Research - Rehabilitation - Re-Employment

Sgt. Shaft 07/30/2001

Dear Sgt. Shaft:
I am a World War II veteran and would appreciate any information on how I might be buried in a veterans' cemetery, especially the one at Quantico, Virginia. Please let me know what I have to do to get information and help in order to be buried there. Thank you for your help.

Robert P.
Lorton, VA

Dear Robert:
National cemeteries are honored places in communities such as Quantico where deceased veterans receive perpetual care to commemorate their service as members of the U.S. armed forces. Most men and women who have been in the military are eligible for burial in a national cemetery, as are their dependent children and usually their spouse. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, through its National Cemetery Administration, maintains more than 2.3 million gravesites at 119 national cemeteries in 39 states and Puerto Rico, as well as in 33 soldier's lots and monument sites.

Some key statistics about the VA's network of national cemeteries:

The nation's most famous national cemetery -- Arlington National Cemetery -- is one of the few not run by the VA. It is administered by the Army.

More than 319,000 full-casket gravesites, 53,700 in-ground gravesites for cremated remains and 19,500 columbarium niches are available in VA national cemeteries.

There are approximately 13,400 acres of land within operational national cemeteries. About half are undeveloped and have the potential to provide more than 2.9 million gravesites.

Of the 119 national cemeteries, 61 are open to all interments; 27 can accommodate cremated remains and family members of those already interred; and 31 are closed to new interments but accommodate family members in already occupied gravesites.

Since 1973, annual interments in VA national cemeteries have increased from 36,400 to more than 82,700. Interments are expected to peak at more than 109,000 annually in 2008.

Seventy-four percent of interments in Fiscal Year 2000 were in the 20 busiest national cemeteries: Riverside (CA); Calverton (NY), Florida; Fort Snelling (MN); Jefferson Barracks (MO); Williamette (OR); Fort Sam Houston (TX); Fort Logan (CO); Fort Rosecrans (CA); National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona; Houston (TX); Massachusetts, San Juaquin Valley (CA), Long Island (NY); Tahoma (WA); Indiantown Gap (PA); Puerto Rico; Abraham Lincoln (IL); Santa FE (NM); and Fort Custer (MI).

Burial in a national cemetery is open to all members of the armed forces and veterans having met minimum active service duty requirements and having been discharged under conditions other than dishonorable. Their spouse, unremarried widow or widower, minor children, and under certain conditions, unmarried adult children, are also eligible for burial. Eligible spouses may be buried, even if they predecease the veteran. Members of the reserve components of the Armed Forces who die while on active duty or while performing training duty, or who have 20 years of service in reserve components of the Armed Forces creditable to retired pay, may also be eligible for burial.

When arranging a burial, the next of kin or family's funeral director may make arrangements directly with a national cemetery. Cemetery staff must first verify the veteran's eligibility. To do this, the next of kin must provide the cemetery staff with a copy of the veteran's properly signed discharge papers, or the veteran's service, social security, and VA claim numbers to use for verification of service and character of discharge.

Burial benefits include a gravesite in any of the national cemeteries with available space, the opening and closing of the grave, a Government headstone or marker, a burial flag and a Presidential Memorial Certificate, at no cost to the family. VA's Veterans Benefits Administration pays a burial and plot allowance to those veterans eligible by law. The VA's National Cemetery Administration provide headstones and markers for the unmarked graves of veterans in private and Government cemeteries around the world and for eligible dependents of veterans buried in national, post, or state veterans cemeteries. Headstone and styles include flat bronze, flat granite, flat marble, upright marble, and upright granite inscribed with the name of the deceased, the dates of birth and death and branch of service, and other approved optional text inscribed at government expense if space allows.

A Presidential Memorial Certificate is inscribed with the veteran's name and bears the President' signature to honor the memory of honorably discharged, deceased veterans. Eligible recipients include next of kin and loves ones. The VA provides a United States flag to drape the casket. Following the funeral service, the flag may be given to the next of kin or a close associate of the deceased. The next of kin may donate the flag to a national cemetery for its Avenue of Flags program.

For more information about burial benefits for eligible veterans and their families, please visit the National Cemetery Administration web page at www.cem.va.gov or call 1-800-827-1000 for information about burial eligibility or other VA benefits.

Shaft Kudos
The Sarge is proud to address many fellow Legionnaires at the next meeting of The American Legion National Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation Commission, to convene during the organization's 83rd National Conventional in San Antonio. The convention's General Sessions will take place August 28-30 at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center. Convention delegates will discuss a range of issues and adopt resolutions pertaining to veterans affairs, national security, Americanism, and children and youth. Delegates will elect a new national commander to succeed the Legion's reigning top officer, Ray G. Smith of Benson, N.C., a U.S. Air Force veteran of the Korean War, who was elected in September at the 82nd National Convention in Milwaukee. Along with the conventions of the American Legion Auxiliary and the Sons of The American Legion, the gathering of The American Legion family will bring as many as 15,000 guests to San Antonio. The 2.8-million member American Legion is the nation's largest veterans organization.

Send letters to Sgt. Shaft, c/o John Fales, P.O. Box 65900, Washington, D.C. 20035-5900; fax to 301-622-3330; call 202-462-4430 or email sgtshaft@bavf.org.

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