HAMPTON, Va. — Dozens of people gathered at the Hampton National Cemetery reflecting on the many service members buried here who defended the country.
Malissia Smith with the Travis Manion Foundation remembers her late husband, Petty Officer First Class Scottie Smith, who’s buried at the Horton Jr. Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Suffolk. He passed away on Aug. 23, 2016, a month before his retirement.
Smith visited his resting place with family over the weekend. On Monday morning, she joined volunteers with the Travis Manion Foundation to place tokens at resting sites at the Hampton National Cemetery as part of the organization's TheHonorProject Initiative.
“We’re reminding ourselves of the fragile nature of our democracy and the fragile nature of all things humanity," said Rooster Rossiter, the Hampton Roads co-chapter leader for the Travis Manion Foundation. "So, it’s about uniting, reflecting, remembering.”
Over 2,000 Travis Manion Foundation volunteers at more than 45 cemeteries across the country will visit the resting places of 10,000 fallen heroes to place commemorative tokens and pause to reflect on the sacrifices of those service members. Many other community members visited the cemetery for its annual ceremony.
“A lot of people could be at the beach and things of that nature but to show reverence here at a national cemetery is honoring,” said Micah Lee, the cemetery director for the Hampton National Cemetery Complex.
Lee said as a former servicemember, it means a lot to see people with and without military connections show their respects. He said it’s something simple that everyone can do.
“Just go to your local national cemetery," Lee said. "If you see a headstone, you can definitely just say their name and just thank them for their service.”