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COVID-19 prompts changes for Memorial Day at Pikes Peak National Cemetery

Pikes Peak National cemetery
KRDO

EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) -- Remembering fallen service members over Memorial Day Weekend will look different this year. At Pikes Peak National Cemetery, there won't be any formal services to honor military loved ones.

Families are still encouraged to come and honor those who have served our country, but only in groups less than 10 and adhere to social distancing guidelines.

The National Cemetery Association (NCA) said on their website, "NCA made the difficult decision to not host public events for Memorial Day, including the mass placement and retrieval of gravesite flags by any groups."

Randy Barrett, who visits his wife every week, remembers 2019's memorial well.

"About fifteen hundred people. They had cars all the way down the street," he said.

There's worry that this year's changes could deter people from coming out.

"There's a lot of hesitation, especially for our older population that want to come out and visit, pay their respects to our fellow comrades," Dean Noechel, Commander for the Colorado American Legion said.

A small ceremony is also taking place at the Vietnam Memorial in Colorado Springs on Monday, but like others, it is limited to less than 10 people.

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