VIDEO: Providing A Sacred Resting Place To Honor Our Fallen Servicemen

KILMICHAEL, Miss. (WCBI)- After two years of construction the North Mississippi Veterans Memorial Cemetery is finally complete and ready for use.

Hundreds of people, including veterans and state leaders, were at Wednesday’s dedication ceremony.

The overwhelming theme during the ceremony was to always honor and remember the veterans who served to protect our country.

As Sgt.  Jimmy Harper walked through the cemetery, he said he felt a special connection with the grounds.

“You probably heard the term, a brotherhood can never be broken,” said Sgt. Harper. “Regardless of whether you have served with them or not, but the fact that they were of a service to the country connects you there alone.”

Harper has been in the military for nearly thirty years and understands the significance of providing a sacred resting place for veterans.

“There is always someone that’s gone before you in every act of any type of service, but particularly in the military and the country that we live in,” said Harper. “We don’t ever want to forget what those ladies and gentlemen have done to provide the freedom that we enjoy so much today.”

Cemetery Director Mark Lawson said its overwhelming to see how much of an impact the cemetery is having.

“I’m at a loss for words,” Lawson expressed. “I started crying right before the service started just because I was so emotional. It’s all come to a head and now we are here.”

The cemetery is the second state cemetery in the Mississippi.

“That’s what we’re here for,” Lawson explained. “We are here to make sure that our veterans are taken care of, and their spouses are taken care of with the proper burial and a proper burial facility.”

There’s enough space to bury more than 110 thousand veterans. It’ll be open to veterans from all across the country and all branches of the military.

“It’s very serene place, a very calming and soothing if you will type of place,” said Harper. “I think it will provide some great memories for many years for many families.”

“What we do provide for our veterans or our spouse at no cost is a burial site obviously, open and closed on the burial site, concrete vaults if you are a casket burial, a headstone, and perpetual care at no cost to the veteran with a spouse,” said Lawson.

The first burial at the cemetery is scheduled for Monday.