Burial in a National Cemetery Burial include a grave site in any of our countries 131 national cemeteries with available space, opening and closing of the grave, perpetual care, a Government headstone or marker, a burial flag, and a Presidential Memorial Certificate, at no cost to the family.
Some Veterans may also be eligible for Burial Allowances. Cremated remains are buried or in urned in national cemeteries in the same manner and with the same honors as casketed remains. Burial benefits available for spouses and dependents buried in a national cemetery include burial with the Veteran, perpetual care, and the spouse or dependents name and date of birth and death will be inscribed on the Veteran's headstone, at no cost to the family. Eligible spouses and dependents may be buried, even if they predecease the Veteran. The Veterans family should make funeral or cremation arrangements with a funeral provider or cremation office. Any item or service obtained from a funeral home or cremation office will be at the family's expense.
The National Cemetery Scheduling Office has the primary responsibility for verifying eligibility for burial in VA national cemeteries. A determination of eligibility is made in response to a request for burial in a VA national cemetery.
Preparing in Advance
Gravesites in Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) national cemeteries cannot be reserved in advance. You should advise your family of your wishes and where your discharge papers* are kept. These papers are very important in establishing your eligibility. At the time of need your family would contact a funeral home who will assist them with making burial arrangements at the national cemetery. You may wish to make pre-need arrangements with a funeral home.
Burial benefits available for Veterans buried in a private cemetery may include a Government headstone, marker or medallion, a burial flag, and a Presidential Memorial Certificate, at no cost to the family. Some Veterans may also be eligible for Burial Allowances
Are you a Dependent or Survivor of a Veteran? The Veterans Benefits Administration offers a variety of benefits and services to spouses, children, and parents of Service members and Veterans who are deceased or totally and permanently disabled by a service-connected disability
Bereavement counseling is assistance and support to people with emotional and psychological stress after the death of a loved one. Bereavement counseling includes a broad range of transition services, including outreach, counseling, and referral services to family members. It is provided at community-based Vet Centers located near the families. There is no cost for VA bereavement counseling.
A Sacred Trust:
The Story of the National Cemetery Administration
NCA honors Veterans and their families with final resting places in national shrines and with lasting tributes that commemorate their service and sacrifice to our Nation.
This is the inspiring story of the National Cemetery Administration and its service to our nation’s veterans. Through personal interviews with dedicated NCA representatives, viewers learn of the many benefits available to them and their families in our nation’s veteran cemeteries. Through interviews with family members, viewers experience personal stories of the honorable and dignified process of their veteran’s burial – from application to interment and beyond. Stirring photography accompanies informative narration as viewers gain familiarity with the National Cemetery Administration and its efforts to provide burial benefits to those who gave so much for their country. To the National Cemetery Administration, this is more than a mission. It is - "A Sacred Trust."
