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Burial In National Cemeteries
Eligibility for burial in national cemeteries is now determined by the act of May 14, 1948 as amended by the act of September 14, 1959. Under the authority of these statutes, the Secretary of the Army, with the approval of the Secretary of Defense, has issued regulations defining the categories of persons entitled to burial in national cemeteries. There are separate rules of eligibility for Arlington National Cemetery andfor other national cemeteries.
Persons entitled to interment in national cemeteries otherthan Arlington National Cemetery:
(1)Members and former members of the Armed Forces:
Any member of the Armed Forces of the United States dying
on active duty; any former member whoselast active service
terminated honorably; or any citizen of the United States who,
during any war in which the United States has been or may
hereafter be engaged, served in the Armed Forces of any
government allied with the United States during that war, and
whose last active service terminated honorably by death or
otherwise, and who was a citizen of the United Statesat the
time of such service.
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(2)Members of reserve components: Any member of a
reserve component of the Armed Forces, the Army National
Guard,the Air National Guard,or theReserve Officer's
Training Corps of the Army, Navy, or Air Force who dies
while serving on active duty for training or performing full-
time service. Certain members of these organizations who die
while hospitalized or undergoing treatment at the expense of
the United States for injury or disease contracted or incurred
under honorable conditions while performing that duty or
service or traveling to or from that duty or service may also
be eligible.
(3)Commissioned officers of the Coast and Geodetic Sur
vey: Any commissioned officer of the Coast and Geodetic
Survey (now titled the Environmental Science Services Ad
ministration) who qualifies under the following subparagraphs
and who died in the service or after being honorably separated
