Veteran Burial

Benefits

Why I’m here

• Of the more than 72,000 Veterans living in Alaska…only .2 percent will be buried in a National Cemetery.

Who is eligible?• All members of the Armed Forces who served at least one day on active duty before 1980 or after 1980, served a minimum of two years on active duty or the entire period called to duty and discharged under other than dishonorable circumstances. • Guard/Reserve members on orders or retirement eligible•Spouse, remarried after widowed OK, but not divorced. Not in AK: Common Law or Same Sex• Minor children up to 21 yrs, 23 if still in school or deemed mentally/physically incapacitated before those ages• Parents of certain deceased active duty

“At the time of need.”• No reservations

• DD-214, Report of Casualty or personal information (name, SSAN, Svc #, DOB, etc.)

• Funeral director or next of kin contact National Cemetery Scheduling Office. (Have eligibility documentation ready; if none, Scheduling Office staff will assist with verification process.

The Benefit• Gravesite

• Opening and closing

• Headstone

• Presidential Memorial Certificate

• U.S. Burial Flag

• Perpetual care

Military Honors• Responsibility of Department of Defense

• Requested by funeral director or next-of-kin

•Public Law 106-65 requires two uniformed military persons to fold and present the flag and a sound quality rendering of TAPS for a military funeral honors ceremony upon family’s request.

Funeral home and funeral director fees and costs are the responsibility of the family.

Fort Richardson National Cemetery• 10 miles north of Anchorage

• Opened in 1942

• 39 acres

• Over 225 services a year

• Burials – Both casketed and in-ground cremation available. NO WALL.

• Capacity – Life expectancy until 2050

• Medal of Honor recipients – 1

• Iraq/Afghanistan casualties – 15

• Staff – 2

• Open - 8 a.m.- 4:30 p.m./Visiting: 8-5, M-F & 7-7 Weekends & Holidays

Sitka National Cemetery• On the island of Sitka, ½ mile east of the center of town.

• Designated a national cemetery in 1924, but first burial in 1867

• 4.6 acres

• Approximately 25 services a year

• Burials – Both casketed, in-ground cremation & columbarium available

• Capacity – life expectancy through 2040

• Medal of Honor recipients – 1

• Iraq/Afghanistan casualties – 0

• Staff – None on site. Contracted, but VA staff manage administration from Fort Richardson National Cemetery

• Open - 8 a.m.- 4:30 p.m./Visiting: 8-5, M-F & 7-7 Weekends & Holidays

Contact Information

Burial & Plot Allowances – 800-827-1000

Copies of Discharge Documents – National Personnel Records Center Military Personnel Records Office

www.archives.gov 1 Archives Drive St. Louis, MO 63138

Scheduling Committal Services – National Cemetery Scheduling Office 800-535-1117 (p) 866-900-6417 (f)

Other questions – www.cem.va.gov

“What can we do right now?”

Families are encouraged to prepare in advance by discussing cemetery options and setting aside copies of discharge documents.