WASHINGTON — Secretary of Veterans Affairs Anthony J. Principi today announced the award of a $3.5 million grant to the State of Indiana to establish a state veterans cemetery in Madison. This grant will provide infrastructure for the cemetery, including an administration and maintenance facility, roads and columbaria for cremated remains.
In March 2000, VA awarded an initial grant of $748,108 to allow the state to construct a “fast-track” section at the cemetery in southern Indiana. The section permitted the cemetery to provide burial services before the design of the cemetery was finished. VA later gave the state $495,000 and $898,289 for installation of 1,500 graveliners, overall cemetery design and equipment to operate the cemetery. With the new amount, VA has given a total of $5.6 million for the cemetery.
The cemetery will be Indiana’s first state-run veterans cemetery established to complement the service of VA’s national cemetery system. The nearest VA national cemetery is in New Albany, Ind., approximately 45 miles west of Madison. New Albany National Cemetery, however, was established in 1862 during the Civil War. Space for new burials in the 5.4-acre site was exhausted in 1991. The nearest open VA national cemetery is in Marion, approximately 120 miles north of Madison.
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 are under construction. The state veterans cemeteries provided 14,355 burials in fiscal year 2000. Since the program began in 1980, VA has awarded 109 grants for more than $107 million to 27 states, Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas.
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 VA’s 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.
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