A different kind of Memorial Day

No large events are scheduled to take place at the Dayton National Cemetery, but visitors welcome.

This Memorial Day will be different. No large public organized events at the Dayton National Cemetery are planned.

Coronavirus fears are the chief reason, said Ted Froats, a spokesman for the Dayton Veterans Affairs Medical Center, which shares a campus with the cemetery.

“Because of the need to limit crowd sizes due to COVID-19, the NCA (National Cemetery Association) made the difficult decision to not have their cemeteries (including the one on our campus) host any public events for Memorial Day,” Froats said.

However, the cemetery will remain open to visitors, the VA noted. Visitors are welcome to place flowers or individual flags at grave sites, and the cemetery will have signs raised to remind visitors to maintain social distancing.

Additionally, each VA national cemetery will conduct a brief wreath-laying ceremony, accompanied by a moment of silence and the playing of Taps.

“This year, by necessity, will be different from past Memorial Day observances,” VA Secretary Robert Wilkie said in a release.

“While the department can’t hold large public ceremonies, VA will still honor veterans and service members with the solemn dignity and respect they have earned through their service and sacrifice.”

Likewise, the American Veterans Heritage Center, a nonprofit group of volunteers, also decided to cancel this year’s Patriot Freedom Festival — an annual event the volunteers hosted on the Medical Center campus for Memorial Day Weekend, the Dayton VA said.

The Gold Star Families also decided to cancel this year’s memorial service in the campus’ historic chapel, which was usually held in the first week of June, Froats said.

Added Froats: “In each of these cases, these decisions were not made lightly.”

“We’ve been honored to be the home of each of these events for years, and we look forward to hosting them all again next year as well,” he said.

“But each organization is doing what they can to uphold the CDC’s social distancing guidelines and minimize large gatherings until it becomes safe again to do so.”