leading Marines in the 2^nd Battle of Fallujah. Our battalion was the main effort force of Operation Phantom Fury. Our rifle platoon was at the tip of the spear. Our Marines were courageous, precise and heroic, particularly the NCOs. We had two Navy Crosses, numerous Bronze Stars, Navy Commendation and Achievement Medals – all with “V” devices for valorous actions in combat – awarded to the NCOs and junior Marines. Twenty five of the Marines in our platoon were awarded Purple Hearts. They owned the city and the street, day and night, in the most intense urban combat since Hue City, Vietnam. We literally had to force some of them, ever after being wounded multiple times, to leave the battlefield. They didn’t want to abandon their platoon and their friends. To this day, I’m so proud to have served with them.

What are you doing now? 

I serve as the President of the Benedictine Schools of Richmond. We have two Catholic high schools – Benedictine College Preparatory (all boys) and Saint Gertrude High School (all girls) – that have been educating Richmond’s high school youth for over 114 years. I’ve been working in a leadership role for the schools for fifteen years. Other than serving with my Marines, it is the greatest professional honor of my life. I love the kids, the education we provide and community that we foster amongst the teachers, students, parents, and alumni. It’s an awesome vocation and a very enjoyable way for me to live out my faith.

What advice would you give to a transitioning service member? 

With regards to your first job outside of the service, think outside the box and take initiative. You were trained to do these things in the service; use them in your career search. I had no experience in education when I got into it. Not many were interested in hiring me to cut my teeth as an educational leader. I stalked the school’s HR representative until she agreed to give me an interview. I worked really hard at it, and within a year I had a real leadership position in my first school. Adapt, improvise, and overcome!

Herbert R. Smith | U.S. Army
Puller Veterans Care Center

What military branch did you serve in? What period of time?

Army; 1950-1951 Me and my twin brother (Herbert pictured on left with twin, Hubert) too, overseas and all, and came back together. 

What was the highlight of your military career? What are you most proud of?

Firing artillery; fighting in the Korean War.

Why were you interested in becoming one of Puller Veterans Care Center’s first residents? What do you think so far of your time there?

I like the apartment I stay in, and enjoy getting to see people come and go throughout the care center. 

To view a video of all the new Puller Veterans Care Center (Fauquier County) has to offer and what makes it such a special place view the video below. 

The Virginia Veterans Services Foundation (VSF) exists to strengthen and support veteran services across the Commonwealth by providing critical funding that makes assistance possible. Through the generosity of donors and community partners, the Foundation helps ensure veterans, families, and survivors can access support during times of hardship.

Below are two recent examples of how Foundation funding is making an impact.

Preventing Homelessness for an Elderly Veteran

Foundation funding was used to provide partial assistance with rental arrears to help prevent eviction for an elderly veteran and her caregiver. The caregiver experienced a temporary loss of employment due to prolonged health issues, which created significant financial strain and placed the household at risk of homelessness.

With the help of these funds and the support of Virginia Veteran and Family Support (VVFS) team members, the veteran and caregiver were able to remain housed and avoid eviction. The caregiver has since returned to work, and the household is now able to self-sustain moving forward.

Supporting a Veteran Widow in Need of Specialized Care

Foundation funding was also used to help cover therapy services for a veteran widow who needed a multi-lingual therapist. After the death of her husband earlier this year, the widow has been navigating grief while living in the United States alone, without a support system nearby.

Working with VVFS team members, the widow was able to locate and connect with a therapist fluent in her native language. With VSF-funded support, she has been able to begin services and receive care that meets her needs during an incredibly difficult time.

Because of You

These stories are reminders of why the Foundation exists — to provide the financial support that allows veteran-serving programs to respond quickly when needs arise.

The Virginia Veterans Services Foundation is able to make this impact because of the continued generosity of our donors, trustees, and community partners. Your contributions help ensure critical services remain available for veterans and their families across Virginia, especially during moments of crisis.

Thank you for standing with Virginia’s veterans and helping make this work possible.

Kayla Arestivo
Executive Director
Virginia Veterans Services Foundation

Saturday, March 21, 2026

10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Registration is now open for the inaugural Salute to Service Reunion Celebration at the Virginia War Memorial, bringing together Virginia veterans who served in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm and their families for a free day-long program of remembrance, honor, and reconnection. The inaugural event will be held in Richmond on March 21, 2026, marking 35 years since Operation Desert Storm.

“Thirty-five years ago this month, Operation Desert Shield gave way to Operation Desert Storm, marking a defining moment for a generation of service members,” said Joseph C. Barto III, Lieutenant Colonel, USA (Ret.), chair of the Salute to Service Reunion Program Committee. “This reunion is an opportunity to bring those veterans and their families together, recognize their service, and reflect on the lasting impact of that conflict.”

Highlights of the event include the premiere of Decisive Victory: Operation Desert Storm, a new documentary produced in partnership with Blue Ridge PBS, a wreath-laying ceremony honoring the seven Virginians killed in action in this conflict, unit rally points, musical performances by the West Point Alumni Glee Club, and a panel discussion offering firsthand perspectives on the Operation Desert Storm conflict and its lasting legacy.

Panelists include:

• James Henry Binford “Binnie” Peay III, General, USA (Ret.)
• John P. Jumper, General, USAF (Ret).
• Barry R. McCaffrey, General, USA (Ret.)
• Robert B. Flowers, Lieutenant General, USA (Ret.)
• Michelle Rose, Major General, USA (Ret.)
• Moderated by Michael S. Bell, Colonel, USA (Ret.), Executive Director of the Institute for the Study of War and Democracy at the National WWII Museum.

The 2026 gathering marks the first veteran reunion of its kind hosted at the Memorial and launches the Salute to Service Reunion series, a multi-year program with future reunions planned for Vietnam War veterans in 2027, Global War on Terrorism veterans in 2028, and Cold War–Fall of the Berlin Wall veterans in 2029.

The event is free to attend, but advance registration is required as space is limited. Virginia veterans wishing to attend the 2026 Salute to Service Reunion Celebration are invited to register by visiting www.vawarmemorial.org/salutetoservice.