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The State of
Virginia Veterans Cemetery Program
This web
page is provided as an informational source and
guide for those interested in learning more about
the Virginia Veterans Cemetery at Amelia, its
requirements and operations. The information is
written in general terms and should not be regarded
nor taken as law or official regulation. The
official regulations governing the Virginia Veterans
Cemetery is available from the Virginia Department
of Veterans Affairs or the Cemetery Superintendent.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
The following persons are
eligible for interment at a Virginia State Veterans
Cemetery:
Any member of the armed forces of the United States
who dies on active duty, anyone retired from
military service and any veteran discharged under
conditions other than dishonorable or undesirable
conditions.
Under certain conditions the following persons are
eligible for interment:
Members of the reserve component of the Armed
Forces, the Army National Guard or Air National
Guard.
Members of the Reserve Officers' Training Corps of
the Army, Navy or Air Force.
Any citizen of the United States who served in the
Armed Forces of any Government allied with the
United States during wartime.
Any Commissioned officer of the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration.
Any Commissioned officer of the Regular or Reserve
Corps of the Public Health Service.
American merchant seamen.
Anyone who dies while enroute to be inducted into
the military service.
Virginia Resident
Only those veterans who are legal residents of
Virginia at the time of death, or who were residents
at the time they entered the Armed Forces of the
United States are eligible for interment.
Dependent (s)
The legal spouse (or widow or widower) and/or an
unmarried minor child under age 21 meets eligibility
requirements. In addition, an unmarried adult child
who, before the age of 21, became permanently
incapable of self-support because of physical or
mental disability may also be interred.
Legal Resident
A person whose principal residence or abode is in
Virginia, who uses this state to establish his right
to vote and other rights in this state, and who
intends to live in this state, to the exclusion of
maintaining a legal residence in any other state.
PROOF OF ELIGIBILITY
The burden of proof of eligibility for interment
shall be the responsibility of the applicant, and
cemetery management designee will determine the
eligibility of a person for interment in the
cemetery.
It shall be the responsibility of the applicant to
furnish evidence, including documentary evidence,
necessary to establish the eligibility of the
veteran before interment of the veteran or eligible
family members. Such evidence must clearly establish
that the veteran received a discharge from the Armed
Forces of the United States under other than
dishonorable or undesirable conditions, and that the
veteran meets the residency requirements.
Proof of Military Service
The best document used to verify military service is
DD Form 214 or an equivalent (Report of Separation
from Active Duty). This document is given to the
veteran upon discharge from active duty.
Other forms of proof are items such as copies of
military orders, identification (ID or "dog") tags,
ID cards or any official correspondence that
contains the service member's name and military
service number. If records are lost, the cemetery
superintendent will assist in obtaining replacement
copies of key documents.
Virginia Residency
* Verification of residence at time of entry into
military service is documented on DD Form 214,
Certificate of Release or Discharge from active duty
and on draft board records.
* The residence requirement can be verified by tax
records, utility bills, hospital records, records of
recognized veteran fraternal, or civic
organizations, driver's license and official records
from U.S. government, state or municipality
agencies.
* Other acceptable documents are voting records,
employment and education records.
Dependents
The primary source for verification of a spouse is a
marriage certificate. Dependent children may be
verified by a birth certificate or other legal
documents such as adoption papers, divorce degrees
or certified affidavits.
Proof of Disability of an Adult Dependent
A letter is required from the dependent's physician
certifying the dependent became permanently
incapable of self-support because of a physical or
mental disability before attaining the age of
twenty-one (21) years. Medical records and other
documents will be considered only as supporting or
corroborating documents.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Assignment of Space
* Only one grave site is normally authorized for a
qualified veteran and his eligible family members.
* A grave site may not be reserved until the death
of a person who is eligible for interment. However a
grave site shall be assigned once death certificates
are presented and pre-application eligibility is
confirmed.
* When an eligible family member dies before the
qualified veteran dies, the veteran must sign an
agreement to be interred in the same grave plot
before the deceased family member can be interred in
the veterans cemetery.
Veterans Cemetery Operations and Services
* There is no charge for the grave site or necessary
interment services for a qualified veteran at the
Virginia Veterans Cemetery. The state will furnish a
grave site, open and close the grave for the
veteran, order and place a government grave marker
and furnish perpetual care of the grave site without
charge.
* Cemetery management is responsible for making
application with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs
for the plot or interment allowance provided to a
state for expenses incurred by the state in the
burial of eligible veterans in a cemetery owned or
operated by such state. (Currently $150.00)
* For interment of eligible family members, the
state shall receive from the dependent's
survivor/legal representative/ administrator or
executor of the estate, the sum equivalent to the
amount of the plot allowance. All other charges in
connection with any funeral or burial in the
cemetery shall not be at the expense of the state.
* A concrete vault or liner is required for burial
in a state veterans cemetery. All expenses related
to the purchase and placement of the vault or liner
shall be paid for by the veteran, family survivors
or estate.
* Committal services are normally held in the
chapel. Family members may return to the grave site
after the burial of the casket or urn is completed
and the area is cleared of all equipment and
materials. Requests for a graveside committal
service must be made by a member of the immediate
family and must be approved by the cemetery
superintendent. Additional expenses of a graveside
service are the responsibility of the veteran,
family survivors or estate.
* Only government furnished grave markers or
headstones will be authorized for use in the state
veterans cemeteries.
* All arrangements for burial at a state veterans
cemetery shall be made through a funeral home (of
the veteran's or family's choice). All funeral
expenses are the sole responsibility of the veteran,
family survivors or estate.
* The state shall not be responsible for any costs
resulting from damage to, destruction or theft of a
grave site, grave marker or any other grave monument
on the cemetery grounds.
* The cemetery staff is available to assist the
veteran, family or legal representative in the
processing of applications for the headstone, flags
or authorized DVA plot allowances.
* Cemetery staff will maintain the cemetery grounds
to include grave sites and grave markers.
Provisions for Pre-Application
* For expediency, the veteran may apply prior to
death to determine eligibility for interment in the
cemetery. The veteran shall submit to the cemetery
management documentation of military service and
character of discharge and proof of residence. At
that time, the veteran may also inform management of
any family members eligible for interment. Cemetery
management shall notify the veteran regarding
eligibility findings and if approved establish a
file in the veteran's name indicating pre-approval
of eligibility.
Public Rights to the
Cemetery
The cemetery will be open to the public each day of
the week from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The
administrative offices of the cemetery will be open
Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Floral Tributes and Flags
Permanent in ground flower containers, approved by
the Superintendent, may be accepted for installation
on graves provided they are purchased and delivered
to the cemetery at no cost to the state. All
permanent containers will be installed by cemetery
personnel to ensure uniformity throughout the
cemetery, and shall not be removed without the
consent of the containers owner.
Fresh cut flowers may be placed on graves at any
time either in the inground container or in a metal
container. Glass containers will not be permitted.
Artificial flowers, plants, shrubs and wreaths are
prohibited.
Holiday wreaths are permitted during the Christmas
season from December 1 through January 12 and ten
days before and ten days after Easter Sunday and
Memorial Day. Wreaths will be disposed of by
cemetery personnel at the expiration of the
permissible periods or when the wreaths become
unsightly.
Flags are permitted on Memorial Day and Veterans
Day.
Virginia Department of Veterans' Affairs
The Virginia State Veterans Cemetery comes under the
jurisdiction of the Virginia Department of Veterans'
Affairs located in Roanoke, VA.
Virginia Department of Veterans' Affairs
270 Franklin Road, SW, Room 503
Poff Federal Building
Roanoke, VA 24011-2215
Telephone 540-857-7104
Fax 540-857-7573
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