Secretary Announces Millions for Veterans Cemeteries

Secretary Announces $7 Million for Mississippi Veterans Cemetery

Secretary Shinseki Announces $7 Million for Mississippi Cemetery

First State Veterans Cemetery to be Established in Newton

WASHINGTON – Veterans living in central Mississippi will soon have a final resting place that will honor their service to the nation.  Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki has announced a grant of $6,990,115 to establish the Mississippi’s first state Veterans cemetery in Newton.

“VA and the Mississippi Department of Veterans Affairs are working together to ensure that Mississippi Veterans receive the benefits they have earned,” said Secretary Shinseki, who leads the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).  “The nation and the state of Mississippi hold their Veterans in high esteem, and this new cemetery will commemorate their service and sacrifice.”

The project will provide construction of a main entrance, a committal shelter, pre-placed crypts, standard burial areas, a columbarium for cremation remains, in-ground cremation burial areas, scatter burial areas, a memorial walkway, roads, a maintenance facility, an assembly area and supporting infrastructure.  Interment areas will include 1,091 standard burial plots, 1,000 pre-placed crypts and 192 columbarium niches.

The cemetery will serve approximately 50,000 Mississippi Veterans and their families.  The nearest national cemetery is VA’s Biloxi National Cemetery, approximately 145 miles away.

The 75-acre site is in south central Mississippi, about 50 miles east of Jackson.  The first phase of the project will develop approximately 18 acres.

VA’s State Cemetery Grants Program is designed to complement VA’s 130 national cemeteries across the country.  Since 1980, the program has awarded grants totaling more than $389 million to establish, expand or improve 74 Veterans cemeteries in 38 states or territories, including Guam and Saipan.  These state cemeteries provided nearly 25,000 burials in 2008.

Residents of Mississippi who are Veterans with a discharge issued under conditions other than dishonorable, their spouses and eligible dependent children can be buried in the Mississippi Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Newton.  For more information about the state cemetery, contact the Mississippi State Veterans Affairs Board by calling (601) 576-4850 or visit their Web site at www.vab.state.ms.us.

Information on VA burial benefits can be obtained from national cemetery offices, from the VA Web site on the Internet at www.cem.va.gov <http://www.cem.va.gov/>  or by calling VA regional offices toll-free at 800-827-1000.

Secretary Announces $7.2 Million for Virginia Veterans Cemetery

Secretary Shinseki Announces $7.2 Million Grant to Virginia

Commonwealth to Build Third State Veterans Cemetery

WASHINGTON – Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki has announced Veterans living in southwestern Virginia will soon have a final resting place that honors their service to the nation.  The Department of Veterans Affairs awarded $7,218,366 to the Commonwealth of Virginia to establish the Southwest Virginia Veterans Cemetery in Dublin.

“VA and the Virginia Department of Veterans Services have a strong partnership and work together to provide Veterans the benefits they have earned,” Secretary Shinseki said. “This new state cemetery will forever commemorate their service and sacrifice.”

The grant funds the first phase of construction on approximately 24 acres.  The cemetery was created after the transfer of an 80-acre parcel from the Radford Army Ammunition Plant to Virginia last year.

Construction plans include full-casket and cremation burial areas, columbaria for cremation remains, a memorial garden and scattering site, an assembly area, a committal service shelter, a maintenance building, roads, landscaping and supporting infrastructure.  Burial areas will include 5,167 standard burial plots; 2,750 pre-placed crypts; 500 in-ground cremains and 625 columbarium niches.

The cemetery will serve 60,000 Veterans and their families in southwestern Virginia.  The nearest national cemetery is Mountain Home National Cemetery in Mountain Home near Johnson City, Tenn., approximately 134 miles away.  The nearest state cemetery is Virginia Veterans Cemetery in Amelia, approximately 178 miles away.

Virginia has one other state veterans cemetery, the Albert G. Horton Jr. Memorial Veterans Cemetery in Suffolk.

VA’s State Cemetery Grants Program is designed to complement the department’s 130 national cemeteries across the country.  Since 1980, the program has awarded grants totaling more than $389 million to establish, expand or improve 74 Veterans cemeteries in 38 states or territories, including Guam and Saipan.  VA-funded state Veterans cemeteries provided nearly 25,000 burials in 2008.

Residents of Virginia who are Veterans with a discharge issued under conditions other than dishonorable, their spouses and eligible dependent children can be buried in the Southwest Virginia Veterans Cemetery.  For more information about Virginia state Veterans cemeteries contact the Virginia Department of Veterans Services by phone at 804-561-1475 or visit its Web site at www.dvs.virginia.gov/cemetery_services.htm.

Information on VA burial benefits can be obtained from national cemetery offices, by calling VA regional offices toll-free at 800-827-1000 or from the Internet at www.cem.va.gov

Secretary Announces $567,000 for Maine Veterans Cemeteries

Secretary Shinseki Announces $567,000 in Grants to Maine

State Veterans Cemeteries in Springvale and Caribou Receive Funds

WASHINGTON – To make improvements in two state Veterans cemeteries, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has awarded two grants to the state of Maine.

“VA and the Bureau of Maine Veterans Services are working together to ensure Veterans in Maine continue to receive the benefits they have earned,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki.

A $326,267 grant for a one-acre project at the Northern Maine Veterans Cemetery in Caribou will allow that cemetery to continue to offer the option of cremation burial in a columbarium.  The project will provide construction of an additional 216 columbarium niches.

At the Springvale State Veterans Cemetery, a $240,634 grant will fund construction of a committal shelter at the new cemetery, which could be open for first burials late this year, depending on weather conditions.

These cemeteries and two others in Augusta, were all established by VA grants and will serve approximately 144,000 Maine Veterans and their families.

VA’s State Cemetery Grants Program is designed to complement VA’s 130 national cemeteries across the country.  Since 1980, the program has awarded grants totaling more than $389 million to establish, expand or improve 74 Veterans cemeteries in 38 states or territories including Guam and Saipan.  VA-funded state Veterans cemeteries provided nearly 25,000 burials in 2008.

Veterans with a discharge issued under conditions other than dishonorable, their spouses and eligible dependent children can be buried in Maine’s state Veterans cemeteries.  Information about these cemeteries is available by calling the Maine Department of Veterans Affairs at (207) 287-3481 or on the Internet at www.maine.gov/dvem/bvs/cemeteries.htm.

Information on VA burial benefits can be obtained from national cemetery offices, by calling VA regional offices toll-free at 800-827-1000 or from the Internet at www.cem.va.gov