The public is invited to attend a dedication ceremony of the Southwest Louisiana Veterans Cemetery in Jennings.
The events takes place on Friday, March 6 at 10:00 am.
Governor John Bel Edwards will serve as keynote speaker for the ceremony.
According to a release, the Southwest Louisiana Veterans Cemetery is the fifth and final state-run veterans cemetery authorized by the federal VA for the State of Louisiana.
The cemetery will offer 1,777 burial spots across 10 acres to serve as a final resting place of honor for Louisiana veterans, their spouses and their dependent children.
A groundbreaking ceremony was held in November 2018.
The Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs says the following about those eligible to be interred:
"All members and veterans of the Armed Forces are eligible to be buried in a state-run veterans cemetery as long as they have met minimum active-duty service requirements and were honorably discharged. Members of the reserve Armed Forces who died while on active duty or while on training duty, who were eligible for retired pay, or who were called to active duty and served the full term of service, are eligible for burial in this cemetery. Their spouse, widow or widower, minor children and, under some conditions, adult unmarried children with disabilities are also eligible for burial here. Additionally, eligible veterans can be relocated to the new cemetery, but costs associated with relocation would be the responsibility of the family."
The Southwest Louisiana Veterans Cemetery is located at 1620 Evangeline Road in Jennings, adjacent to the Southwest Louisiana Veterans Home.
For more information about the dedication ceremony, the new cemetery or any LDVA services, call 225-219-5000 or email veteran@la.gov.
