National Cemetery Administration

What:
Carry The Load organizes volunteer events at national cemeteries to provide Americans with active ways to honor those who have served our country. The event includes a brief ceremony and instructions to volunteers on headstone cleaning and beautification. This is a great service opportunity for employee engagement, youth groups, and individuals. Participants are encouraged to post on a Veteran's memorial page at VA's Veterans Legacy Memorial.

When:
Saturday, September 12, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. (local time) except at Houston National Cemetery in Texas which will start at 9:30 a.m. (local time). Volunteers may arrive 30 minutes early to prepare for activities.

Where:
141 participating cemeteries: 105 VA national cemeteries, 21 VA grant-funded cemeteries, and 15 private cemeteries.

Registration:
» Carry The Load - Patriot Day - National Day of Service

Alabama
Alabama National Cemetery
Fort McClellan Post Cemetery
Fort Mitchell National Cemetery
Mobile National Cemetery (Post Section)

Alaska
Fort Richardson National Cemetery

Arizona
National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona
Prescott National Cemetery

Arkansas
Arkansas State Veterans Cemetery at Birdeye¹
Arkansas State Veterans Cemetery at North Little Rock¹
Fayetteville National Cemetery
Fort Smith National Cemetery
Little Rock National Cemetery

California
Golden Gate National Cemetery
Los Angeles National Cemetery
Miramar National Cemetery
Riverside National Cemetery
Sacramento Valley National Cemetery
San Francisco National Cemetery

Colorado
Fort Logan National Cemetery
Pikes Peak National Cemetery

Florida
Barrancas National Cemetery Annex
Bay Pines National Cemetery
Cape Canaveral National Cemetery
Florida National Cemetery
Jacksonville National Cemetery
Sarasota National Cemetery
South Florida National Cemetery
St. Augustine National Cemetery
Tallahassee National Cemetery

Georgia
Georgia National Cemetery
Marietta National Cemetery

Hawaii
National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific

Idaho
Idaho State Veterans Cemetery at Boise¹

Illinois
Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery
Camp Butler National Cemetery
Danville National Cemetery, IL
Quincy National Cemetery
Rock Island National Cemetery

Indiana
Crown Hill National Cemetery Annex
Indiana Veterans Memorial Cemetery¹
Marion National Cemetery
New Albany National Cemetery

Iowa
Keokuk National Cemetery

Kansas
Kansas Veterans Cemetery at Fort Dodge¹
Kansas Veterans Cemetery at Fort Riley / Manhattan¹
Kansas Veterans Cemetery at WaKeeney¹
Kansas Veterans Cemetery at Winfield¹
Leavenworth National Cemetery

Kentucky
Camp Nelson National Cemetery
Cave Hill National Cemetery
Evergreen Cemetery Soldiers' Lot
Lebanon National Cemetery
Lexington National Cemetery
Mill Springs National Cemetery
Zachary Taylor National Cemetery

Louisiana
Northeast Louisiana Veterans Cemetery¹
Port Hudson National Cemetery
Southeast Louisiana Veterans Cemetery¹

Maryland
Annapolis National Cemetery
Baltimore National Cemetery
Crownsville Veterans Cemetery¹

Massachusetts
Massachusetts National Cemetery

Michigan
Fort Custer National Cemetery
Great Lakes National Cemetery

Minnesota
Fort Snelling National Cemetery

Mississippi
Biloxi National Cemetery
Corinth National Cemetery
Natchez National Cemetery

Missouri
Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery
Missouri State Veterans Cemetery - Springfield¹

Montana
Yellowstone National Cemetery

Nebraska
Nebraska Veterans Cemetery at Alliance¹
Nebraska Veterans Cemetery at Grand Island¹
Omaha National Cemetery

New Mexico
Santa Fe National Cemetery

New York
Bath National Cemetery
Calverton National Cemetery
Cypress Hills National Cemetery
Gerald B.H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery
Long Island National Cemetery

North Carolina
Salisbury National Cemetery Annex

North Dakota
Fargo National Cemetery

Ohio
Dayton National Cemetery
Ohio Western Reserve National Cemetery

Oklahoma
Fort Gibson National Cemetery
Fort Sill National Cemetery

Oregon
Eagle Point National Cemetery
Willamette National Cemetery

Pennsylvania
Indiantown Gap National Cemetery
National Cemetery of the Alleghenies
Philadelphia National Cemetery
Prospect Hill Cemetery²
Washington Crossing National Cemetery

Puerto Rico
Morovis National Cemetery
Puerto Rico National Cemetery

South Carolina
Beaufort National Cemetery
Florence National Cemetery Annex
Fort Jackson National Cemetery

South Dakota
Black Hills National Cemetery

Tennessee
Chattanooga National Cemetery
Knoxville National Cemetery
Memphis National Cemetery
Mountain Home National Cemetery
Nashville National Cemetery

Texas
Brown Cemetery²
Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery
Driftwood Cemetery²
Fischer Cemetery²
Fort Bliss National Cemetery
Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery
Goodman Cemetery²
Houston National Cemetery (9:30 a.m.)
Mountain Valley Cemetery²
New Trinity Cemetery²
Niederwald Cemetery²
Phillips Cemetery²
Ridley Cemetery at Jake's Colony²
Rio Grande Valley State Veterans Cemetery in Mission¹
Schertz-Cibolo Cemetery²
Shiloh Military Cemetery²
St. Joseph Church - Honey Creek²
St. Mary's Cemetery²
St. Paul German Lutheran Cemetery²
West Texas State Veterans Cemetery in Lubbock¹

Utah
Fort Douglas Post Cemetery

Virginia
Albert G. Horton, Jr. Memorial Veterans Cemetery¹
Alexandria National Cemetery, VA
Culpeper National Cemetery
National Memorial Cemetery at Quantico
Richmond National Cemetery
Virginia Veterans Cemetery at Amelia¹
Southwest Virginia Veterans Cemetery¹

Washington
Fort Lawton Post Cemetery
Fort Worden Post Cemetery
Tahoma National Cemetery
Washington State Veterans Cemetery at Medical Lake¹

West Virginia
Donel C. Kinnard Memorial State Veterans Cemetery¹
West Virginia National Cemetery

Wisconsin
Northwoods National Cemetery
Wood National Cemetery

Wyoming
Cheyenne National Cemetery