At Jacksonville National Cemetery, hundreds gathered for the 2026 Memorial Day Observance, honoring military service members.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Hundreds gathered at the Jacksonville National Cemetery on Saturday morning for the 2026 Memorial Day Observance honoring the men and women who served and sacrificed for the country.
The ceremony featured patriotic music, honor guards, a rifle salute, and a flyover as veterans, families, students, and community members came together for a day of remembrance.
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Among those participating in the ceremony was student musician Alex Cisler, who played the French horn during the observance. Cisler said performing at the event carried personal meaning because both his father and grandfather served in the military.
“It feels wonderful to be out here. I have two family members who are ex-military and it just feels really nice to be able to give back to that community because I know how much of a struggle the service can be on people,” Cisler said.
“For my grandpa, the military was his source of income for 20 years and that was a really big impact on him. It’s what kept food on the table for my dad and my two aunts,” Cisler said.
Vietnam veteran Rich Diaz also attended the ceremony and reflected on the sacrifices made by service members and their families.
“I’m in remembrance of my dad, who was a World War II veteran, my uncles, two uncles, they were World War II veterans, and soldiers that I served with that never made it home from Vietnam, where I served,” said Diaz.
He shared a message for younger generations during Memorial Day weekend:
“Freedom isn’t free,” Diaz said. “When the time comes, somebody has to serve, somebody has to fight and somebody has to die, and that message has been the same as long as I can remember.”
This year’s ceremony also came as America marks 250 years of history.