WASHINGTON — Secretary of Veterans Affairs Anthony J. Principi today announced the award of a $7.7 million grant to the State of Arizona to establish a state veterans cemetery in Sierra Vista. Approximately 65 miles east of Tucson, the new cemetery will serve more than 100,000 veterans in the three counties of southeastern Arizona.
Sierra Vista is the location of Ft. Huachuca, home of the U.S. Army Intelligence Center. The grant will develop 31 acres on the eastern edge of the military post along Buffalo Soldier Trail. The entire cemetery site consists of 145 acres given to Arizona by the Army. It is located at the foot of the Huachuca Mountains.
The state expects to complete construction by fall 2002. The project will include 2,600 full-casket gravesites, an equal number of columbarium niches for cremation burials, an administration building, maintenance building, committal service shelter, entryway and assembly area. Pre-placed graveliners, or crypts, will be installed for casket burials.
As a complement to VA’s system of national cemeteries, the State Cemetery Grants Program has helped establish, expand or improve 47 operational state veterans cemeteries. Three additional cemeteries, including the Sierra Vista project, are under construction.
State veterans cemeteries provided 14,355 burials in fiscal year 2000. Since the program began in 1980, VA has awarded 109 grants to 27 states plus Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas for more than $102 million.
Information about the grants program is available by contacting VA’s State Cemetery Grants Service at (202) 565-6801. Eligibility for burial in a state veterans cemetery varies for each state. Details may be obtained by contacting the state’s agency for veterans affairs.
Information on VA burial benefits can be obtained from national cemetery offices, from VA web sites on the Internet at http://www.va.gov or http://www.cem.va.gov or by calling VA regional offices toll-free on 1-800-827-1000.
# # #
###
Reporters and media outlets with questions or comments should contact the Office of Media Relations at vapublicaffairs@va.gov
Veterans with questions about their health care and benefits (including GI Bill). Questions, updates and documents can be submitted online.
Veterans can also use our chatbot to get information about VA benefits and services. The chatbot won’t connect you with a person, but it can show you where to go on VA.gov to find answers to some common questions.
Subscribe today to receive these news releases in your inbox.
