Can A Non Veteran Be Buried At Arlington?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

, , , ,

The requirements for inurnment, as it is called, are much less stringent and anyone who qualifies for burial can also be inurned in the columbarium. However, essentially

anyone who has served in the military

, including the reserves, and has been honorably discharged can be inurned in the columbarium.

Can non military be buried at Arlington?

Eligibility for in-ground burial at Arlington National Cemetery is the most stringent of all U.S. national cemeteries. However, most who have

at least one day of active service

(other than for training) and an honorable discharge are eligible for above-ground inurnment.

Can civilians be buried at Arlington?

From Former Slaves To Writers, Civilians, Too, Rest At Arlington Arlington National Cemetery turns 150 years old on Sunday. It's known as the resting place of war heroes, but

extraordinary civilians are buried there as well

— here are the stories of three of them.

Is Arlington only for veterans?

Under the current rules,

almost all of the 22 million living armed forces members and veterans are eligible for burial at Arlington

, the Army said. “Arlington National Cemetery is a national shrine for all Americans, but especially those who have served our great nation,” McCarthy said in a statement.

Who qualifies for burial at Arlington Cemetery?


Arlington National Cemetery does not charge fees for an interment or inurnment at the cemetery

. The only potential costs to the estate of the deceased are for vaults. Effective December 2017, placement of private markers is no longer available for service members and families.

Are soldiers buried standing up?

Baumgartner said the traditional 5-by-10 grave site can accommodate up to six caskets, which is extremely rare. He could recall only one instance where that happened, he said. “

And we don't bury standing up

, like some people think,” Baumgartner said.

How many graves are left at Arlington?

Details Owned by U.S. Department of the Army Size 639 acres (259 ha) No. of graves

~400,000
Website www.arlingtoncemetery.mil

Can a wife be buried in Arlington?

—The remains of the following individuals may be buried in Arlington National Cemetery: ”(1) The spouse, surviving spouse, minor child, and, at the discretion of the Superintendent, unmarried adult child of a person listed in subsection (a), but

only if buried in the same gravesite as that person

.

Do all veterans get a military funeral?


Almost all veterans can receive military funeral honors at no cost

. They are also usually eligible for free memorial items including: Headstones, markers, and medallions.

How much does it cost to be buried at Arlington?


There are no fees or costs for a burial or inurnment

. However, all costs associated with preparation of the remains, casket or urn, and shipping of the remains to the Washington, DC area are at the expense of the estate unless the deceased is currently on active duty.

How long is the wait to be buried at Arlington?

A lengthy waitlist. Before the pandemic, military families could expect to wait

between six and 49 weeks

for burials of loved ones at Arlington National Cemetery, according to a Pentagon Inspector General report.

Who gets buried standing up?


Ben Jonson

Are spouses buried on top of each other?

Two people (typically a husband and wife) pre-purchase a

cemetery

space together, and their caskets are placed on top of one another when they pass. … Cemeteries can accommodate a single in-ground burial of a cremation urn and a casket in the same plot.

Why are headstones at the feet?

The

idea was to make it easier on the eye for the families of the deceased

. As all the graves looked the same they could focus on the graves of their loved ones and not be distracted by other larger and elaborate ones. Each grave would get a small flat marker, which was mostly placed at the feet.

What Does a coin on a grave mean?

A coin left on a headstone lets

the deceased soldier's family know that somebody stopped by to pay their respects

. If you leave a penny, it means you visited. A nickel means that you and the deceased soldier trained at boot camp together. If you served with the soldier, you leave a dime.

What happens to dead bodies during war?

After being stripped of their belongings the dead, and occasionally still barely living, would often be

buried in mass graves

(sometimes with bodies from both sides unceremoniously thrown in). … However, there are accounts of battles where thousands of bodies were simply left to the elements.

Maria Kunar
Author
Maria Kunar
Maria is a cultural enthusiast and expert on holiday traditions. With a focus on the cultural significance of celebrations, Maria has written several blogs on the history of holidays and has been featured in various cultural publications. Maria's knowledge of traditions will help you appreciate the meaning behind celebrations.