The Department of Veterans Affairs will dedicate a new cemetery in Brevard County this afternoon. Construction of the Cape Canaveral National Cemetery in Mims began in March.
Cemetery director Don Murphy said veterans’ families won’t have to go so far when they lay their loved ones to rest.
“There are more than 163,000 veterans that will reside within 75 miles of this cemetery," said Murphy.
"Before the cemetery was constructed, they would have to travel more than two hours either North or West or South to get to the nearest national cemetery,” said Murphy.
Murphy said the first part of the 318 acre cemetery will be open and burials should begin Mid-December.
He said when the cemetery is complete it will include an avenue of flags lining the main entrance way.
“When a flag is presented to a family member after the interment service, occasionally they will wish to donate that flag back to the cemetery and when they do, we will use that flag to fly along the avenue of flags, [on] holidays, Memorial day, Veterans day.”
The cemetery will also include a memorial wall.
The Cape Canaveral National Cemetery is the 9th national cemetery in Florida.
The dedication ceremony at 2pm this afternoon includes speeches from VA secretary Robert McDonald and Florida US Representatives Bill Posey and Jeff Miller.