Bay Pines is the only National Cemetery in Pinellas and Hillsborough counties and hosts the largest observance of Memorial Day.

SEMINOLE – The Bay Pines VA Healthcare System will commemorate Memorial Day with a ceremony at 10 a.m. May 28 at the Bay Pines National Cemetery.

This is the only National Cemetery in Pinellas and Hillsborough counties and the largest observance of Memorial Day with more than 4,000 expected attendees. Veterans, their families and friends, and the general public are invited to attend. Before the ceremony, on May 26, volunteers from the community will mark more than 35,000 graves at the cemetery with U.S. flags to honor the men and women who served the nation.

Guest speakers for the event include U.S. Representative Charlie Crist, D-St. Petersburg; and local leaders from the Bay Pines VA Healthcare System; St. Petersburg VA Regional Office; and Bay Pines National Cemetery. The event will also feature traditional military tributes and music provided by the Suncoast Symphony Orchestra.

Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs Executive Director Glenn Sutphin will provide the keynote address. Sutphin, a retired Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army, was appointed executive director of the FDVA by Gov. Rick Scott and the Cabinet on Aug. 2, 2016.

Sutphin served as legislative affairs director and chief of staff for the Florida Department of Military Affairs from March 1999 until his appointment as FDVA interim executive director on April 26, 2016. He entered active duty service as an enlisted soldier in 1969, received his commission as a field artillery officer, and finished his military service in the Florida National Guard. He led soldiers in seven operational deployments during his 30 years in uniform before retiring in 1999.

Parking for the event is available nearby. Shuttles will provide transportation for guests from parking lots to the National Cemetery. The venue is handicapped accessible. A sign language interpreter will be available for the hearing impaired.

The ceremony will be held rain or shine.

For information about the event or to volunteer to help mark graves, contact the cemetery office at (727) 319-6479.

Bay Pines National Cemetery | Memorial Day | Charlie Crist | Glenn Sutphin | Events | Tampabay News

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