WASHINGTON – Secretary of Veterans Affairs Anthony J. Principi today announced a grant of $258,000 to the state of Idaho to begin preparations for a state veterans cemetery in Boise.
“This award, and an increasing number like it for state veterans’ cemeteries, recognize the contribution of America’s aging veterans,” said Principi. “I appreciate President Bush’s leadership and support of VA’s budget for state veterans cemeteries.”
Principi said the grant will cover some initial expenses needed to create the cemetery, with future payments by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) covering additional costs. Idaho is the only state without either a VA-run national cemetery or a state veterans cemetery.
About 122,000 veterans live in Idaho. The nearest national cemetery is the Willamette National Cemetery in Portland, Ore., about 425 miles northwest of Boise.
Plans call for development of 50 acres on the 76-acre site. When completed, it will include 15,500 gravesites, an administration and maintenance building and a committal service shelter.
VA’s state cemetery grants program is a complement to VA’s system of national cemeteries. The grants have helped establish, expand or improve 49 operational state veterans cemeteries. Six additional cemeteries are under construction. The state veterans cemeteries provided 15,409 burials in fiscal year 2001. Since the program began in 1980, VA has awarded 123 grants for more than $148 million to 29 states, plus Guam.
Information about the grants program is available by contacting VA’s State Cemetery Grants Service at (202) 565-6801. Eligibility for burial in the Idaho State Veterans Cemetery will be based on the same criteria as burial in a VA national cemetery. More details may be obtained by calling the Idaho Department of Veterans Affairs at (208) 334-3513.
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.
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