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Establishing Eligibility for Funeral Services
Eligibility for Interment (Ground Burial of Casketed or Cremated Remains)
Eligibility for interment at Arlington National Cemetery is verified at the time
of need (at the time of death) and cannot be verified by the cemetery or accommodated
before that time. However, in accordance with the 1986 Title 32 Code of Federal
Regulations Part 553, section 15, the following individuals are eligible for interment
(ground burial) at Arlington National Cemetery:
- Any active duty member of the Armed Forces (except those members serving on active
duty for training only).
- Any retired member of the Armed Forces. A retired member of the Armed Forces, in
the context of this paragraph, is a retired member of the Army, Navy, Air Force,
Marine Corps, Coast Guard, or a Reserve component who has served on active duty
(other than for training), is carried on an official retired list, and is entitled
to receive retired pay stemming from service in the Armed Forces. If, at the time
of death, a retired member of the Armed Forces is not entitled to receive retired
pay stemming from his service in the Armed Forces until some future date, the retired
member will not be eligible for ground burial.
- Any former member of the Armed Forces separated for physical disability prior to
1 October 1949 who has served on active duty (other than for training) and who would
have been eligible for retirement under the provisions of 10 United States Code
(U.S.C.) 1201 had that statute been in effect on the date of his separation.
- Any former member of the Armed Forces whose last active duty (other than for training)
military service terminated honorably and who has been awarded one of the following
decorations:
- Medal of Honor
- Distinguished Service Cross (Air Force Cross or Navy Cross)
- Distinguished Service Medal
- Silver Star
- Purple Heart
- Persons who have held any of the following positions provided their last period
of active duty (other than for training) as a member of the Armed Forces terminated
honorably:
- An elective office of the United States Government
- Office of the Chief Justice of the United States or of an Associate Justice of the
Supreme Court of the United States
- An office listed in 5 U.S.C. 5312 or 5 U.S.C. 5313
- The Chief of a mission who was at any time during his/her tenure classified in class
I under the provisions of Section 411 of the Act of 13 August 1946, 60 Stat. 1002,
as amended (22 U.S.C. 866, 1964 ed.)
- Any former prisoner of war who, while a prisoner of war, served honorably in the
active military, naval, or air service, whose last period of active military, naval,
or air service terminated honorably and who died on or after November 30, 1993.
- The term “former prisoner of war” means a person who, while serving in the active
military, naval, or air service, was forcibly detained or interned in line of duty—
- By an enemy government or its agents, or a hostile force, during a period of war;
or
- By a foreign government or its agents, or a hostile force, under circumstances which
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs finds to have been comparable to the circumstances
under which persons have generally been forcibly detained or interned by enemy governments
during periods of war.
- The term "active military, naval, or air service" includes active duty, any period
of active duty for training during which the individual concerned was disabled or
died from a disease or injury incurred or aggravated in line of duty, and any period
of inactive duty training during which the individual concerned was disabled or
died from an injury incurred or aggravated in line of duty.
- The spouse, widow or widower, minor child and, at the discretion of the Secretary
of the Army, unmarried adult child of any of the persons listed above.
- The term “spouse” refers to a widow or widower of an eligible member, including
the widow or widower of a member of the Armed Forces who was lost or buried at sea
or officially determined to be permanently absent in a status of missing or missing
in action. A surviving spouse who has remarried and whose remarriage is void, terminated
by death, or dissolved by annulment or divorce by a court with basic authority to
render such decrees regains eligibility for burial in Arlington National Cemetery
unless it is determined that the decree of annulment or divorce was secured through
fraud or collusion.
- An unmarried adult child may be interred in the same gravesite in which the parent
has been or will be interred, provided that child was incapable of self-support
up to the time of death because of physical or mental condition. At the time of
death of an adult child, a request for interment will be submitted to the Executive
Director, Army National Cemeteries Program, Arlington National Cemetery. The request
must be accompanied by a notarized statement from an individual who has direct knowledge
as to the marital status, degree of dependency of the deceased child, the name of
that child's parent, and the military service upon which the burial is being requested.
A certificate of a physician who has attended the decedent as to the nature and
duration of the physical and/or mental disability must also accompany the request
for interment.
- Widows or widowers of service members who are interred in Arlington National Cemetery
as part of a group burial may be interred/inurned in the cemetery, but not in the
same gravesite as the group burial.
- The surviving spouse, minor child, and, at the discretion of the Secretary of the
Army, an unmarried adult dependent child of any person already buried in Arlington.
(Army Regulation 290-5 defines an adult dependent child as an adult permanently
incapable of self-support because of physical or mental disability incurred before
age 21.)
- The parents of a minor child or unmarried adult dependent child whose remains, based
on the eligibility of a parent, are already buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
(Army Regulation 290-5 defines an adult dependent child as an adult permanently
incapable of self-support because of physical or mental disability incurred before
age 21.)
Eligibility for Inurnment in the Columbarium or Niche Wall
View from inside the Columbarium.
Eligibility for inurnment at Arlington National Cemetery is verified at the time
of need (at the time of death) and cannot be verified by the cemetery or accommodated
before the time of need. However, in accordance with 24 United States Code 281 and
Title 32 Code of Federal Regulations Part 553, section 15a, the following individuals
are eligible for inurnment (Columbarium or Niche Wall) at Arlington National Cemetery:
- Any member of the Armed Forces who dies on active duty.
- Any former member of the Armed Forces who served on active duty (other than for
training) and whose last service terminated honorably.
- Any member of a Reserve component of the Armed Forces, and any member of the Army
National Guard or the Air National Guard, whose death occurs under honorable conditions
while he is on active duty for training or performing full-time service; performing
authorized travel to or from that duty or service; or is on authorized inactive
duty training including training performed as a member of the Army National Guard
or the Air National Guard. Also included are those members whose deaths occur while
hospitalized or undergoing treatment at the expense of the United States for injury
or disease contracted or incurred under honorable conditions while on that duty
or service or performing that travel or inactive duty training.
- Any member of the Reserve Officers' Training Corps of the Army, Navy, or Air Force
whose death occurs under honorable conditions while attending an authorized training
camp or on an authorized practice cruise, performing authorized travel to or from
that camp or cruise, or hospitalized or undergoing treatment at the expense of the
United States for injury or disease contracted or incurred under honorable conditions
while attending that camp or cruise, performing that travel, or undergoing that
hospitalization or treatment at the expense of the United States.
- Any former prisoner of war who, while a prisoner of war, served honorably in the
active military, naval, or air service, whose last period of active military, naval,
or air service terminated honorably and who died on or after November 30, 1993.
- The term “former prisoner of war” means a person who, while serving in the active
military, naval, or air service, was forcibly detained or interned in line of duty—
- By an enemy government or its agents, or a hostile force, during a period of war;
or
- By a foreign government or its agents, or a hostile force, under circumstances which
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs finds to have been comparable to the circumstances
under which persons have generally been forcibly detained or interned by enemy governments
during periods of war.
- The term “active military, naval, or air service” includes active duty, any period
of active duty for training during which the individual concerned was disabled or
died from a disease or injury incurred or aggravated in line of duty, and any period
of inactive duty training during which the individual concerned was disabled or
died from an injury incurred or aggravated in line of duty.
Fountain inside the Columbarium.
- Any citizen of the United States who, during any war in which the United States
has been or may hereafter be engaged, served in the Armed Forces of any government
allied with the United States during that war, whose last active service terminated
honorably by death or otherwise, and who was a citizen of the United States at the
time of entry on such service and at the time of death.
- Commissioned officers, United States Coast and Geodetic Survey (now National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration) who die during or subsequent to the service specified
in the following categories and whose last service terminated honorably:
- Assignment to areas of immediate military hazard.
- Served in the Philippine Islands on December 7, 1941.
- Transferred to the Department of the Army or the Department of the Navy under certain
statutes.
- Any commissioned officer of the United States Public Health Service who served on
full-time duty on or after July 29, 1945, if the service falls within the meaning
of active duty for training as defined in 38 U.S.C. 101(22) or inactive duty training
as defined in 38 U.S.C. 101(23) and whose death resulted from a disease or injury
incurred or aggravated in line of duty. Also, any commissioned officer of the Regular
or Reserve Corps of the Public Health Service who performed active service prior
to July 29, 1945 in time of war; on detail for duty with the Armed Forces; or while
the service was part of the military forces of the United States pursuant to Executive
order of the President.
- Spouses, minor children, and dependent adult children of the persons listed above.
(Army Regulation 290-5 defines an adult dependent child as an adult permanently
incapable of self-support because of physical or mental disability incurred before
age 21.)
Burden of Proof in Establishing Eligibility
The next-of-kin or designated personal representative is responsible for providing
the appropriate documentation to verify the veteran's eligibility for interment
or inurnment. The cemetery staff may offer assistance in verifying the veteran's
eligibility. However, the veteran or their spouse must be deceased (time of need)
prior to the cemetery staff assisting with the verification.
Verification by the cemetery staff may take time and it is recommended that the
next-of-kin or designated personal representative make every effort to obtain requested
eligibility documents. Documents that can be used for establishing eligibility include:
- Department of Defense (DD) Form 214 (all branches starting in the 1950s)
- War Department Adjutant General’s Office (WD AGO) Form 53, 53-55 or 53-98 for Army
- Navy Personnel (NAVPERS) Form 553 for Navy
- Navy/Marine Corps (NAVMC) Form 553 (for the Marines during the 1940s; both front
and back of the forms are needed).
A Record of Service provided by the National Personnel Records Center is also acceptable
to establish eligibility. The preceding list represents a partial listing of forms
used during the 1940s. Some of the preceding documents do not describe the character
of service. A copy of the veteran’s discharge certificate, which describes the character
of service as "honorable" or "under honorable conditions,” will meet the characterization
of service requirement.
Veterans or their designated representative who desire copies of a veteran’s military
records should write to:
National Personnel Records Center
Attention:
Military Personnel Records
9700 Page Boulevard
St. Louis, Missouri 63132-5100
Telephone: (314) 801-0800
Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.
(Closed weekends & Federal holidays)
Requests may also be made online at the National Archives Veterans'
Service Record page.
Active-Duty Deaths: Any member of the Uniformed Services who dies while on active
duty (other than for training) will generally have his/her affairs processed by
a casualty assistance officer from his/her respective branch of service. An active
duty statement from the commanding officer will be required for verification of
eligibility.
Interment/Inurnment Costs
Arlington National Cemetery does not charge fees for an interment or inurnment at
the cemetery. The only potential costs to the estate of the deceased are for private
headstone monuments or vaults. The next-of-kin may elect to have a private headstone
monument (depending on the availability of gravesites in sections of the cemetery
where private headstone monuments are permitted) erected in lieu of using a government-provided
headstone. Please note, the availability of gravesites in the older sections of
the cemetery is limited. Additionally, the next-of-kin may elect to provide a private
vault as an outside container other than the standard government provided grave
liner.
Government grave liners are made of reinforced concrete that surrounds the casket.
After the committal service, the casket is lowered into the government liner and
the concrete lid is placed on top. The purpose of the government liner is to protect
the grave from sinking. It is not designed to protect the casket from the elements.
A government liner is provided at no cost to the family.
A burial vault is made of reinforced concrete or other materials such as steel or
bronze. Burial vaults come with a variety of special linings and may be sold with
a warranty. The purpose of the burial vault is to protect the casket for some period
of time and prevent the grave from sinking. Burial vaults are sold by funeral homes
and not provided free of charge by the cemetery. If a family elects to purchase
a burial vault, then the cemetery will not provide the free government liner.
The overall purpose of both is to prevent ground sinkage as the casket naturally
deteriorates over time. The outer burial container helps to prevent the grave from
sinking but neither grave liners nor burial vaults are designed to prevent the eventual
decomposition of human remains, or entirely prevent water, dirt, or other debris
from penetrating into a casket.
All costs associated with preparation of the remains, casket or urn, and shipping
of the remains to the Washington, D.C. area are at the expense of the estate, unless
the deceased was on active duty with a branch of the Armed Forces. Please check
with your local VA and Social Security Administration office to determine if any
benefits are available from either or both agencies.
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