Editor’s Note: The town posted on its website that the complete renovation and reconstruction of the Veterans Memorial Park in Arlington Center will be delayed until the “2027 construction season.” No reason was given for this delay. A member of the Select Board has published the town announcement on social media without official comment. Earlier this year, the Select Board was briefed on the project and told by town professionals that work on the site as early as July 1, which marked the beginning of the 2027 Fiscal Year. No renovation work has been done on the memorial park. YourArlington is publishing the post as it appeared on the town’s website below. You can read it on the town’s site. YourArlington has covered this issue throughout the process, including the design approval.
Public Review Sought for Honor Roll
The Town of Arlington is entering an important phase of the Veterans Memorial Park renovation project and is asking residents, veterans, and their families to assist in reviewing the names that will appear on the Veterans Honor Roll.
The Honor Roll will recognize generations of Arlington veterans who served across all branches of the United States Armed Forces. As the Town prepares the names for engraving, service-era lists will be released periodically for community review, beginning with the Vietnam Era Honor Roll.
Renovations of the Veterans Memorial Park are anticipated in the 2027 construction season.
Extensive Research and Review
Developing the Veterans Honor Roll has required extensive research and careful review of historical records spanning generations of Arlington veterans. The Arlington Veterans Services Department has worked closely with the Massachusetts State Archives and the Military Records Office in Milford, MA to research military service records, verify names, and identify veterans who may otherwise have been missing from existing Town records.
This work has included reviewing and cross-referencing over 13,000+ names from multiple historical and military record sources to develop the most comprehensive and accurate Honor Roll possible. Despite these efforts, records spanning many generations are not always complete. The Town is therefore asking veterans, families, and community members to serve as an additional layer of review before the names are finalized for engraving.
Lists to Review
Community members are encouraged to review the list for:
• Misspelled or incorrectly listed names;
• Veterans who may be missing;
• Duplicate names or other inaccuracies; and
• Information that may help confirm or correct an existing entry.
Please submit corrections, additions, or other information to the Director of Veterans Services as soon as possible. The Town will continue to review and process all service era lists and post them on this page for public review. Deadline for public review and feedback is November 8, 2026.
Honor Roll Eligibility
To be eligible, a veteran’s service in the United States Armed Forces must be characterized as Honorable; General, Under Honorable Conditions; Administrative; or Medical, as documented on Form DD214 or another equivalent military-issued service certificate.
The veteran must also meet at least one of the following criteria:
• Born in Arlington;
• Inducted into the military while residing in Arlington;
• Served on active duty while residing in Arlington; or
• Resided in Arlington for ten (10) consecutive years.
The Honor Roll recognizes qualifying veterans, both living and deceased, regardless of whether they served in combat or deployed overseas.
Help Us Preserve Arlington’s Legacy of Service
Historical records spanning generations are not always complete. Families and community members may have information that can help the Town identify an omission or correct an existing record.
To report a correction or missing veteran, please contact:
Robert C. Donovan, LICSW
Director of Veterans Services
Office: (781) 316-3166
Cell: (781) 918-3243
Email: rdonovan@town.arlington.ma.us
The Town appreciates the community’s assistance in helping ensure that the Veterans Honor Roll is as accurate and inclusive as possible before final engraving.
This posting, published on YourArlington.com on Aug. 30, 2026, was taken directly and wholly from the town of Arlington’s website.
