132 high school students, along with their parents, guardians and family members, teachers and military instructors, military recruiters and the Commonwealth’s top military leaders filled the Virginia War Memorial’s Heilman Amphitheater in Richmond on Friday, May 8, 2026 for the annual Central Virginia Military Student Signing Day Ceremony.

The seniors were honored and recognized at the event. They are from area private and public high schools and have committed after graduation to join the US Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Space Force or Virginia National Guard or have signed up to be part of the ROTC (Reserve Officer Training Corps) at the college they will attend in the fall or will be attending a military service academy. All of the students were dressed in special T-shirts indicating the branch of service to which they have committed. The ceremony was jointly hosted by the Virginia Department of Education (DOE) and the Virginia Department of Veterans Services (DVS).

Virginia War Memorial Director Dr. Clay Mountcastle welcomed the attendees and the Memorial’s Operations Manager Ben King served as emcee for the program which featured inspiring remarks from Virginia National Guard Senior Enlisted Leader Command Sergeant John F. Nye; Virginia’s Superintendent of Public Instruction Jenna Conway; Virginia Adjutant General James Ring; and Virginia Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs Timothy Williams. Major General Ring administered the Oath of Enlistment to the students.

Music including the National Anthem and the Armed Forces Medley was provided by the Virginia National Guard’s 29th Division Fife and Drum Group. The James River High School NJROTC Color Guard presented the colors. Prior to the ceremony, the Virginia War Memorial hosted a barbecue reception in Veterans Hall for all attendees.