Expanding Dignified Burial Services for Maine's Veterans

September 27, 2024

The State of Maine has a very proud history of military service when it comes to fighting for our country and keeping us safe, so our veterans deserve our utmost respect and gratitude.

One way we can show that respect is providing them and their families with a final resting place for them, which honors their service.

Hello, this is Governor Janet Mills, and thank you for listening.

I'm proud that we've done exemplary work to ensure that our veterans have the tools they need to live healthy and fulfilling lives here in our state.

For example, through the Maine Bureau of Veterans Services, we've reestablished the Aides-de-Camp veterans advisory program, we've provided free dental care for veterans in need, we've created the Governor's Challenge to coordinate behavioral health services and prevent suicides by veterans, and we've expanded our homeless veteran coordination team.

Through our Veterans and Community Connection expos, we've also connected hundreds of service members and veterans and their families with resources and benefits and peer groups to enrich their lives in our great state. The Department of Labor has connected veterans and employers through our annual Hire-A-Vet campaign. And with the help of the Maine Legislature, we've kept the Maine veterans homes open in Caribou and Machias for veterans and their spouses.

We've also worked with the Legislature to provide property tax relief for veterans statewide. I'm proud of that progress, but my administration is always pushing for better services for all Maine veterans and their families, all of whom have sacrificed so much to keep us safe.

That's why this week we were pleased to announce that the Maine Bureau of Veterans Services has been awarded a significant federal grant to help provide high-quality burial services for Maine's veterans and their families. That grant from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs will fund expansion projects at the Northern Maine Veterans Cemetery in Caribou and the Southern Maine Veterans Cemetery in Springvale, so they can provide future generations of veterans with the respect and dignity they deserve and provide their families a sacred and solemn space to honor the lives of their loved ones.

More information on Maine's Veterans Cemeteries and the eligibility requirements can be found on the Maine Bureau of Veterans Services website atwww.maine.gov/veterans.

Expressing our gratitude for the service of our veterans is important. But as President John F. Kennedy once said, "We must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them."

My appreciation for our veterans will always be found in the actions I take as governor to make sure they have the services, including proper burial services, that they deserve in our state.

This is Governor Janet Mills, and thank you for listening.