A Veterans memorial cemetery opened this week in the northern part of the state, only the second in Mississippi dedicated for this purpose.

After two years of construction, the first veteran will be laid to rest at the cemetery next week, filling one of more than 110,000 available plots.

I come from a family of veterans; my father, grandfather and countless uncles and cousins all fought for our country.

Of all the monuments, landmarks and historical sites I’ve seen in my life, nothing has ever stood out more than the sight of thousands of small white crosses, Stars of David and crescent moons intermingled perfectly in straight lines across the endless green hills.

These lots hold a special place in our nation’s history; they teach us about sacrifice and about how we earned our freedom with real blood, sweat and tears.

Having another cemetery in Mississippi of this scale will serve as a reminder of our nation’s history.

But it will also provide an honorable and valuable service for our veterans.

The cemetery is open to service men and women from all over the country and from each branch of service, for free; a small price to pay in return for their service.

By providing our veterans with a place to be laid to rest, we’re giving them the honor and recognition they deserve.

And we’re giving their spouses a respite from the hardship of planning where they will say goodbye to a loved one.

Over the years this cemetery will too fill with the names of those who came before us and sacrificed so that we could be free.

Veteran’s Day may not be until November, but we should always be ready to pay tribute to our service men and women.