May is one of the most important months for the military and veteran community. It is especially so here in Virginia as we are home to one of the largest populations of active-duty, reserve and National Guard service members, veterans and their family members per population size of any state.

First, every May is National Military Appreciation Month as established by the U.S. Congress in 1999 to honor, remember and recognize the service and sacrifices of all our service members, veterans and their families. On May 16, we celebrated Armed Forces Day, which takes place on the third Saturday of May each year, to further recognize the dedication of all men and women currently in uniform.

Second, on Friday, May 8, Military Spouse Appreciation Day, we paused to recognize the vital contributions of the spouses and partners of servicemembers to communities and their major impacts on military readiness. This special day is held every year on the Friday before Mother’s Day.

With 30 military bases here, our Commonwealth is currently home to more than 48,000 active-duty military spouses and over 21,000 spouses of members of our National Guard and reserves. All of them deserve our appreciation and recognition every day of the year. 

Also, on May 8 here in Richmond, the Virginia Department of Veterans Services and the Virginia Department of Education joined together to host the Central Virginia Military Student Signing Day at the Virginia War Memorial. 

Over 130 patriotic high school seniors who signed up to join one of the branches of the armed forces after graduation or who committed to a service academy or college ROTC program were recognized in a special ceremony by Virginia’s Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs Timothy Williams, Virginia’s Superintendent of Public Instruction Jenna Conway, Virginia’s Adjutant General James Ring, other government officials, and their parents, guardians and teachers. This commitment of service by these wonderful Virginia citizens should make all of us proud.

While not strictly a military commemoration, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that May 10-16 was National Skilled Nursing Care Week, which has special meaning to our four state veterans care centers. I want to give a shout out to the dedicated teams who take care of veterans at our DVS-operated skilled nursing facilities in Richmond, Roanoke, Virginia Beach, and Warrenton. They are truly outstanding.

And perhaps most importantly, as I mentioned in my column last month, we gather on the last Monday of May for our Memorial Day observances to honor and remember the more than 1.3 million service members who gave the ultimate sacrifice serving our Nation from the Revolutionary War 250 years ago to today.

DVS will again host four special Memorial Day Ceremonies on May 25 throughout the state. In Richmond, the 70^th annual Commonwealth’s Memorial Day Ceremony at the Virginia War Memorial; in Amelia, at the Virginia Veterans Cemetery; in Dublin, at the Southwest Virginia Veterans Cemetery; and in Suffolk, at the Albert G. Horton, Jr. Memorial Veterans Cemetery. For more details on our DVS Memorial Day Ceremonies, click here.

There will also be many other Memorial Day observances held in towns, cities, and counties across the Commonwealth. I urge everyone to take time out of their schedules to gather their family and friends to attend one of these events.  We must continue to recognize and remember the sacrifices of those that gave their all to protect the freedom and liberty we share and, as importantly, the family and friends they left behind who truly bear the burden of that sacrifice.

While summer is vacation season, you can rest assured that our DVS offices remain open and fully staffed to help veterans and their family members learn about and receive the benefits they earned through their military service.

As always, our team members and I are interested in hearing from you. Please contact us with your ideas and input on how we can better serve you. You can reach me directly by email at Commissioner@dvs.virginia.gov.

My best wishes to you and your family for a safe and pleasant summer ahead.

Very Respectfully,

John Maxwell
Commissioner

Memorial Day is the holiday set aside each year to honor and remember the American service members who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our Nation. Memorial Day is also the day we join together to remember the families these heroes left behind. Memorial Day will be observed on Monday, May 25, 2026.  The Virginia Department of Veterans Services (DVS) will host Memorial Day Ceremonies at the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond and at the state veterans cemeteries in Amelia, Dublin, and Suffolk. Citizens of all ages are invited and encouraged to attend and participate in one of these ceremonies.  Admission and parking are free at all four locations listed below:

Richmond – Virginia War Memorial – Commonwealth’s Memorial Day Ceremony

In Richmond, the 70th annual Commonwealth’s Memorial Day ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. at the Virginia War Memorial, 621 South Belvidere Street, Richmond, Va. 23220. Scheduled speakers include Virginia’s Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs, the Honorable Timothy Williams, and the Adjutant General of Virginia, Major General James Ring. Virginia War Memorial Director Dr. Clay Mountcastle will serve as emcee and patriotic music will be provided by the 29^th Division Fife and Drum Group. The 2026 recipients of the Memorial’s Marocchi Memorial Scholarships will also be announced. The Commonwealth’s Memorial Day Ceremony will be broadcast live on WTVR-TV CBS6.1 and CBS6.3 in Richmond and livestreamed on wtvr.com.

Members of the public attending the Commonwealth’s Memorial Day Ceremony are advised to arrive by 10:30 a.m. to be seated. Free parking will be available onsite and in the Afton Chemical Company surface lot at Belvidere and Spring Streets. The interior of the Memorial will be open for visitation on Memorial Day from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.  For more details, please visit www.vawarmemorial.org or www.dvs.virginia.gov.

Amelia – Virginia Veterans Cemetery

In Amelia, at the Virginia Veterans Cemetery, 10300 Pridesville Road, Amelia Court House, Va. 23002, the annual Memorial Day Ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. Speakers include Virginia Deputy Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs Lesley Kipling and State Senator Luther Cifers, III, Senate District 10. Matt Brink will serve as emcee and patriotic music will be provided by the 29^th Division Band. The chapel at the Virginia Veterans Cemetery at Amelia will be dedicated for Fireman First Class Andrew Schmitz of Richmond, who was killed at the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941 and was laid to rest in the Amelia cemetery in 2020. Attendees should arrive by 9:30 a.m. for parking and to be seated.

Dublin – Southwest Virginia Veterans Cemetery

In Dublin, at the Southwest Virginia Veterans Cemetery, 5550 Bagging Plant Road, Dublin, Va. 24084, the annual Memorial Day Ceremony will begin at 11 a.m. Speakers include Major General William H. Seely, III, Commandant of the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets. Captain Gary Powers, United States Navy (Ret) will serve as emcee. Music will be provided by the Pulaski County High School Brass Quartet. Co-sponsors of the ceremony are the members of the Southwest Virginia Veterans Cemetery Volunteers. Attendees should arrive by 10:30 a.m. Shuttle service will be provided from Dublin Municipal Park.

Suffolk – Albert G. Horton, Jr. Memorial Veterans Cemetery

In Suffolk, at the Albert G. Horton, Jr. Memorial Veterans Cemetery, 5310 Milners Road, Suffolk, Va. 22334, the annual Memorial Day Ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. The scheduled speakers include Sloane Rose, Deputy Commissioner of the Virginia Department of Veterans Services and Colonel Jay Krail, USMC (Ret). The ceremony’s emcee will be Dave Buchy, Commander, American Legion Post 88, and music will be sung by Lily Morgan. Attendees should arrive by 9:30 a.m. for parking and seating. Limited free parking available onsite.

Prior to each of the cemetery ceremonies, volunteers will place miniature American flags on each gravesite. 

For information on the four DVS ceremonies, please click here.

Bradley D. Earl
Richmond, Virginia

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

I enlisted in the United States Navy in December 1999 out of Utah. Upon completion of boot camp at Naval Station Great Lakes, IL, I arrived at Naval Air Station Meridian, MS to attend Yeoman accession training ("A-School") before receiving orders to my first duty station at NAS Point Mugu, CA (later Naval Base Ventura County) as a member of the world-famous Wallbangers (VAW-117). During my four years there, I deployed aboard USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) in 2001 — the first carrier to launch strikes into Afghanistan following 9/11 — and in 2003 deployed aboard USS Nimitz (CVN 68) during the initial phases of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Next, I reported to Washington, DC on the Chief of Naval Personnel policy staff, where I was immediately selected to serve as a personal assistant to an Admiral (Flag Writer). This assignment sent me back to NAS Meridian for advanced training ("C-School") before joining the Admiral's staff with Cruiser-Destroyer Group 1 (later Carrier Strike Group 15) aboard USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) in NAS San Diego, CA. Following the disestablishment of Carrier Strike Group 15, I returned to Washington, DC as a member of the Chief of Naval Operations policy directorate (N81).

In April 2007, I left active duty and immediately affiliated with the Navy Reserves, transitioning my rating from Yeoman to Legalman (paralegal). Over the course of my 18 years as a Reservist, I deployed to Ramadi, Iraq in 2010, where I was present when Operation Iraqi Freedom transitioned to Operation New Dawn. In September 2013, I was honored to be selected for the rank of Chief Petty Officer (E7). I subsequently volunteered to deploy to Camp Lemonier, Djibouti, serving from 2015 to 2016. Having distinguished myself as a senior enlisted leader across several reserve legal units, I was selected to Senior Chief Petty Officer (E8) in 2018 and Master Chief Petty Officer (E9) in 2022, at which point I was selected to serve as the Senior Enlisted Leader of the Navy Reserve Law Program. Upon completion of my three-year tour, I determined it was time to fully transition to civilian life after 26 years of total service.

Following my departure from active duty, I served as an Executive Assistant in the Office of the Secretary of Defense at the Pentagon and later as a Program Manager for an international law enforcement training organization based in Alexandria, VA. A 2014 graduate of George Mason University with a degree in International Relations, I have been an employee of the Commonwealth of Virginia since September 2021, managing the Unclaimed Property Division within the Virginia Department of the Treasury, having previously held a similar position with the state of Arkansas.

What was or were your most rewarding assignments while serving? 

It’s cliché but it’s genuinely true for me; it’s the people who I had the pleasure of serving with over the years. Those who guided and mentored me along the way, the incredible leaders by my side, and those I had the privilege to lead throughout my career.

What are you doing now? 

In my current role, I oversee Virginia's Unclaimed Property Division — a program which allows me to continue to serve the public, because every day the team gets to return money to real people who didn't know it was waiting for them. Unclaimed property includes forgotten bank accounts, uncashed checks, insurance proceeds, security deposits, and more — funds that businesses are required by law to turn over to the state when they lose contact with the owner. Virginia currently holds over one billion dollars in unclaimed property on behalf of its citizens, and the Division works every day to reunite those funds with their rightful owners. There is no deadline to file a claim and no fee — ever.  If you're a Virginia resident, chances are good that you or someone you know has money waiting. I encourage everyone to take two minutes and search at vamoneysearch.gov — it's free, it's fast, and the money is yours. Additionally, as veterans, we may have unclaimed property available in many of the states we served in so searching missingmoney.com will provide an opportunity to search for potential funds available around the country. 

What advice would you give to a transitioning service member? 

Your military experience is more valuable than you think — but you have to translate it.

Civilians don't speak our language. They don't know what a Yeoman does, what a Flag Writer is, or what it means to be the Senior Enlisted Leader of a program with hundreds of personnel. But they do understand leadership, accountability, crisis management, and getting things done under pressure. Don't just list your rate and rank on a résumé but tell the story of what you actually did, in terms anyone can understand.

The Reserve component is a bridge worth crossing.

When I left active duty in 2007, affiliating with the Reserves immediately was one of the best decisions I ever made. It kept me connected to a community I loved, allowed me to continue serving, pursue my education, and find my way to a civilian career. It also gave me 18 more years of growth, two more deployments, cultivate lifelong and meaningful relationships, and achieve milestones in all aspects of my life that I never could have foreseen in my youth. Don't sleep on the Reserves as a transition strategy, it's an incredible opportunity.

Your identity is not your rank — find out who you are without it.

This one is hard, especially if you've been in for a long time. The military gives you a clear sense of purpose, belonging, and identity. When that's gone, some people struggle; I’m surprised to find myself struggling a bit too. Know that the values you built in uniform, such as integrity, discipline, service, and resilience, they come with you. You are not your rank. You are the person those things helped build.

Finally — your service mattered. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

Our military is an all-volunteer force, you didn’t have to do this, you chose this path when there were so many other possible options. You went where they sent you and did what needed to be done. Carry it with pride and let it fuel everything you do next. My charge to all is to continue to be curious about the people and world around you, be humble, and keep challenging yourself to grow in every facet of your life.

Lawrence "Matt" Cissel | U.S. Air Force
Davis & McDaniel Veterans Care Center

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

Air Force - Vietnam Enlisted: 2/19/1970, Discharged: 8/9/1974

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

Inspecting and repairing aircrafts. Most proud of the parades, marching (the patriotism) and camaraderie.

What do you like about Davis & McDaniel Veterans Care Center?

The way it is run. The organization, the food and entertainment!

What advice would you give to a person considering serving in the military?

Be physically fit!

The hills surrounding the majestic Virginia War Memorial in downtown Richmond will again be covered in red, white and blue featuring nearly 12,000 miniature American flags for the 8^th annual Hill of Heroes for two weeks – Friday, June 26 to Friday, July 10, 2026.

The flags will be placed to honor and remember the nearly 12,000 Virginia men and women veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice serving our Nation in World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan and today’s Global War on Terrorism and whose names are inscribed on the walls of the Memorial’s Shrine and to commemorate the 250^th anniversary of America.

Patriotic volunteers are needed to assist in placing the flags in the ground. This is an excellent way for community and veterans service organizations, civic, school and scout groups, students, employees of local businesses, government agencies, and even individuals to come together and honor those heroes who fought and died for our freedoms. Volunteers of all ages are welcome but children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

Volunteers will gather to place the flags at 8 a.m., Friday, June 26 and are also needed to help retrieve the flags at 8 a.m., Friday, July 10. Flag placement and retrieval will take place rain or shine. 

Additional volunteers are also needed on Monday, July 13 from 8 a.m. to 12 noon to assist in the organizing and boxing of the miniature flags to be used for next year’s event.

Individuals and groups interesting in participating in the flag placement, retrieval  and bundling can get more information at https://vawarmemorial.org/events/hill-of-heroes-flag-installation or by contacting Ben King at Benajmin.King@dvs.virginia.gov or 804-786-2060.

“We invite everyone to come join us and help place the flags for the Hill of Heroes on June 26 and also to return to help retrieve and bundle the flags on July 10 and 13. We depend on the hundreds of volunteers who have joined us the past years to make this awe-inspiring event happen,” said Virginia War Memorial Operations Director Ben King. “We also appreciate the support of our partners, the staff and donors of the Virginia War Memorial Foundation for making this event possible."

The Virginia War Memorial is located at 621 South Belvidere Street, Richmond, VA 23220. Free parking available onsite. For directions and more information, visit www.vawarmemorial.org or www.dvs.virginia.gov.

As Memorial Day approaches, the Virginia Veterans Services Foundation pauses to honor the brave men and women who gave their lives in service to our nation. This time of remembrance reminds us why our mission matters: supporting the programs, services, and facilities that serve Virginia’s veterans and their families across the Commonwealth.

This month, we are proud to recognize VFW Post 10574, William I. Cooper Memorial Post, for their generous support of the Foundation. Their significant donation reflects a continued commitment to honoring and serving veterans, and we are grateful for their partnership in strengthening the work being done through the Virginia Department of Veterans Services.

We also invite our supporters to join us for two upcoming events to benefit the Foundation:

GStek 30th Annual Golf Fundraiser
Friday, May 29 | 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Chesapeake Golf Club
A full day of golf and community support in honor of Virginia’s veterans.

Bull Run Harley-Davidson Poker Run
Saturday, May 30 | 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Hosted by Bull Run Harley-Davidson and the Manassas HOG Chapter, this charity ride will benefit the Virginia Veterans Services Foundation. Registration runs from 9:30–11:00 AM, with awards at 3:15 PM. A rain date is scheduled for June 6.

Thank you to all of our donors, partners, and community supporters who continue to invest in Virginia’s veterans. Your generosity helps ensure that those who served receive the care, support, and recognition they deserve.

Kayla Arestivo
Executive Director
Virginia Veterans Services Foundation

Salute to Service is a multi-year program dedicated to reuniting Virginia veterans with their units while honoring the American conflicts in which they served.

The Virginia War Memorial Foundation and the Virginia War Memorial invite Virginia veterans, their immediate family members, and those who served in support roles during the Vietnam War to join us on April 3, 2027, for Salute to Service - Coming Home: The Vietnam War, chaired by Commander Paul Galanti, USN (Ret.) and Jamie Galanti. This powerful program will bring veterans, families, and the community together to reflect, reconnect, and honor the courage and sacrifice of those who served. 

The program will consist of speakers, musical performances, exhibit panels, and other events providing rich context and a broad perspective of what Virginia veterans experienced in their campaigns and the people with whom they served.  A wreath-laying ceremony and free time on the Virginia War Memorial’s grounds will also allow veterans to remember and honor those who did not return. The shared history of veterans, and the public’s understanding of it, will be enhanced through individual oral histories, photographs, and artifacts.

We look forward to honoring your service and the sacrifices made by Virginia’s veterans and their families.

Click here for more details and to register.