Burial in a VA National Cemetery
Eligibility
Eligibility for VA burial, death and related
benefits - To confirm your eligibility, call a Veteran's
Benefits Counselor at 1-800-827-1000.
~ Members of the Armed Forces of the United States
(Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard)
who died on active duty.
~ Veterans who were discharged under conditions
other than dishonorable. Generally, an enlisted
person with service beginning after September 7,
1980, and an officer with service after October 16,
1981, must have served for a minimum of 24 months
or the full period for which the person was called to
active duty. A VA Regional Office will make determination
in the case of an undesirable, bad conduct, or
other than honorable discharge.
~ Any citizen of the United States who served during
any war, in which the United States has been engaged,
in the armed forces of an ally of the U.S. The
last active service must be terminated honorably. The
person must have been a U.S. citizen at the time of
entry into such service and at the time of death.
~ Reservists and National Guard members with 20
years of qualifying service, who are entitled to retired
pay or would be entitled, if at least 60 years of age.
~ Members of reserve components who were disabled
or died from a disease or injury incurred or aggravated
in line of duty during a period of inactive duty training
or active duty for training.
~ For members of the Reserve Officers' Training
Corps, commissioned officers of the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration and the Regular
or Reserve Corps of the Public Health Service, and
World War II Merchant Mariners, please call a Veteran's
Benefits Counselor at 1-800-827-1000 for details.
~ The spouse or surviving spouse of an
eligible person, even if that person is not buried or
memorialized in a national cemetery, is eligible for
interment in a national cemetery. In addition, the
spouse of a member of the Armed Forces of the United
States lost or buried at sea or officially determined to
be permanently absent in a status of missing or
missing in action or whose remains have been donated
to science or cremated and the ashes scattered.
~ Eligible children must be unmarried and under the
age of 21; unmarried and under 23 years of age and
pursuing a course of instruction at an approved
educational institution; or be an unmarried adult child
who became incapable of self support before reaching
the age of 21 because of mental or physical disability.
Persons NOT Eligible for Burial in a VA National Cemetery and other VA death related benefits:
~ Discharge from Draft - A person who was ordered to
report to an induction station, but was not actually
inducted into military service.
~ Subversive Activities - Any person convicted of
subversive activities after September 1, 1959, shall
have no right from and after the date of commission of
such offense, based on periods of active military
service commencing before the date of the commission
of such offense.
~ Active or Inactive Duty for Training - A person whose
only service is active duty for training or inactive duty
training in the National Guard or Reserve Component,
unless the individual meets the eligibility criteria listed
above.
~ A person convicted of any Federal Capital crime or
any State capital crime involving the death of one or
more people is denied burial or memorialization in a
national cemetery. (Public Law 105-116, Nov. 1,
1997)
~ Former Spouses: A former spouse of an eligible individual whose marriage to that individual has been terminated by annulment or divorce, if not otherwise eligible.
VA national cemetery directors have the primary responsibility for verifying eligibility for burial in VA national cemeteries.
Details -
Gravesites in VA national cemeteries
cannot be reserved in advance; however, reservations
made prior to 1973 will be honored. 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, 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 a 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.
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.
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. Floral arrangements may accompany the casket or urn from the committal shelter and will be placed on the grave after burial.
Cemetery personnel will order a headstone or marker upon inscription approval by next of kin. A burial flag will also be provided. Upright headstones are standard in most national cemeteries; however, some have both upright headstones and flat marker sections.
Contact - VA National Cemeteries near New Jersey: Appendix E.
VA Headstone for Burial in a Private Cemetery
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
furnishes upon request, at no charge to the applicant,
a government headstone or marker to mark the
grave of an eligible veteran
in any cemetery around
the world. Flat bronze,
granite or marble markers
and upright granite and
marble headstones are
available. The style chosen
must be consistent
with existing monuments
at the place of burial.
Niche markers are also
available to mark
columbaria used for interment
of cremated remains.
Eligibility -
Criteria
listed above. Headstones and
markers are provided for eligible spouses and dependents
of veterans only when buried in a national,
military post/base, or state veterans cemetery.
Spouses and dependents buried in a private cemetery
are not eligible for a government-provided headstone
or marker.
Details - By law, government markers are not provided as foot stones and should not be used to double-mark a veterans' grave. VA frequently calls the cemetery to verify the grave is not, or will not be, marked with a private headstone or marker.
Contact - A funeral director can assist the family, complete VA Form 40-1330, Application for Standard Government Headstone or Marker for Installation in a Private or State Veteran's Cemetery. A Veterans Service Officer may also assist, see Appendix A.