How You Can Support Washington Veterans with an Armed Forces License Plate
When an active-duty service member on the verge of relocating across the country suddenly lost a child in a tragic accident, the family was faced with making hurried end-of-life decisions no parent should have to make.
During that experience the family learned about burial options through the Washington Department of Veterans Affairs at the State Veterans Cemetery in Medical Lake. Because of the family’s military service, and funding from Armed Forces License Plate proceeds, they could inter their child and have peace of mind knowing their loved one would be cared for in perpetuity, and that long after their military career is over the parents would be able to be laid to rest beside their child.
The cemetery’s services ensure not only that veterans can rest in dignity, but that their closest loved ones can join them.
“When this service member’s time comes, the veteran and spouse will be reunited with their child in their final repose as a family,” said David Puente Jr., director of the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs (WDVA).
This scenario is one of countless former service members and families whose lives have been touched by the State Veterans Cemetery and other WDVA support programs, which are made possible by funding from WDVA’s Armed Forces License Plates. Available to veterans and their loved ones, these Washington veteran license plates not only honor military service but also direct proceeds back to veterans and families who have given everything.
“Many people don’t realize that funds from the sale and renewal of Armed Forces License Plates directly support veterans programs and services in Washington State,” Puente Jr. said. “We know the initial cost of the plates is an added expense, and hope this knowledge helps them better understand how they can be a part of serving veterans and families in Washington State.”
Display Your Military Pride With License Plates
If you drive in Washington, odds are good that you’ve noticed one of the 20,000+ red, white and blue Armed Forces License Plates currently on the road. But did you know you may be eligible for one, even as a family member who never served in the military?
The Washington military license plates — offered in six designs that honor the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, and Washington National Guard — are available for active-duty service members, active or retired guard or reserve members, veterans and retirees, and even eligible family members of any of these service members.
The plates are customized to service branches, but can also be further personalized with decals that specify military status, from active duty or reserves, to disabled veteran or fallen hero. Washington State veterans can use these plates in place of regular, required Washington license plates on cars, motorcycles, and even trailers.
“Everyone has to license their vehicle, but for veterans and their families, the Armed Forces License Plates allow veterans and families the ability to drive with pride and support a good cause at the same time,” Puente Jr. said. “It’s an opportunity to pay it forward.”
Honor Others Who Gave It All
The Armed Forces License Plates help veterans and families commemorate and share details of their own services, but how does a license plate help pay it forward?
When eligible drivers buy or renew an Armed Forces License Plate, $28 of the fee goes to the Veterans Stewardship Account (and is also tax-deductible). The account supports veteran programs across Washington State, including services for homeless veterans and upkeep of the State Veterans Cemetery in Medical Lake. In fiscal year 2025 alone, the license plate program raised $545,742 for these services and other WDVA programs.
The funding is critical for everyone from Washington veterans in need of housing support to the families whose loved ones can rest at the State Veterans Cemetery thanks to these financial resources.
The Medical Lake, Washington cemetery itself is an important resource for service members and their families, who have a place to gather and reflect on a loved one’s memory, teach future generations about the service members who came before them, or, like the veteran whose child is interred there, bring entire families together in their final rest.
Veterans and family members can determine their eligibility for veteran memorial and burial benefits at State Veterans Cemetery here.
“The cemetery provides a dignified resting place for veterans, reflecting our state’s recognition of their sacrifices in defending freedom,” Puente Jr. said. “Each grave marker tells a story, representing not only the individual veteran but also the family’s shared loss and resilience.”
Thanks to funding from Washington veteran license plates, the cemetery can also inter and remember veterans who don’t have family or friends left to claim them.
WDVA works with funeral homes, veterans groups, and other partners to locate and identify the remains of eligible veterans and family members for interment. These partners comb through vital and military records to find veterans whose remains were never claimed and who, once properly identified, can be interred at the State Veterans Cemetery during a Forgotten Heroes ceremony.
The process isn’t just for recently deceased veterans. Over the last few years, the efforts of the WDVA and its partners have helped inter-service members from as far back as the Indian Wars or the Spanish-American War.
“The State Veterans Cemetery is far more than a burial ground — it is a place of honor, remembrance, and gratitude for those who have served in the armed forces,” Puente Jr. said.
To purchase an Armed Forces License Plate and support WDVA programs with your selection, visit the Washington State Department of Licensing site.
