                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

VIRGINIA WAR MEMORIAL DIVISION (§ 2.2-2001.3)

A. The Virginia War Memorial is established as a division within the Department
of Veterans Services. The Virginia War Memorial, its grounds, and all its
contents, furnishings, funds, endowments, and other property, now owned or
hereafter acquired, are and shall remain property of the Commonwealth. The
Commissioner shall maintain administrative and financial control of the Virginia
War Memorial and its subsidiaries, including adopting regulations for the use of
and visitation to the Memorial. Regulations of the Commissioner shall be exempt
from the provisions of the Administrative Process Act (&#xA7; 2.2-4000 et seq.).

B. The mission of the Virginia War Memorial shall be to honor patriotic
Virginians who rendered faithful service and sacrifice in the cause of freedom
and liberty for the Commonwealth and the nation in time of war, honor all of
Virginia&#8217;s veterans, preserve their history, educate the public, and
inspire patriotism in all Virginians.

C. The Department shall, with the advice of the Board of Veterans Services,
adopt policies governing (i) the programs and activities that may and should be
carried out at the Memorial, (ii) the use of and visitation to the Memorial, and
(iii) fees for the use of the Memorial.

D. Beginning July 1, 2019, the names and homes of record designation of all
Virginians &#8220;Killed in Action&#8221; (i) as a result of military operations
against terrorism, (ii) as a result of a terrorist act, or (iii) in any armed
conflict after December 6, 1941, shall be placed on the Shrine of Memory on the
grounds of the Virginia War Memorial. New names shall be added to the Shrine of
Memory within one year of the date of confirmed death. No individual who does
not meet these criteria shall be honored on the Shrine of Memory.

E. The names and homes of record designation of all Virginians &#8220;Missing in
Action&#8221; as a result of the Vietnam War and all other Virginians who served
honorably but do not meet the criteria in clause (i), (ii), or (iii) of
subsection D shall be honored at the Virginia War Memorial.

F. To preserve the dignity of military medals authorized by the U.S. Department
of Defense and the memory of those who have rendered faithful service and
sacrifice in the cause of freedom and liberty, the Virginia War Memorial
division of the Department shall be vested with the full authority to take
possession of military medals, ribbons, or certificates that come into the
possession of the Commonwealth for which the ownership is unknown until such
time as the true owner is able to take possession. The Virginia War Memorial
division of the Department shall make reasonable efforts, based on available
resources, to determine the rightful owner and return any military medal,
ribbon, or certificate that comes into its possession pursuant to this section.

G. The Commissioner shall provide supervision of the Virginia War Memorial
Foundation and any other nonprofit corporation established as an instrumentality
to provide fundraising for the Memorial and assist in the details of
administering the affairs of the Memorial.

HISTORY: 2013, c. 234; 2016, c. 690; 2019, cc. 312, 314, 318, 784.