National Cemetery System: Opportunities to Expand Cemeteries' Capacities
HEHS-97-192
Published: Sep 10, 1997. Publicly Released: Sep 10, 1997.
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Highlights
Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) National Cemetery System (NCS), focusing on: (1) NCS' plans for addressing veterans' future burial demands; (2) the relative 30-year costs of three types of cemeteries: casket-only internment, cremated internment in columbarium niches, and in-ground internment of cremated remains; and (3) what NCS can do to extend the service period of existing national cemeteries.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Veterans Affairs | To better serve the American veteran, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs should instruct the Director of NCS to extend its strategic plan to address veterans' long-term health burial demand during the peak years of 2005 to 2010. |
Closed – Implemented
In August 1998, NCS completed a planning document which outlines how it plans to address veterans' long-term burial demand through 2010.
|
| Department of Veterans Affairs | To better serve the American veteran, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs should instruct the Director of NCS to collect and use information on veterans' burial preferences to better plan for future burial needs. |
Closed – Implemented
In September 1999, VA stated that it planned to conduct a national survey of veterans in fiscal year 2000. This survey was to include questions on veterans' burial preferences. As of July 2001, VA had not yet conducted the survey. VA now expects the survey to be completed in the summer of 2002, and plans to use the survey data in the fall of 2002. In September 2002, VA stated that they had contracted for a survey of veterans that included questions on veterans' burial preferences. The contractor has completed the survey and expects to issue a draft report to VA in October 2002. The National Cemetery Administration will use these data for planning purposes beginning the first quarter, fiscal year 2003.
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| Department of Veterans Affairs | To better serve the American veteran, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs should instruct the Director of NCS to identify opportunities to construct columbaria in existing cemeteries, for the purpose of increasing burial capacity and extending the cemeteries' service period. |
Closed – Implemented
NCS' most recent planning document (August 1998) states that within each annual update of its 5-year plan, consideration is given to all sites that may need or warrant the establishment of columbaria. The planning document shows that columbaria are either planned or under construction at eight national cemeteries. Four of these eight national cemeteries are under construction and should be completed by the end of 1999.
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Topics
Cost sharing (finance)Grants to statesProposed legislationStrategic planningVeteransVeterans benefitsNational cemeteriesStrategic planConstructionLand use