washingtonscene
LEGISLATIVE NEWS THAT AFFECTS YOU ANC Final Report
After months of analysis, a report concludes Arlington National Cemetery (ANC) will need to change eligibility restrictions to ensure space is available for new burials well into the future.
S
pace at Arlington National Cem- etery (ANC) will run out whether or not eligibility protocol changes. The maximum capacity date could arrive as early as 2050, but there are ways to keep it open for centuries to come. The Advisory Committee on ANC
(ACANC) produced its final report review- ing the options available to extend the life of the cemetery “well into the future.” This report, requested by Congress a year ago, marks the completion of the committee’s analysis of the situation and sets the stage for policymakers to act. The report includes deeper analysis of the impact of almost 20 variations of land expansions, eligibility changes, burial pro- cedures, and more. These options were provided in prior interim reports, but now come with substantive analysis of the likeli- hood of implementation, necessity of legis- lative action, and general timelines. Options include:
adopting the VA requirement for a mini- mum of 24 months of active duty service, restricting armed services retirement eli- gibility at certain lengths of service, changing eligibility to include only those killed in action, those who died on active duty, and recipients of qualifying awards, identifying more expansion opportunities beyond current physical boundaries, and establishing a new DoD national cemetery. MOAA believes decision-makers must consider the interests and desires of the potential affected populations if and when
policies change. Veterans who might be eligible for burial at ANC should have a say, and Congress has indicated a strong desire to prioritize their opinions. In a survey among MOAA members (see page 36 of the February Washington Scene), participants overwhelmingly rejected the idea of restricting retirees, with the majority preferring expansion options as the initial course of action. In fact, most participants favored closing ANC to future burials before excluding retirees. The ACANC document abstained from
making recommendations. Nonetheless, the report clearly indicates changes to eligibility requirements and/or expansion of the cem- etery’s geographic footprint are required to extend ANC’s capacity well into the future. MOAA appreciates the commitment to
exploring all potential courses of action on this issue. Geographical expansion is a pre- ferred solution, as confirmed in the member survey. One such project currently is under- way, and 40 more acres of land should be available by 2022. While restricting eligibility delays this
debate, it is not a permanent solution. Space limitations make this a zero-sum game, and the clock is ticking. “MOAA would like to see ANC remain open and active well into the future,” says Col. Dan Merry, USAF (Ret), MOAA’s vice president of Government Relations. “We don’t have a problem reserving a set num- ber of plots for future Medal of Honor recipients and combat deaths, but we don’t
APRIL 2017 MILITARY OFFICER 27
remain open and active well into the future.
would like to see [Arlington National Cemetery]
“ MOAA
— Col. Dan Merry, USAF (Ret)
”
Take Action Visit
www.capwiz.com/ moaa/home to send your legislators a MOAA- suggested message on key issues affecting the military community.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88