What Memorial Day ceremony is closest to Naval Station Everett?

Tahoma National Cemetery in Kent holds the closest VA national cemetery Memorial Day ceremony to NAVSTA Everett — about 30 miles south via I-5. The ceremony is on May 25, 2026 at 1:00 PM. Snohomish County also hosts local Memorial Day ceremonies; check dva.wa.gov for county locations.

How do I contact the Fleet and Family Support Center at NAVSTA Everett?

The Fleet and Family Support Center at Naval Station Everett can be reached at (425) 304-3735. FFSC provides deployment support programs, counseling resources, and referrals for Navy families throughout the deployment cycle.

What should Navy families with a deployed sailor do on Memorial Day?

Options include attending the May 25 ceremony at Tahoma National Cemetery in Kent (1:00 PM, free, open to the public), participating in a local Snohomish County ceremony, using Carry The Load's virtual participation options at carrytheload.org, or connecting with FFSC at (425) 304-3735 for deployment support resources.

How far is Tahoma National Cemetery from Everett?

Tahoma National Cemetery is approximately 30 miles south of Naval Station Everett via I-5, a 40–50 minute drive under normal conditions. Expect heavier traffic on Memorial Day weekend.

What is the Boys and Girls Club of Snohomish County's summer camp schedule for 2026?

Boys and Girls Club of Snohomish County summer camp begins June 16, 2026. The Everett Club offers all-day summer camp programming with fee assistance available. Contact BGCSC directly for enrollment deadlines and scholarship information — this is a commonly used deployment childcare resource for Navy families at NAVSTA Everett.

NAVSTA Everett Families: Your Complete Guide to Honoring Sailors at Tahoma National Cemetery This Memorial Day 2026

If your sailor is deployed from NAVSTA Everett right now, Memorial Day is different. The holiday carries a particular weight when the distance between home and ship is measured in thousands of miles. This is the complete guide for Navy families near Naval Station Everett: what’s happening at Tahoma National Cemetery this Memorial Day, how to participate, and what Fleet and Family Support resources are available if you’re observing the holiday from home.

Tahoma National Cemetery: Why It Matters for NAVSTA Families

Tahoma National Cemetery in Kent — approximately 30 miles south of Naval Station Everett — is the closest VA national cemetery to NAVSTA. For Navy families who have lost service members, or who want to observe Memorial Day at a site that specifically honors military sacrifice, Tahoma is the appropriate destination in the Pacific Northwest.

In 2026, Tahoma is receiving national attention: it is one of only three VA national cemeteries in the country selected for a Carry The Load Memorial May march, alongside Los Angeles National Cemetery and Jefferson Barracks in Missouri. That distinction places Tahoma in a very small group of VA cemetery sites the national veteran nonprofit community considers as ceremonially significant.

The May 25 Memorial Day Ceremony

The Tahoma National Cemetery Memorial Day Commemorative Ceremony is on Monday, May 25, 2026 at 1:00 PM at the Main Flag Pole Assembly Area. The ceremony is free and open to the public. No registration required.

The ceremony includes a wreath-laying, a rifle volley, and the playing of Taps. Remarks are typically delivered by local officials and retired military officers. For Navy families observing Memorial Day as a way to connect with the service community while a sailor is deployed, the ceremony provides that anchor point — a formal, public recognition of military sacrifice attended by other veterans, families, and community members.

Driving from NAVSTA Everett or from neighborhoods in Everett, Mukilteo, and Marysville: take I-5 South approximately 28 miles to Exit 152 (Auburn/Enumclaw). Follow SE 240th Street to the cemetery entrance. Allow 40–50 minutes under normal conditions; expect heavier traffic on Memorial Day weekend morning.

If You Cannot Travel to Kent

Snohomish County has its own Memorial Day observances closer to home. The Snohomish County Veterans Committee organizes local ceremonies at sites in Everett and throughout the county. The Washington Department of Veterans Affairs (WDVA) posts a complete list of 2026 statewide Memorial Day events at dva.wa.gov — including sites in Snohomish County.

For families with deployed sailors who want to observe Memorial Day from home, the VA’s National Cemetery Administration also offers virtual participation options to honor veterans interred at any national cemetery, including Tahoma.

Fleet and Family Support Resources for Memorial Day Weekend

The Fleet and Family Support Center at Naval Station Everett provides deployment support programs throughout the year, with specific programming available during high-emotion periods like Memorial Day. Contact FFSC at (425) 304-3735 to ask about:

Deployment support groups — including groups specifically for spouses and dependents of deployed sailors
Memorial Day weekend childcare resources, if you want to attend a ceremony without the full family logistics
Counseling resources if Memorial Day is a difficult anniversary for your family

The Boys and Girls Club of Snohomish County — which operates through the summer at multiple Everett-area sites — offers full-day summer camp programming starting June 16 that many Navy families use as a deployment childcare anchor. For families navigating a deployment that runs through summer, the BGCSC’s summer programs at the Everett Club (cost-assisted through the sliding scale fee structure) are worth knowing about well in advance of June enrollment deadlines.

The Carry The Load March: What Happened in Kent on April 30

Carry The Load’s Kent march took place on April 30, 2026. Volunteers walked to and from Tahoma National Cemetery as part of the nonprofit’s nationwide Memorial May relay — 75+ locations connected by marchers honoring military and first responder sacrifice throughout May. For Navy families, Carry The Load’s work resonates specifically because it was founded by two former Special Operations veterans who saw Memorial Day drifting from military awareness toward barbecue culture.

If you missed the April 30 march, Carry The Load’s national relay continues through Memorial Day weekend. Their website (carrytheload.org) lists all remaining march locations and virtual participation options for May.