ARLINGTON BY THE NUMBERS
Average number of funeral ser- vices held at Arlington National Cemetery, Va., each day.
21 MILLION
Number of veterans alive today, according to the VA.
national cemetery remain open and active well into the future. “We think all options for further
expansion should be pursued before we start turning away older vets who planned for Arlington inter- ment,” he says.
Beyond the Beltway Even if new land is acquired, space around the nation’s capital is fi- nite. That’s why Cahoon says it’s necessary for officials to review all options in “a calm, rational, and transparent manner.” “Someday, some … will have to be
interred somewhere else — it’s just a fact,” he says. Some MOAA members have sug-
gested the hunt for new land for military burials needs to go beyond the national capital region. Many who completed MOAA’s survey say
27 6 TABLE: ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY AND ARMY SECRETARY’S REPORT TO CONGRESS
they are considering being laid to rest in one of the more than 140 VA cemeteries across the country. Those are closer to home for many, which would make it easier for family mem- bers outside the Washington, D.C., region to pay their respects. Some like Perkins, however, say while the ceremonies at those cem- eteries are perfectly respectable, they’re just not of the same caliber as burials at Arlington. Its location allows for ceremonial DoD units like the Army’s 3rd U.S. Infantry Regi- ment, known as “The Old Guard,” or the leathernecks out of Marine Bar- racks Washington to participate. “There’s no place and no cer-
emony like Arlington,” Perkins says. “When you’re standing out there with a whole company of Marines with a caisson and the horses, that leaves an impression on people.”
Some have suggested creating re- gional national cemeteries — possibly near major military installations in the South or West. That would make it easier for loved ones outside Wash- ington to pay their respects while still offering veterans the types of ceremo- nial send-offs they desire. If that was a possibility, Perkins
says he wouldn’t rule out an alterna- tive burial site. Ultimately, Cahoon added, it’s important to remember what makes Arlington so meaningful — and it’s not just the location. “What makes it special is the people who are buried there [and] the respect we show when we place them there,” he says. MO
— Gina Harkins is MOAA’s senior staff writer. Previous articles for Military Officer include “A Survivor’s Penalty” and “Military Brats,” April 2017.
MAY 2017 MILITARY OFFICER 59
Number of times eligibility requirements have been changed at Arlington to allow for more or few- er burials.
Number of other national cemeteries across the country where military veter- ans can be laid to rest.
2043
Projected year Arlington could run out of in-ground burial space.
For more information about military burial options, Premium and Life members can access Your Guide to Military Burials at
www.moaa.org/publications.
140+
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 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92