No more burials at Arlington in 25 years? Famed cemetery is running out of space

http://www.militarytimes.com/articles/arlington-cemetery-space-problems-eligibility-rules

No more burials at Arlington in 25 years? Famed cemetery is running out of space

By: Claire Barrett, March 31, 2017

WASHINGTON -- When Arlington National Cemetery was established in 1864, it served as an overflow for other Washington, D.C.-based burial grounds overburdened by the rising tide of Civil War casualties. More than 150 years later, the site has become a national shrine to the sacrifices of American military members, and faces the opposite problem: Diminishing space at the northern Virginia site could force veterans’ families to choose other locations for their loved one’s final resting place, if changes aren’t made in coming years. On March 29, the Senate Appropriations Committee held a field hearing at the well-known Army cemetery to discuss the current operations as well as future plans to honor the nation’s fallen veterans.

At the top of the list of looming challenges is the issue of space. Presently, Arlington National Cemetery is nearing total capacity. The cemetery staff maintains a high burial pace, conducting 27 to 30 ceremonies each weekday and 10 more on Saturdays. In 2016 alone, Arlington buried or inurned 7,140 veterans and eligible family members.

The Millennium Project, a southern expansion of the cemetery that will add 27 acres of land and 28,000 new grave sites, is set to open in fall of 2017. But Karen Durham-Aguilera, executive director of Army National Military Cemeteries, said despite that work, by the year 2041, “Arlington National Cemetery will not be a burial option for those service members who served in the Gulf War and any conflict afterwards” without changes to the current footprint or eligibility policies.
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Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kansas, chairman of the panel’s military construction subcommittee, spoke of Arlington’s importance in honoring veterans and providing a link between “American history, traditions and customs.” He said whatever issues face the cemetery, lawmakers are committed to “working with you closely to ensure the perpetual success of this hallowed ground.”

That will likely include discussions of who will be eligible to be buried at the site in years to come. That debate is still ongoing. Durham-Aguilera said a change in those rules could extend the life of the cemetery, but will require conversation with the public, members of Congress, veterans and military service organizations. Recommendations for eligibility have been put forth in a report by Arlington staff, but have not yet been released to the public.
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