Dear Sgt. Shaft:
Several months ago I visited the office of the Arlington National Cemetery to arrange burial there. I was told I did not qualify despite my four and one-half years in World War II, with 21 months in continuous combat and a Bronze Star award for heroic service. At that time I learned that this administration had granted more than 60 waivers for civilians to be buried there in the ground. It is probably more now.

Although I have voluminous records, the documents I have sent you should provide you with the necessary background information. Can you add anything to this story?

J.O.N., M.D.
Arlington, Virginia

Dear J.O.N.:
Arlington National Cemetery Superintendent John Metzler explains that (and I quote) "because space is limited, burial at Arlington National Cemetery is restricted to a very few categories of those who have served honorably in the Armed forces. These include:

• Those who have died on active duty.
• Those veterans who are retired from active military service.
• Those veterans who are retired for disability.
• Those veterans who are retired from the Reserves upon meeting the following criteria: a) reached age 60 and drawing retired pay; b) Served a period of active duty (other than for training).
• Veterans honorably discharged for 30 percent (or more) disability before 1 October 1949.
• Holders of the nation's highest military decorations (Medal of Honor; Distinguished Service Cross; Air Force Cross or Navy Cross; Distinguished Service Medal; and Silver Star) or the Purple Heart.
• Certain POWs who died on or after November 30, 1993.
• The spouse or unmarried minor (under 21 years) child of any of the above or of any person already buried in Arlington. An unmarried dependent student qualifies up to age 23.
• An unmarried adult child with physical or mental disability acquired before age 21.
• Provided certain special requirements are met, a veteran who is the parent, brother, sister, or child of an eligible person already interred.

Those Not Eligible:

• Except as indicated above, parents, brothers, sisters, or in-laws are not eligible, even if they are dependents of an eligible person. Neither is the remarried widow or widower of an eligible person, unless the former is no longer married at death. A person whose last discharge was less than honorable is also ineligible."

The Superintendent did note that, in addition to ground burial, Arlington also has a Columbarium for cremated remains. Any honorably discharged veteran or his spouse or dependent children can be interned there. The ashes of a person who meets the criteria for burial can either be inurned in the Columbarium or given ground interment, according to the wishes of the eligible or next of kin.

The person (usually a funeral director) who arranges for interment should contact the Interment Services Office as soon as possible. The Office is open 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Saturday. Call (703) 695-3250.

Cemetery personnel will verify eligibility. Do not ship remains until notified that verification has been made. Neither should the date, time, and place of interment be announced until confirmed by the Superintendent.

To ensure that all will go smoothly when interment is requested, it is a good idea to assemble discharge papers, Department of Veterans Affairs disability findings, records of decorations, and other supporting documents before actual need. These items should be filed with other important papers so that they will be readily available at the time of death.

Regarding space assignment: Cemetery personnel will assign a gravesite when interment is requested. Only one gravesite will be assigned per family. No site can be reserved before actual need.

If the spouse or eligible child of a primary eligible dies first, space will be assigned for the spouse's or child's interment provided the primary eligible agrees in writing to be buried in the same site.

A niche will be assigned when internment is requested; niches cannot be reserved before actual need. If a spouse or dependent child dies first, he or she may be inurned in the Columbarium provided the primary eligible agrees to be inurned there as well. Each niche in the Columbarium will be sealed with a marble plaque inscribed with the names, highest military grades, and years of birth and death of those inurned there. The plaques are automatically ordered when internment is requested, and are provided at no cost. Neither flowers or other commemorative items are allowed in the Columbarium.

There is no charge for a niche in the Columbarium. However, except for active duty personnel, costs of cremation, an urn, services by a funeral director, and transportation of remains to the Cemetery are the responsibility of the family or other party which secures funeral services. The Government pays these costs for those who die on active duty.

Regarding honors: Cemetery staff will assist in arranging for the rendition of military honors at an internment, should the next of kin so request.

J.O.N., you and my other readers may be interested in knowing that an ongoing effort by Chairman Bob Stump of the House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee responsible for Arlington National Cemetery would provide for the administrative transfer of some 36 acres of lands now under control of the Secretary of Defense and used by the Departments of the Navy and Army to expand Arlington National Cemetery. Most of this land, commonly known as the Navy Annex, along with land used by the Army as part of Ft. Myer, are contiguous to Arlington National Cemetery (except for a portion of land used by the Navy which is separated by Columbia Pike). The bill would set a time limit of five years from enactment for the Secretary of Defense to complete the transfer of administrative jurisdiction of the land.