Posted on Sep 8, 2022
What’s Next for Proposed Arlington Cemetery Eligibility Changes?
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“Arlington National Cemetery in-ground burial will not reach capacity for 42 years with the current standards,” said Gen. Walter L. “Skip” Sharp, USA (Ret), MOAA’s chairman of the board. “This leaves time to develop a new location and to slowly transition while maintaining current eligibility for all those who have planned for in-ground burial at Arlington.”
The “fix” offered by the eligibility changes is anything but – the new rules focus on combat awards as the discriminator for eligibility, which would serve to disqualify many 20-year retirees and nearly all female veterans. Even Vietnam-era veterans who earned the Bronze Star with “V” device for valor would not qualify under the new arrangement.
However, these rule changes, part of the federal rulemaking process, have yet to take effect as they are currently with the Secretary of the Army. Secretary Wormuth told MOAA she is in discussions with the VA on options regarding a report due to Congress regarding eligibility.
The “fix” offered by the eligibility changes is anything but – the new rules focus on combat awards as the discriminator for eligibility, which would serve to disqualify many 20-year retirees and nearly all female veterans. Even Vietnam-era veterans who earned the Bronze Star with “V” device for valor would not qualify under the new arrangement.
However, these rule changes, part of the federal rulemaking process, have yet to take effect as they are currently with the Secretary of the Army. Secretary Wormuth told MOAA she is in discussions with the VA on options regarding a report due to Congress regarding eligibility.
What’s Next for Proposed Arlington Cemetery Eligibility Changes?
Posted from moaa.org
Arlington
Death
Honor
Edited 2 y ago
Posted 2 y ago
Responses: 8
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We need another area just as significant to our History as Arlington for our Veterans. Something significant to our pursuit of Freedom. I, personally, would like to see something like several hundred acres including the site of where Flight 93 crashed on 9/11. All those who retook control of that plane exhibited such Patriotism as to add significance to that place.
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Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen
Like that idea but don't know the area at all. Is that much land available in the area?
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MSgt Dale Johnson
Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen - Not totally positive, but I believe is is partially farmland with some rugged terrain in the area and not too far from a major freeway, I 76, and just over an hour SE of Pittsburgh.
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MSG Greg Kelly
Every state I think has at least one National Cemetery. But it would be great to create another Country wide one. Maybe at one of these bases that was closed. Or another Civil War battle site that has not been sold off for apartments
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It's a shame that the standards had to be increased to prevent the capacity from reaching its limit. But the cemetery is a sacred place and must be kept open as long as possible
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MSG Greg Kelly
LTC Stephen F. - thanks sir it was my stupidity or dyslexia one or the other. But thanks for squaring me away. LOL
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Thank you my friend Lt Col Charlie Brown for posting the perspective from MOAA.org which I am a lifetime of.
It is sad but unsurprsing that the grand poobahs have decided that only those who have been awarded a Silver Star and or Purple Heart medal will be eligible to be buried or stored in the columbarium will reach capacity in the 2040s.
If the proposed rule changes were limited to the columbarium, that would seem reasoable to me - as long as the spouse of the deceased is also eligible
1. Hopefully these proposed eligibility rules will be discarded
2. My first two choices for burial have been Arlington National Military Cemetery and USMA, West Point Cemetery for decades.
3. Since the burial capacity at Arlington National Military Cemetery is not expected to be reached for 40 years or more it is sad that only those who have been wounded in wartime will be eligible to be buried in Arlington. There are far more Purple Heart medal awardees than valor medal awardees.
Image: Arlington National Cemetery eligibility September 2022.
FYI MSG Darold R.SSgt David M.Amn Dale PreisachMSgt Guillermo Ybarra IIIMSgt Robert E. M.SPC Gary C.SMSgt Michael Gleason Sgt Jerry GenesioSGT Wayne Dunn PO3 Edward Riddle ~1653855:PO3 Charles Streich] PO3 Edward Riddle SPC Michael Duricko, Ph.D SSgt Kelly D.CWO2 John Heinzl1SG Brian HoltMAJ Hugh BlanchardHA Janet Valenti
It is sad but unsurprsing that the grand poobahs have decided that only those who have been awarded a Silver Star and or Purple Heart medal will be eligible to be buried or stored in the columbarium will reach capacity in the 2040s.
If the proposed rule changes were limited to the columbarium, that would seem reasoable to me - as long as the spouse of the deceased is also eligible
1. Hopefully these proposed eligibility rules will be discarded
2. My first two choices for burial have been Arlington National Military Cemetery and USMA, West Point Cemetery for decades.
3. Since the burial capacity at Arlington National Military Cemetery is not expected to be reached for 40 years or more it is sad that only those who have been wounded in wartime will be eligible to be buried in Arlington. There are far more Purple Heart medal awardees than valor medal awardees.
Image: Arlington National Cemetery eligibility September 2022.
FYI MSG Darold R.SSgt David M.Amn Dale PreisachMSgt Guillermo Ybarra IIIMSgt Robert E. M.SPC Gary C.SMSgt Michael Gleason Sgt Jerry GenesioSGT Wayne Dunn PO3 Edward Riddle ~1653855:PO3 Charles Streich] PO3 Edward Riddle SPC Michael Duricko, Ph.D SSgt Kelly D.CWO2 John Heinzl1SG Brian HoltMAJ Hugh BlanchardHA Janet Valenti
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