The Veterans administration has opened a new National Cemetery in Pennsylvannia. In order to handle an increasing number of deceased veterans, Congress has ordered National Cemeteries to be opened across the United States.
Many longstanding National Cemeteries across America are out of space.
In the USA Veterans are entitled to a free burial in a National Cemetery. Here is some information on the latest Veteran Cemetery opening.
WASHINGTON – Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki announced the opening of the 131st national cemetery with the first burials taking place Jan. 20 at Washington Crossing National Cemetery in Newtown, Pa.
“With the opening of this new national shrine, many thousands of Pennsylvania and New Jersey Veterans and their families will have interment options available nearby, in a setting that is worthy of their service,” said Secretary Shinseki. “Providing lasting tributes to their sacrifices is one of VA’s most honorable missions, and one we are proud to fulfill.”
Administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the new 205-acre national cemetery in the Philadelphia area will serve Veterans’ needs for at least the next 50 years. The cemetery, which will serve approximately 580,000 Veterans in the Philadelphia metropolitan area, is located in Bucks County, north of Philadelphia, about three miles northwest of Interstate 95 and less than three miles from Washington Crossing Historic Park.
In January 2008, VA awarded a design contract to Cairone & Kaupp Inc. of Philadelphia. VA has completed a 12-acre early burial area with temporary facilities, which will be followed by a second, larger construction stage of the project.
When that stage is completed, the 64-acre development will provide 15,500 full-casket gravesites, including 15,100 pre-placed crypts, 6,500 in-ground cremation sites and 4,100 columbarium niches.
The new cemetery will also include an administration and public information center complex and public restrooms, a maintenance facility, a cemetery entrance area, a flag assembly area and committal shelters for funeral services. Other infrastructure design elements include roadways, landscaping, utilities and irrigation.
The state’s other VA cemeteries are Philadelphia National Cemetery, Indiantown Gap National Cemetery and the National Cemetery of the Alleghenies. The Philadelphia National Cemetery no longer has burial space.-
Veterans with a discharge issued under conditions other than dishonorable, their spouses and eligible dependent children can be buried in a VA national cemetery. Also eligible are military personnel who die on active duty, their spouses…..via www1.va.gov
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