JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska -- Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson’s annual Memorial Day ceremony will be May 29 at the Fort Richardson National Cemetery. Pre-ceremonial music begins at 11:30 a.m. and the ceremony starts at noon.
To reduce wait times at the Visitor Control Center the day of the ceremony, the 673d Security Forces Squadron's base-access section will have early registration which will allow approved individuals to bypass the VCC and proceed directly to the Richardson gate for base access.
This registration is only for access on May 29, to and from the Fort Richardson National Cemetery, and for the official Memorial Day ceremony only. Patrons found outside of the designated areas may be charged with trespassing.
To register, individuals must be U.S. citizens and provide their full name, state ID or driver's license number, and date of birth. Security Forces personnel will run a criminal background check for disqualifying information and the technician will inform applicants at the time of the call if they are cleared for entry or denied access. If approved, individuals will be added to a list of authorized patrons allowed entry at the Richardson Gate and will need to show an ID at time of entry.
Patrons under the age of 16 do not require vetting or an ID to gain access to JBER for this event.
If you have a relative buried in the cemetery and your access is denied or you are concerned about access approval , please contact the base access section at (907) 552-6910. Exceptions to access policy will be considered on a case-by-case basis, however, same-day requests will not be considered.
Pre-registration for Memorial Day access will be available May 24 and 25 only. Individuals interested in registering should call (907) 552-6910 between 8 and 11 a.m. or noon and 4 p.m. You may experience long wait times during the phone call, depending on time of day, but pre-registration will eliminate waiting at the VCC. Patrons unable to acquire pre-registration can visit the Richardson VCC on May 29 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. to be vetted same-day and issued a pass for the event.
Media outlets interested in covering the event must RSVP before noon May 25, in order to ensure base access and Public Affairs escort to the event. Please e-mail jber.pa.mediaops@us.af.mil or call 907-552-8995 to RSVP. Those attending will be given a time to meet at the Richardson Gate before being escorted to the event site.