EDITORIAL: Cemetery staff: Thanks for going above and beyond

Published 12:19 pm Tuesday, August 5, 2025

According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, nearly 642,000 military veterans die each year, accounting for 1 in 4 deaths in the United States. Many of them are laid to rest in the 156 national cemeteries that span the country. Honoring their service does not end with their passing. The staff at the nation’s veterans cemeteries provide care in honoring them with dignity and respect during the families’ time of loss.

The staff at the Georgia Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Milledgeville is among the best at doing so. The cemetery and its staff were recently recognized with the Operational Excellence Award from the National Cemetery Administration. The honor was signed off on by U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs Ronald E. Walters. The recognition required a rigorous review of cemetery practices and evaluations.

The Georgia Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Milledgeville, one of two veterans cemeteries in our state, stretches five miles along Ga. Highway 112. It attracts thousands of visitors each year, particularly during Veterans Day, Memorial Day, and the annual Wreaths Across America remembrance in December. While some visitors view the gravesites of family members, others come seeking information about the cemetery, learn its history, and visit to honor those buried there. It is open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to dusk.

More than 5,100 veterans and their spouses are interred at the cemetery, spanning WWI, WWII, Korea and the Vietnam wars, according to the National Cemetery Administration.

No matter the weather conditions or time of year, staff go above and beyond to ensure that the military families who visit the cemetery are assured that the grounds are cared for with special care and regard for their service.

Thank you to Director Linda Lavender and the Georgia Veterans Memorial Cemetery staff for their exceptional work in ensuring that veterans and their families are cared for at this is their final resting place.

This honor is well-deserved for what they do.