WASHINGTON -- Secretary of Veterans Affairs Anthony J. Principi today announced the award of two grants totaling $11.6 million to the state of Missouri to establish veterans cemeteries in Bloomfield and Jacksonville.
An award of $6.1 million provides for the development of the Bloomfield cemetery and $5.5 million for development of the Jacksonville cemetery. Both will be known as Missouri Veterans Cemetery, with the city location added to the name.
"With these grants, VA and the state are partnering to provide veterans with the honored resting place they have earned," Principi said. "President Bush's request for $32 million next year for the state cemetery grants program will allow our nation to continue its commitment to veterans."
The Bloomfield cemetery will have 38 acres to include approximately 10,000 traditional burial sites for casketed remains, nearly 800 in-ground cremated remains sites, an 800-niche columbarium, administration and maintenance buildings and a committal service shelter.
It will be located in southeastern Missouri, approximately 30 miles east of Poplar Bluff. The nearest national cemetery in Missouri is Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery about 110 miles north in St. Louis. Mound City, Ill., National Cemetery is about 50 miles east. More than 30,000 Missouri veterans live within 75 miles of the Bloomfield site.
The Jacksonville cemetery will have nearly 60 acres of land to include more than 10,500 burial sites for casketed remains and more than 1,500 in-ground cremated remains sites. It too will have a columbarium with 800 niches, administration and maintenance buildings and a committal service shelter.
The Jacksonville cemetery will be located in northeastern Missouri, approximately 60 miles north of Columbia. Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery is about 130 miles southeast and Keokuk, Iowa, National Cemetery is about 75 miles northeast. More than 50,000 Missouri veterans live within 75 miles of the Jacksonville site.
VA previously supported Missouri's establishment of veterans cemeteries in Higginsville, serving the northwestern part of the state, and in Springfield, serving the southwestern region.
As a complement to VA’s system of national cemeteries, the state cemetery grants program has helped establish, expand or improve 48 operational state veterans cemeteries. Five additional cemeteries are under construction. The state veterans cemeteries provided 15,409 burials in fiscal year 2001. Since the program began in 1980, VA has awarded 116 grants for more than $131 million to 28 states, plus Guam.
Information about the grants program is available by contacting VA’s State Cemetery Grants Service at (202) 565-6801. Eligibility for burial in the Missouri veterans cemeteries is open to all Missouri veterans on the same basis as eligibility for burial in a VA national cemetery. Details may be obtained by calling the Missouri Veterans Commission at (573) 522-14021.
Information on VA burial benefits can be obtained from national cemetery offices, from VA web sites on the Internet at http://www.va.gov or http://www.cem.va.gov or by calling VA regional offices toll-free on 1-800-827-1000.
