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LEGISLATIVE AND BENEFIT UPDATES

Credit: Architect of the Capitol Legislative and Benefit Updates

By Michael P. Hughes, OSC, USNR (ret.)

Veterans /Military Burial Benefits

In the following, I've tried to cover the important areas that we have received inquiries
about and specific key points of information. It is not intended to be an all-inclusive out-
line of all the requirements and benefits for military veterans' burials. Please note most
funeral homes can provide assistance in applying for military burial benefits as well.

Arlington National Cemetery

Arlington National Cemetery is run and administered by Memorial scheduled for completion in 2027. This will
the U.S. Army under the Department of Defense. It is add an estimated 80,000 burial/inurnment sites which
NOT under the Department of Veterans Affairs. In recent will only allow operation into the 2060s. The 2019
years there has been a growing concern that Arlington is National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) mandated
running out of available space for both in-ground burials the Army to establish plans to continue operations for
and above-ground inurnment. Estimates vary on when 150 years. The Army has published proposed rules for
they will run out of space under current eligibility rules, comment on eligibility for in-ground burial and above-
but there is general agreement that it will be between 20 ground inurnment to meet the enacted 150-year require-
to 30 years. There have been several proposals for severe ment as follows:
restrictions on eligibility requirements that most mili-
tary and veterans’ organizations, including NERA, have In-Ground Burial
objected to unless there is an alternate site or sites planned n Service members killed in combat action
and funded with the same full military honors. n Silver Star and above recipients
n Service members whose death was from preparations
There is currently a southern cemetery expansion proj- or operations related to combat
ect underway on about 50 acres that encompasses land n Former Prisoners of War
of the old Navy Annex and land near the Air Force n A President or Vice President of the United States
n Veterans with armed combat service who also served
as a government official in a position of significant
government responsibility

Above-Ground Inurnment
n WWII veterans
n Retired military members not otherwise eligible
n Veterans with a minimum of 2 years active and
served in an armed conflict
n Veterans without armed conflict service who served
out of uniform as a government official

The above changes are only proposed as of this writing but
Section 43 of Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va., April 12, are significant in that they will severely restrict eligibility
2023. (U.S. Army photo by Elizabeth Fraser / Arlington National from current and historic requirements.
Cemetery / released)

6 The Mariner • 2023 SPRING Edition • Volume 66 • Issue 1

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