Nation to Mark Memorial Day at Arlington

An official ceremony in honor of those in uniform who have died in the service of their nation will be held Monday, May 26, at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia. The ceremony, which will be held at 11 a.m. Eastern time, will be led by Army Major General Richard J. Rowe, Jr., who serves as the commanding officer of the Military District of Washington, the command responsible for ceremonial events in the national capital region.

According to the Arlington National Cemetery web site, ceremonial duties at the cemetery are conducted by the 3^rd United States Infantry, commonly referred to as "The Old Guard." The unit has been in active service to the country since the late 1700s.

In recognition of the holiday, senior Army leadership including Secretary of the Army Pete Geren, Army Chief of Staff General George Casey, and Sergeant Major of the Army Kenneth Preston issued a Memorial Day message to Army troops that said, "On this Memorial Day, America is at war. Answering the call, America's Army is fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq with courage and honor. Our defense of liberty adds to the rolls of the fallen. We pause on Memorial Day to honor all generations of brave Americans who have made the ultimate sacrifice so that others can live free." Casey commanded coalition forces in Iraq prior to his appointment as Army Chief of Staff.

This year's Memorial Day ceremony marks the 140^th commemoration of the holiday, and will feature a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknowns and a remembrance ceremony at Arlington's Memorial Amphitheater. Memorial Day events at Arlington Cemetery are open to the public at no charge.