The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) National Cemetery Administration (NCA) announced today a contract award to George Mason University to expand its Veteran Legacy Program in the local area. As part of NCA’s efforts to honor the memory of all veterans, Mason will research 19th century veterans interred in Alexandria National Cemetery, create online learning modules, and partner with Alexandria City Public Schools to pilot them.
“We are committed to memorializing our nation’s veterans and ensuring their names are never forgotten” said Randy Reeves, Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs. “We want to inspire future generations by teaching them the stories of service and sacrifice of our nation’s heroes. When we remember the veterans of yesterday, we send a message to veterans today: your legacy will never be forgotten.”
This is one of nine contracts awarded to academic organizations across the nation to empower students at all levels to learn about veterans’ military and civic service and to reinforce the VA’s continued commitment to provide burial and memorial benefits.
Students from Mason’s Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media will research veterans’ biographies and develop digital learning materials about veterans buried in one of the nation’s oldest veteran’s cemeteries. These products will be accessible to educators and the general public.
Alexandria National Cemetery is one of the original 14 national cemeteries established in 1862. The first burials made in the cemetery were soldiers who died during training or from disease in the numerous hospitals around Alexandria. Today, the cemetery has space available for cremated remains.
March 29, 2018
