DFW National Cemetery cannon salute (photo credit: Heather Buen)
The Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery is Dallas-Fort Worth’s national Veteran’s cemetery under the direction of the US Department of Veteran’s Affairs.
This cemetery was dedicated and opened for burials on May 12, 2000. At one point in time, nobody knew this cemetery existed and so they had a hard time getting the word out about its existence. The cemetery is situated on a 638.5-acre parcel of land that overlooks picturesque Mountain Creek Lake.
Office Hours: Monday thru Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Please contact the office for holiday closings.
Visitation Hours: Open daily from sunrise to sunset.
You can get more information on the DFW National Cemetery by visiting their website.
They have ceremonies every year for both Veteran’s Day weekend and Memorial Day weekend. They also have a ceremony in December to commemorate for Wreaths Across America in mid-December.
This year’s Veteran’s Day ceremony will be held on Saturday November 11, 2017 at 11:00 AM. It is truly a memorable experience honoring our Military Veterans and heroes from all the branches of the military.
Per their website, “Burial in a national cemetery is open to all members of the armed forces who have met a minimum active duty service requirement and were discharged under conditions other than dishonorable. A Veteran’s spouse, widow or widower, minor dependent children, and under certain conditions, unmarried adult children with disabilities may also be eligible for burial. Eligible spouses and children may be buried even if they predecease the Veteran. Members of the reserve components of the armed forces who die while on active duty or who die while on training duty, or were eligible for retired pay, may also be eligible for burial. For more information visit the eligibility web page.
What happens during a Veteran’s Day ceremony?
At DFW National Cemetery, the Veteran’s Day ceremony always starts at 11:00 am. The first Veteran’s Day was held in 1918 to coincide with Armistice Day to commemorate the ending of World War I. When the ceremony begins spectators will sometimes see a flyby from the US Air Force and the missing man formation. There are tributes and music for all the branches of the military honoring the living and the dead. There are also speeches by distinguished service members. At the DFW National cemetery Veteran’s Day ceremonies there are also cannon and 21 gun salutes.
DFW National Cemetery photo credit: Heather Buen
I have found it to be a very inspiring ceremony for families to teach their children to honor our US Veterans. I grew up in Hawaii under the shadow of Pearl Harbor and so I grew up with a closer understanding of military traditions and ceremonies. My children are unaware of many of these things that I grew up with all around me. We attend ceremonies every year at DFW National cemetery so that the children learn about our veterans and never forget those that have fought for our country. For more information about the DFW National Cemetery please visit their website.
