What Does It Take To Be Buried At Arlington?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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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.

What is the wait time 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.

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.

What are the criteria for being buried in Arlington?

Establishing Eligibility

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

at least one day of active service (other than for training) and an honorable discharge

are eligible for above-ground inurnment.

What are the three requirements to be buried at Arlington National Cemetery?


Any member of a Reserve Component of the Armed Forces, and any member of the Army National Guard or the Air National Guard

, whose death occurs under honorable conditions while he is on active duty for training or performing full-time service; performing authorized travel to or from that duty or service; or is on …

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.

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 you have to pay to be buried at Arlington?


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.

How much space is left in Arlington Cemetery?

The eligible population is more than 22 million … currently today, we have

less than 85,000 spaces

.”

How long can you wait for burial?

Some families opt to hold the funeral and burial

as soon as 24 hours after their loved one’s passing

. For others, the time between death and the funeral service is around 2-3 days.

Can non veterans be buried at Arlington?

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.

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.

Who lit the eternal flame?

Lit by

Mrs. Kennedy

during the funeral, an eternal flame burns from the center of a five-foot circular granite stone at the head of the grave.

Are there actual bodies in the tomb of the Unknown Soldier?

After a long moment of silence, President Eisenhower placed a Medal of Honor on each casket. Many years later, in 1984, the final unknown soldier from the Vietnam War was laid to rest; however, because of advances in genetic science and DNA technology,

the body was exhumed in 1998 and tested

.

Can a wife be buried in a national cemetery?

(1) The spouse, surviving spouse or dependent of an eligible Veteran or member of

the Armed Forces may be eligible for interment in a national cemetery

even if that Veteran is not buried or memorialized in a national cemetery.

Who was the first president to be buried at Arlington?


President William Howard Taft

(1857-1930), the 27th president of the United States, was the first president to be buried at Arlington National Cemetery, and one of only two presidents buried here. (The other is John F. Kennedy.)

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.