DUBLIN, Va. – The Southwest Virginia Veterans Cemetery has won an award for how well they keep up their cemetery.
“It is the operational excellence award, and it is a very prestigious award so we are all gathered here today, unlike some occasions where we are here to mourn and be here for Memorial Day, this is a celebration,” said Jason Ballard, Virginia delegate.
The Southwest Virginia Veterans Cemetery is one of three in Virginia with over 2,000 veterans laid to rest from across the commonwealth.
The award from the National Cemeteries Administration is for how well the ground crews maintain the cemetery.
“When you are at ground level, putting in the work and you’re out there sweating like today on a day like today where it’s hot, you may feel a little under-appreciated,” Ballard said. “So, just at a very basic level, this recognizes the workers on the ground that put in the sweat, the tears.”
The cemetery was graded in 95 different categories for the award.
James Earp, director of the National Cemeteries Administration said the Southwest Virginia Veterans Cemetery is an example of how to properly honor veterans laid to rest.
“A lot of the staff sometimes are not veterans,” Earp said. “They have family members who are veterans, or they understand the importance the veterans are to our nation and just the pride they have to want to give back.”
Both Earp and Ballard said as veterans, seeing the dedication and commitment to this cemetery is special.