“To care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow, and his orphan”- Abraham Lincoln.

The Minnesota Department of Veteran Affairs wants to show compassion for the families who gave the ultimate sacrifice. As Memorial Day 2022 approaches, a majority of Minnesotans will enjoy time with family and friends during the long holiday weekend. Let’s take a moment of silence for the parents and children who will be organizing visits at our National and State Veteran Cemeteries. MDVA would like to ensure Gold Star Families are using all of their designated benefits. A surviving spouse, child or parent of a service member who died in the line of duty, or the survivor of a Veteran who died from a service-related injury or illness may be eligible for a tax-free monetary benefit called the VA Dependency and Indemnity Compensation from the Federal VA. There are also benefits from the State of Minnesota VA Special Needs Grant. For more information on these benefits, contact your County Veterans Service Officer.

If you have lost a family member in military service, help us honor them by helping you. You can reach MDVA’s Gold Star Family program staff at 612- 970-5662 or visit MinnesotaVeteran.org/goldstar.

Scoops for the Troops will be holding an event on Sunday, May 22 at the Arden Hills Army Training site from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. to remember all our fallen and honor all who have served. Scoops for Troops is a family-friendly event that brings civilians, Veterans and military families together in a shared spirit of patriotism. The day includes a 5K run/3K walk and ice cream/food social. For more information on this event, click here.