What’s The Problem?

The final resting places of our nation’s veterans are sacred spaces that deserve care, dignity, and lasting recognition. While national cemeteries managed by the National Cemetery Administration (NCA) are maintained to a high standard, a much quieter and often overlooked issue persists: the inconsistent care and recognition of veterans buried in community, rural, and private cemeteries.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) does offer burial benefits—including headstones or markers, burial flags, and limited financial allowances—but the process of accessing these benefits can be confusing and burdensome. Families are often required to submit proof of service, a death certificate, and in some cases, itemized receipts and other documentation. Reimbursement is not guaranteed, and families who are grieving must often navigate these administrative hurdles with little support.

The situation is especially difficult in non-federal cemeteries, where there is no standardized process to ensure veterans’ graves are marked or maintained. Some families are unaware of available benefits. Others may not qualify for reimbursement if they miss strict deadlines, like the 2-year window for filing for burial and plot allowances. Even when a government marker is issued, installation costs are not covered, creating an additional financial barrier.

Over time, the problem compounds. Veterans’ markers can deteriorate, become overgrown, or go missing entirely—particularly in cemeteries with limited resources or no permanent caretaker. There is no centralized system in place to track or maintain these graves outside of the NCA’s jurisdiction.

To its credit, the NCA has taken steps to help where it can—within the limits of federal law. While it cannot provide funding or staff to maintain community cemeteries, the NCA has published guidance on marker care, created volunteer resources, and developed digital tools such as the Veterans Legacy Memorial (VLM) to preserve veterans' stories. But these efforts cannot fully address the widespread and growing need across thousands of local cemeteries nationwide.

That’s where organizations like the Warriors Remembrance Foundation come in—working directly with communities to locate, document, and care for veterans’ graves that might otherwise be forgotten. By stepping in where federal support stops, these grassroots efforts help ensure veterans are honored regardless of where they are buried.

In conclusion, while the VA provides some burial benefits, the system remains difficult to navigate, particularly for families burying loved ones in non-federal cemeteries. Greater awareness, community involvement, and support for local initiatives are critical if we are to truly uphold our promise to never forget those who served.