Burial Requirements at Arlington National Cemetery Under Review

Those who would be placed above ground include:

• World War II–era veterans
• Retirees from the armed forces who do not meet the below-ground criteria
• Veterans who have served a minimum of two years on active duty and who also served in combat
• Veterans without combat service who also served out of uniform as a government official and made significant contributions to the nation's security at the highest levels of public service

In the meantime, current rules will apply, including services already scheduled. The proposal will not affect veterans’ burial benefits or eligibility at the VA's 137 national cemeteries and 115 state cemeteries.

"This has been a very lengthy and deliberate process that has been done in the public domain,” said Katharine Kelley, former superintendent of Arlington National Cemetery. “We have a Federal Advisory Committee at Arlington National Cemetery, an independent body mandated by Congress to look at very substantive issues related to the cemetery, and they have looked at the question of eligibility for many years."

The process of developing the proposal has involved more than two and a half years of public outreach and deliberation, including feedback from veterans and military service organizations, as well as engagement with Arlington Cemetery senior leaders and committee members.

Cemetery officials previously received more than 250,000 responses to national surveys, with 95 percent of respondents saying they want the site not only to remain open but to remain open and active well into the future.

“This is a lengthy process, but it's another opportunity to have a say in what the future of Arlington National Cemetery should be for our nation,” Durham-Aguilera said.

Meanwhile, the cemetery continues to pursue opportunities to expand its grounds. A project to expand the southern side of the cemetery will add more burial space. But according to the Army, the 37 acres are still not enough to allow new interments well into the future.

The expansion includes the area nearest the Air Force Memorial and part of the former grounds of the Navy Annex.

Editor's note: This story, originally published Sept. 26, 2019, has been updated to reflect the public comment period.