Flags For The Fallen At Risk At RivCo Cemeteries: Government Shutdown Affecting Flag Placement

RIVERSIDE, CA — Every year, tiny American flags are placed at the gravesites of those who gave all for their country. A ceremony typically follows, honoring the veterans of Riverside County.

Still, in 2025, the annual mission to place those miniature American flags at tens of thousands of graves the weekend before Veterans Day is in jeopardy due to the federal government shutdown, organizers say on the website that organizes flag-planters.

"Regrettably we must inform you of a potential cancellation of our Flag For Every Hero event scheduled for Saturday, November 8th at 8 a.m. This is due to circumstances beyond our control and we are assessing the situation to determine the best course of action," the website states. "We truly value your support and enthusiasm for this event, and we deeply understand the inconvenience this may cause. Please rest assured we are exploring all possible alternatives to proceed as planned. Please check our website daily for updates."

Honoring Our Fallen founder Laura Herzog told reporters that, though they remain hopeful there's a way to proceed with flag placement, cemeteries are operating with reduced workers.

"Due to the ongoing shutdown, the cemetery is operating with a very reduced crew, which may impact their ability to accommodate our over 1,000 volunteers," Herzog said. "We remain hopeful that we can find a way to proceed with the flag placements."

Traditionally, the nonprofit's volunteers, which typically include Boy Scout troops, Civil Air Patrol cadets, members of various unions and their families, former military personnel, and others, deploy the weekend before Veterans Day for a four-hour walk throughout the cemetery's 900 acres -- 70 sections -- to erect the small flags, routinely reaching all of the nearly 250,000 burial plots.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs' National Cemetery Administration manages Riverside National Cemetery. Its staffing levels have been cut back amid the federal furloughs that started nearly a month ago, amid congressional conflicts that led to the shutdown.

"We are currently in touch with the cemetery staff about the flag placement event," Herzog said. "We anticipate receiving a final decision from them on our plans around Nov. 4th."

Details and updates will be posted at www.honoringourfallen.org.

The walks, first organized in 2012, are conducted not only on Veterans Day but also on Memorial Day weekend. Both were rescinded in 2020 because of the COVID lockdowns but returned in 2021.

When they first started, volunteers could reach only 21,000 grave sites. In 2014, organizers were able to procure enough flags and enlist enough people to plant the Stars & Stripes next to almost all the final resting places of individuals interred at the cemetery.

Since then, the number of volunteers has grown significantly.

The cemetery is the third-largest of its kind in the nation.