MIDDLETOWN, CONN. (November 11, 2025)–Department of Connecticut Veterans of Foreign Wars Commander Charles M. Pickett continues to advocate for the salvation of the Connecticut State Veterans Cemetery, which is facing closure as it reaches capacity.
The largest of the three state veteran cemeteries, with one in Darien closed and a small one in Rocky Hill dedicated to residents of the Connecticut Veterans Affairs Home, the Connecticut State Veterans Cemetery in Middletown is facing closure as soon as July 2027 as in-ground cremains burial space will soon reach capacity.
Pickett began the Save our Cemetery (SOC) Campaign (http://ctvets.us/) soon after the Middletown, Connecticut common council rejected a proposal on Nov. 12, 2024 to sell land to expand the current cemetery on Bow Lane.
That setback focused attention on the imminent nature of the closure, and the possibility of having to ship Connecticut’s dead to a veteran cemetery in a neighboring state. The closest federal cemetery is Calverton National Cemetery across the Sound on Long Island, NY followed by Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne, MA.
Following the 2025 Veterans Day Ceremony at the the State Veterans Cemetery, Commander Pickett was interviewed by WVIT NBC about the imminent closure. “As a Middletown veteran, who grew up here, I hope and pray that we can keep this great cemetery going,” Pickett said.
Plans are in the works according to the Connecticut Department of Veterans Affairs who is working with the Department of Administrative Services to secure 50 to 100 acres for a whole new cemetery. Unfortunately, time is running out for the current cemetery and there is a threat of a gap between reaching capacity in one cemetery and the opening of a new one.
A number of organizations have pledged support for the campaign including the Department of Connecticut American Legion, Department of Connecticut Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW); VFW Department of Connecticut Auxiliary; Department of Connecticut Disabled American Veterans (DAV); Department of Connecticut Marine Corps League (MCL); Department of Connecticut Catholic War Veterans (CWV); Army Air Force Roundtable of CT, and the Connecticut Veterans Legal Center (CVLC | https://ctveteranslegal.org/) .
Additionally, 52 groups have formally adopted the Save our Cemetery (SOC) Resolution including: VFW 7666 Guilford, VFW 12106 Branford, VFW 149 Danbury, VFW 149 AUX Danbury, MCL DET 40 Glastonbury, VFW 2046 Manchester, VFW 6851 Canaan, VFW 3336 Moodus, VFW 583 Middletown, VFW 12150 New Haven, AL 210 New Haven, VFW 591 Wallingford, VFW 5849 Niantic, VFW 9243 Lakeville, VFW 7330 Oakville, AL 195 Oakville-Watertown, VFW 10321 Hamden, VFW 10059 Trumbull, AL 141 Trumbull, VFW 6123 Windsor Locks, VFW 1672 New Milford, VFW 2083 East Hartford, AL 017 Naugatuck, VFW 10732 Berlin, VFW 594 Norwich, VFW 9452 Preston, VFW 4608 Ledyard, VFW 5446 Plainfield, Killingworth Veterans, VFW 10052 Cheshire, VFW 201 Waterbury, VFW 603 Norwalk, VFW AUX 201 Waterbury, VFW 1523 Putnam, VFW 9460 Stratford, VFW 9544 West Suffield, VFW 2096 Madison, Old Lyme Veterans Senior Center, VFW AUX 8075 Prospect, VFW Districts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and VFW Auxiliary District 4, the Connecticut Bar Association (CBA), VFW 10688 Canterbury, VFW 7788 Milford, VFW 1467 Old Lyme, VFW 9427 Fairfield, American Legion Post 89 East Haven, and the Middletown Council of Veterans.
