Outrage in Wyoming as over 100 people are stood up at cemetery by VA after showing up for Memorial Day service

Some 100 people were snubbed at the Cheyenne National Cemetery on Memorial Day by the US Veterans Administration, which had scheduled an observance to commemorate those who paid the ultimate price for America.

Some families drove from hundreds of miles away to the five-acre cemetery in Cheyenne, where they were told an official service would commence at 11am on Monday.

But, as late morning came and went, no one arrived to lead a service. The honor guard didn't show, no prayers were read, and taps - the bugle song played at military funerals and memorial services - did not ring out over the cemetery.

According to Cowboy State Daily, visitors were left surprised and disheartened by the lack of a service on a day dedicated to memorializing the country's fallen men and women.

The Cheyenne National Cemetery was officially dedicated in October of 2020. A man looks on over several headstones with flags planted beside them of veterans buried at the cemetery

The five-acre burial site in Wyoming was visited Monday by some 100 people expecting a Memorial Day service to occur

Keith Jobes, a veteran with friends buried in the Cheyenne cemetery, told the outlet: 'I’m kind of amazed that there isn’t a (memorial) service happening.'

'I ended up watching the laying of the wreath on TV at Arlington (National Cemetery) earlier today.'

Dozens and dozens of people showed up at the cemetery at 11am because that was the time posted on the VA website, despite, according to officials, no service ever being scheduled for that time.

William Washington, the manager of the cemetery, told CSD that he was put in a tough position because he presently lacks institutional support.

'This basically was all so last minute, with me just trying to get some support,' he said.

He said that last week he'd run into a friend, Justin Tripp, who commands VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) post 11453 in Cheyenne. Tripp said he would sent some veterans from his post to the cemetery on Monday at 3pm to say a prayer and conduct a moment of silence.

But for some reason, the website of the national organization reported the service would be held at 11am, and was never amended to reflect the actual scheduled time.

Tripp said he was frustrated with how last-minute the organization, which he said was the case because 'we didn't get approval to do something until Friday.'

'This frustrates me. I'm a veteran. This isn't about picnics, but about people who died and never came home.'

The snafu was the result of an error posted to the official VA website, which clearly stated that the service would be taking place at 11am Monday morning

After arriving promptly for the 11am service, families were left waiting for hours

Signage at Cheyenne National taken by an individual who showed up Monday to commemorate the dead servicemembers

American flags and bouquets were laid beside the graves of deceased servicemembers at Cheyenne National Cemetery on Monday

The flag was flown at half-mast on Monday, to honor the fallen 

United States President Joe Biden, US Vice President Kamala Harris and US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin participate in the wreath laying at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery on Monday

A man walks among the rolling hills of headstones that mark the final resting place of service men and women at Arlington National Cemetery on May 27, 2024

The small Cheyenne cemetery is, like other relatively nearby ones, a satellite to Fort Logan National Cemetery, which oversees a handful of smaller ones.

Reactions online to the VA's organizational failure were swift and angry.

'THIS SHOULD NEVER HAVE HAPPENED AND IS ABSOLUTELY DISCRACEFUL!!,' wrote Don Johnsonally, sharing CSD's article to his Facebook page.

Adam Stanfill, a resident of Laramie, Wyoming, wrote: 'What an absolute embarrassment and disgrace in Cheyenne this morning. Infuriating.'

A family member of his responded to his post: 'Shameful and disrespectful to the veterans and their families.' 

Despite the disappointment experienced by those who made the trek to Cheyenne Monday, most opted to commemorate the veterans laid to rest there anyway.

Many arrived with flags and flowers to plant on the ground beside their loved ones, or beside the graves of soldiers they didn't know.

Richard Tygret, 58, stopped by the cemetery on Monday to place an American flag next to the headstone of a Naval officer he didn't know, who was buried in the cemetery last July.

He told CDS that he'd been driving back from a camping weekend Monday, when he felt compelled to stop by the cemetery.

Fort Logan National Cemetery - which Cheyenne National and several other small cemeteries are satellites of

Despite the Cheyenne service being advertised as an 11am program, local VA directors said it was never scheduled for that time and the mix up occurred due to internal disorganization

People walk amongst the rolling hills of headstones that mark the final resting place of service men and women at Arlington National on Memorial Day

Lynda Drum, a local resident, was at the cemetery Monday visiting her father's grave.

Harvey Frisbee served in the Marines during the Vietnam and Korea wars.

She said that when she visits, she talks with him 'about his new great-grandchildren,' and seeks 'his advice on things.'

Carole Anne and Dale Hopkins drove some 300 miles from Riverton, Wyoming for the scheduled Monday service, but, Carole said that even if they 'had known this wasn't going to happen,' she still 'would have done this today.'