Danbury to Hold First Annual Afghanistan – Iraq Veterans Ceremony

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The first annual Afghanistan & Iraq Veterans Ceremony will take place Saturday, October 3, at 10 a.m. at the Connecticut Afghanistan & Iraq Veterans War Memorial at 1 Memorial Drive. The event is open to veterans, military families and members of the public, and there is no cost to attend.

The ceremony is intended to recognize the Connecticut men and women who served in America's post-9/11 wars, while also remembering those who never made it home. It also provides an opportunity to recognize the families and communities that were affected by more than two decades of military operations.

The memorial itself is relatively new. It was dedicated in May 2024 after several years of work by Connecticut veterans who wanted a permanent location specifically honoring those who served in Afghanistan and Iraq.

David Vieira, an Afghanistan veteran who helped make the memorial a reality, says the goal was never simply to put up a monument and call it a day. The idea was to create a place where this generation of veterans would continue to be remembered, and the annual ceremony is intended to keep that mission going.

Vieira served with the Army National Guard in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom in 2010 and 2011.

The ceremony is being hosted by VFW Post 149 of Danbury along with the Danbury Veterans Council. Organizers are inviting the entire community to come out, whether you served, have a family member who served, or simply want to show your support.

The first annual ceremony is Saturday, October 3, at 10 a.m. at the Connecticut Afghanistan & Iraq Veterans War Memorial, 1 Memorial Drive in Danbury.