Institute , Kanawha County , West Virginia

The Veterans Cemetery in Institute was dedicated on Memorial Day, May 28, 2012.

The dedication of the Donel Kinnard Memorial State Veterans Cemetery will honor 60 thousand veterans across southern West Virginia.

According to militarytimes.org, Chief Hospital Corpsman Donel Kinnard, who is from Huntington, WV, led an assault that saved his men from being overrun by the VC,
on January 21, 1970.

He killed an enemy officer in hand-to-hand combat and was awarded the Navy Cross.

The cemetery's groundbreaking ceremony took place in October 14, 2010.

According to the West Virginia Department of Veterans Assistance, the State Cemetery will be following Federal guidelines and requirements for eligibility.

Eligibility is as follows, but is not limited to:

• Any member of the Armed Forces of the United States who dies on active duty.

• Any veteran who was discharged under conditions other than dishonorable and had a minimum of 24 months of active duty.

• The spouse or surviving spouse of an eligible veteran.

• The minor children of an eligible veteran.

For purpose of burial in a national cemetery, a minor child is a child who is unmarried and: Who is under 21 years of age; or,

Who is under 23 years of age and pursuing a full-time course of instruction at an approved educational institution.

Any state or federal Veterans Affairs office can assist in determining eligibility for burial in a VA national or state veteran’s cemetery.

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