How to Make Burial Arrangements in a National Cemetery

How to Make Burial Arrangements in a National Cemetery

Requests for burial in a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
national cemetery cannot be made via the Internet.

No special forms are required when requesting burial in a VA national
cemetery. The person making burial arrangements should contact the
national cemetery in which burial is desired at the time of need.
Scheduling can be done seven days a week for interments on Mondays
through Fridays. If possible, the following information concerning the
deceased should be provided when the cemetery is first contacted:
Full name and military rank;
Branch of service;
Social security number;
Service number;
VA claim number, if applicable;
Date and place of birth;
Date and place of death;
Date of retirement or last separation from active duty; and,
Copy of any military separation documents, such as the Department of
Defense Form 214 (DD-214).

The discharge documents must specify active military duty and show
that release from active duty was under other than dishonorable
conditions.

Viewing facilities are not available and funeral services cannot be
held at VA national cemeteries, but a final committal service may be
performed. For safety reasons, these committal services are held in
committal shelters located away from the gravesite. Burial will take
place following the committal service.

Tahoma National Cemetery, Washington

Floral arrangements may accompany the casket or urn from the committal
shelter and will be placed on the grave after burial.

A headstone or marker will be ordered by cemetery personnel upon
inscription approval by the next of kin and a burial flag will be
provided.

Upright headstones are standard in most national cemeteries, however,
some have both upright headstone and flat marker sections. Be sure to
discuss these options with the cemetery director prior to burial.

The same procedures are followed if the veteran's eligible spouse or
dependent predeceases the veteran. In most cases, one gravesite is
provided for the burial of all eligible family members and a single
headstone or marker is provided. When both spouses are veterans, two
gravesites and two headstones or markers may be provided if requested.

Military honors are not provided by the national cemetery. These
honors must be arranged in advance by the family or their
representative with groups that provide the honors.

National Cemetery Administration
Department of Veterans Affairs

http://www.cem.va.gov/need.htm
-- Otis Willie (Ret.)
Military News and Information Editor
The American War Library, Est. 1988
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