Virginia Beach Recognized as National Veterans Day Regional Site for 14th Consecutive Year

​For the 14^th year in a row, the City of Virginia Beach has been designated a regional site for the observance of Veterans Day by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Day National Committee. One of 33 designated sites nationwide, Virginia Beach is the only site selected in the Commonwealth of Virginia for 2022.

"The news that we are once again a regional Veterans Day site designee for Virginia is very welcomed by our entire community, especially our military community," said Virginia Beach Mayor Robert M. "Bobby" Dyer.

The Veterans Day National Committee reviews submissions annually from across the nation which represent fitting tributes to America's heroes. This is the 14^th year that Virginia Beach has earned the honor of being named a regional site for the annual Veterans Day parade and ceremony. The Hampton Roads Council of Veterans Organizations (HRCVO) has hosted the parade and ceremony annually since 1970 on behalf of the five Southside Hampton Roads cities (Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk, and Virginia Beach).

HRCVO President Daniel Doyle said, "We are very proud to once again be recognized by the Veterans Day National Committee. Our Veterans Day activities, especially the support provided by the many organizations that participate and assist with the events, provide a unique opportunity to display our appreciation for the sacrifices our veterans have made to maintain the freedoms we enjoy as a nation."

This year's parade, co-sponsored by the Sons of Confederate Veterans, will be held Friday, Nov. 11 (Veterans Day), starting at 9 a.m. on Atlantic Avenue at 16^th Street and ending in front of the Tidewater Veterans Memorial on 19^th Street. The parade will include military units from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard that represent the military installations across the region. Veterans from World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm, Desert Shield, Operations Iraqi Freedom, and Enduring Freedom will participate, as well as several Tidewater municipal and veterans support organizations, including local high school bands and Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops.

The Veterans Day Parade is sanctioned by the Department of Veterans Affairs National Veterans Day Committee and the Mayors of Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk, and Virginia Beach, who sign a proclamation declaring that "citizens, businesses, and organizations demonstrate due appreciation, admiration, and respect for all veterans who have served our great nation."

A formal ceremony that includes military, federal, state, and local dignitaries will be held following the parade at 11 a.m. at the Tidewater Veterans Memorial, located on 19^th Street across from the Virginia Beach Convention Center. Immediately following the ceremony, a luncheon honoring veterans will be held at the Double Tree Hotel near the Virginia Beach Convention Center.

For more information, contact Daniel Doyle, HRCVO president, at 757-348-0884 or dandoyle615@gmail.com. Visit the HRCVO website at HRCVO.org for more information.