At 00:31 2/8/01, Acer asked:
also, a question from the uninitiated--how does one end up in arlignton
nat'l cemetary? thanks
The first criteria is like any cemetery . . . being deceased (sorry,
couldn't resist that).
All veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces, who served on active duty honorably
(other than just for training), are entitled to buried in a National Cemetery.
For the vast, vast majority of vets, it will _not_ be Arlington, but one of
the others scattered around the U.S., unless it is by inurnment of cremated
remains in the columbarium. Also entitled for inurnment there are the
spouses, minor children, and dependent adult children of the eligible.
When Arlington started filling up, eligibility for casket burial there got
stiffer. Basically it's active duty personnel, and retirees (receiving
retirement pay) whose last separation from service was honorable. There
are certain other eligibilities that get a little more complicated having
to do with certain high decorations for valor, having been a POW, a vet who
became a U.S. elected official, etc. The details are in Section 553.15,
Title 32 of the U.S. Code and can be read here (you have to scroll down to
that section):
http://www.arlingtoncemetery.com/usc-t32.htm
Section 553.15a just after it covers inurnment in the columbarium.
-- John
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