Veterans Cemetery Grants Service 1
VCGS Compliance Review Program
Josh de Leon, VCGS DirectorJohn Gardner, Program Specialist
March xx, 2013
VA National Cemeteriesin Indian Country
Mr. George D. Eisenbach, Jr.Acting DirectorVeterans Cemetery Grants Service
June 6, 2013
Agenda
• Caring for our History
• Serving Veterans and Families-Benefits and Eligibility-Cemeteries in Indian Country
• Improving Cultural Competency-Diversity/Special Emphasis Programs-Emerging Burial Needs Study
• Q &A
Caring for our History
Navajo code talker Roy Hawthorne stands next to the code talker monument unveiled March 21, 2013 at Santa Fe National Cemetery, New Mexico
(Photo credit: Eddie Moore/ABQ Journal)
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Serving Veterans and Families: Our Responsibilities
• Provide burial space for Veterans and eligible family members, and maintain national cemeteries as national shrines
• Administer the Federal grants program for construction of State and Tribal Veterans cemeteries
• Furnish headstones, markers and medallions for the graves of Veterans around the world
• Administer the Presidential Memorial Certificate program
• Administer the First Notice of Death program
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Serving Veterans and Families: Burial Benefits
• Gravesite• Opening and closing of the grave• Grave liner• Perpetual care of the gravesite• Headstone, marker or medallion• U.S. Flag• Presidential Memorial Certificate
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Headstones, Markers and Medallions
“In Memory of…”
Upright Headstone
Niche Covers
Flat Marker
Medallion
Emblems of BeliefMedicine Wheel (left); Native American Church of North America (below); Four Directions (bottom right)
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Presidential Memorial Certificates
•For active duty and honorably discharged Veterans
•Inscribed with the deceased’s name
• Bears the President’s signature
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Serving Veterans and Families: Eligibility Criteria
• Any member of the U.S. Armed Forces who dieson active duty
• Any Veteran who was discharged under qualifying conditions (other than dishonorable)
• National Guard members and Reservists with 20 years ofqualifying service, who are entitled to retired pay
• Spouses and minor children
• Certain eligible parents (Corey Shea Act)
National Cemeteries in Indian Country
Fort Richardson National Cemetery,Anchorage, Alaska
Fort Gibson National Cemetery, Oklahoma
National Cemeteries in Indian Country
Tahoma National Cemetery, Kent, Washington
National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona, Phoenix
National Cemeteries in Indian Country
Santa Fe National Cemetery, New Mexico
Leavenworth National Cemetery, Kansas
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National Cemeteries in Indian Country
MT
IDWY
NVUT
ND
WIME
National Veterans Burial Grounds/Rural Initiative
Tribal Cemeteries in Indian Country
• Tribal Government grants
- Law enacted December 2006 Made tribal organizations eligible for cemetery
establishment grants on tribal trust lands
-First grants awarded in 20114 awarded to-date; 5 on FY13 priority list
-Awarded annually, in same manner as states
-Opportunity to serve additional Veterans
Tribal Cemeteries in Indian Country• Tribal Veterans cemeteries aim to honor tribal
customs and traditions, such as:
– Use of tribal symbols
– Longer committal services
– Graveside burials
– Areas to tie-up horses
– Areas for traditional burials
Tribal Cemeteries in Indian Country
First Operational VA-funded Tribal Veterans CemeteryMonte Calvario Cemetery, Tucson, Arizona
Pascua Yaqui TribeDedicated Veterans Day, 2011
Tribal Cemeteries in Indian Country
Grant Award and Groundbreaking CeremonySicangu Akicita Owicahe (Veterans Cemetery)
Near Mission, South DakotaRosebud Sioux TribeSeptember 19, 2011
Tribal Cemeteries in Indian Country
Under Construction; Projected Opening FY2013Sicangu Akicita Owicahe (Veterans Cemetery)
Rosebud Sioux Tribe
Tribal Cemeteries in Indian Country
Under Construction; Projected Opening FY2013Tribal Veterans Cemetery
Humboldt County, CaliforniaYurok Tribe
Tribal Cemeteries in Indian Country
Under Construction; Projected Opening FY2014Lakota Freedom Veterans Cemetery
Pine Ridge, South DakotaOglala Sioux Tribe
Tribal Cemeteries in Indian Country
• Tribal grants on 2013 Priority List:
-Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, Wewoka, Oklahoma
-Big Sandy Rancheria, Auberry, California
-Navajo Nation, Chinle, Arizona
-Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma, Pawnee, Oklahoma
-Fallon Paiute-Shoshone Tribe, Fallon, Nevada
-Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians, Tuolumne, Calif.
Residency vs. Tribal Requirements• National cemeteries allow all eligible veterans to
be interred at national cemeteries
• States have the option to have a residency requirement as an additional eligibility requirement for their cemeteries -e.g., Must have lived in state for 2 years
• Tribal governments may add tribal requirements-e.g., Any Sioux Veteran may be interred
• Joshua de Leon, [email protected] (202) 632-7369
• Howard Orr, Project [email protected](202) 632-7203
• Tom Paquelet, Project [email protected](202) 632-7202
• John Gardner, Program [email protected](202) 632-8001
Veterans Cemetery Grants Service Contact List
Improving Cultural Competency• NCA Executive Diversity Council/Special
Emphasis Program Advisory Committee-Strategic plan objective; stood up January 2013-Establish and champion diversity -Promote Federal workplace as model of cultural
competency
DC-area members of NCA’s Executive
Diversity Council attend training
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• Veterans serving Veterans
-Over 74% of NCA employees are Vets
-Highest % in any Federal agency
-Includes 400+ returning Veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan
Improving Cultural CompetencyNational Defense Service Medal
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Vietnam Service Medal
Southwest Asia Service Medal
Kosovo Campaign Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal
Iraq Campaign Medal
Global War on Terrorism Exp. Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Korea Defense Service Medal
Armed Forces Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
Improving Cultural Competency• Increasing workforce representation of
American Indians/Alaska Natives in NCA-Doubled from FY2010-2012-Still underrepresented, though
• Longstanding relationships with SAIGE, American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) and Minority Access, Inc. to assist with AI/AN recruitment and retention
Improving Cultural Competency
• Outreach, FY12 and 13-National Congress of American Indians Annual National Convention-Gathering of Nations Pow Wow, Indian Trader's Market-SAIGE Annual Training Conference
• American Indian representation on Secretary’s Advisory Committee on Cemeteries and Memorials
Improving Cultural Competency•Emerging Burial Needs Study
-Identify emerging burial trends
-Identify Veteran preferences
-Ensure burial needs of Veterans and families are met
Natural Burial AreaCourtesy Natural Burial Co-operative
Partners in Honoring Our Fallen Warriors
Native American Honor Guard, Black Hills National Cemetery, Sturgis, South Dakota
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