{"id":56706,"date":"2023-12-05T13:30:00","date_gmt":"2023-12-05T14:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/?p=56706"},"modified":"2023-12-05T15:11:56","modified_gmt":"2023-12-05T15:11:56","slug":"no-veteran-is-forgotten-burial-memorial-and-honor-for-unclaimed-veterans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/?p=56706","title":{"rendered":"No Veteran Is Forgotten: Burial, memorial and honor for unclaimed Veterans"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>VA cares for those who served in our nation\u2019s military and their families, caregivers and survivors. Every eligible Veteran deserves a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cem.va.gov\/burial_benefits\/index.asp\" target=\"_blank\">dignified burial<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vlm.cem.va.gov\/\" target=\"_blank\">memorialization<\/a> to commemorate their service.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/news.va.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/12\/Service-for-UVR2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"532\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/news.va.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/12\/Service-for-UVR2.png\" alt=\"Men carrying casket at service for an unclaimed Veteran at the Texas State Veterans Cemetery at Abilene, July 13, 2022\n\" class=\"wp-image-126765\" srcset=\"https:\/\/news.va.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/12\/Service-for-UVR2.png?resize=350,296 350w, https:\/\/news.va.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/12\/Service-for-UVR2.png 532w\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Volunteers carry the casket during the service of an unclaimed Veteran at the Texas State Veterans Cemetery at Abilene, July 13, 2022.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>VA offers burial benefits to Veterans and their family members, including a grave in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cem.va.gov\/find-cemetery\/\" target=\"_blank\">national, state or tribal cemetery<\/a>, grave liner or vault, and perpetual care and maintenance. Whether interred in a national cemetery or elsewhere, every Veteran is entitled to:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.va.gov\/burials-memorials\/memorial-items\/headstones-markers-medallions\/\" target=\"_blank\">Government headstone, marker, or medallion<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.militaryonesource.mil\/resources\/tools\/military-funeral-honors-directory\/\" target=\"_blank\">Military honors<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.va.gov\/burials-memorials\/memorial-items\/presidential-memorial-certificates\/\" target=\"_blank\">Presidential Memorial Certificate<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.va.gov\/burials-memorials\/memorial-items\/burial-flags\/\" target=\"_blank\">Burial flag<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cem.va.gov\/VLM\/index.asp\" target=\"_blank\">Veterans Legacy Memorial<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If a Veteran does not have any next of kin to claim their remains and arrange for their interment after their death, VA can help coordinate a final resting place that is a lasting tribute to their service. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe are the voice of these Veterans who don\u2019t have a voice or an advocate,\u201d said Nathan Sanfilippo of VA\u2019s Veterans Experience Office (VEO), who co-led the Unclaimed Veterans Remains (UVR) Team.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Service-for-UVR3.png\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Service for 18 unclaimed Veterans at the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona, August 31, 2022.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Improving the Unclaimed Veterans Remains Program<\/h2>\n<p>In December 2021, VA\u2019s Office of Inspector General (OIG) released a report titled, \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.va.gov\/oig\/pubs\/VAOIG-19-09592-262.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">Improvements Needed to Ensure Final Disposition of Unclaimed Veterans\u2019 Remains<\/a>,\u201d with 11 recommendations. To address the OIG report\u2019s findings, VA established a UVR Team with stakeholders from across VA. The team\u2019s goal was to improve VA\u2019s management and oversight of UVR benefits and services. Ten of the 11 OIG recommendations have been resolved, with the final recommendation nearing resolution.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A single UVR Program office<\/h3>\n<p>VA\u2019s Pension and Fiduciary Service was designated as the UVR program office responsible for coordinating across VA offices to ensure every Veteran receives a dignified burial, including those whose remains are unclaimed.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">By the numbers<\/h3>\n<p>VA collaborated with the National Funeral Directors Association, National Association of Medical Examiners, and Cremation Association of North America on a survey to estimate the number of unclaimed Veterans awaiting burial, including those held at locations other than funeral homes. In 2018, VA estimated there were between 11,500 and 52,600 UVR at funeral homes nationwide, and the survey results now estimate there are approximately 20,298 UVR awaiting burial. In fiscal year 2023, VA interred more than 2,300 UVR in VA national cemeteries and VA grant-funded state and tribal Veterans cemeteries.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Service-for-UVR4.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"515\" height=\"368\" src=\"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Service-for-UVR4.png\" alt=\"Man in uniform saluting in front of cemetery burial chambers.\" class=\"wp-image-126769\" srcset=\"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Service-for-UVR4.png?resize=350,250 350w, https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Service-for-UVR4.png 515w\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Service for eight unclaimed Veterans at the Washington Crossing National Cemetery, June 30, 2022.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Systematically identifying UVR<\/h3>\n<p>During OIG\u2019s assessment, the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) sent OIG a list of 9,283 individuals whose remains were unclaimed. NamUs, overseen by the Department of Justice, is a national database of missing, unidentified and unclaimed persons. VA received this list in November 2023 and identified 480 UVR in the NamUs data. VA contacted known custodians of eligible UVR to offer interment in a national cemetery or, if remains had been otherwise interred, to update VA records accordingly. As a result of this effort, VA continues to work with partners to identify more UVR and provide them with dignified burials.<\/p>\n<p>VA also works with local coroner and medical examiners\u2019 offices on better processes for identifying indigent decedents to determine whether they are Veterans and eligible for UVR benefits and services. VA also successfully <a href=\"https:\/\/www.govinfo.gov\/content\/pkg\/CFR-2015-title38-vol2\/pdf\/CFR-2015-title38-vol2-sec38-628-.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">changed federal regulations<\/a> to simplify reimbursements for costs incurred for caskets or urns for unclaimed Veterans.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Helping UVR custodians with burial benefits<\/h3>\n<p>Sometimes it may be difficult for UVR custodians to know where to start with arranging for burial, so VA established several resources to help.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cem.va.gov\/facts\/Unclaimed_Veteran_Remains.asp\">VA\u2019s UVR webpage<\/a> for benefits and memorials provide custodians and others with helpful information, resources, and links to apply for burial benefits. VA conducts outreach and coordinates across VA teams to ensure dignified UVR burials. VA Regional Benefits Offices in each state have an Indigent Veterans and Unclaimed Remains Coordinator; VA\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.patientcare.va.gov\/#:~:text=The%20Office%20of%20Patient%20Care,care%2C%20recovery%20and%20palliative%20care.\" target=\"_blank\">Office of Patient Care<\/a> has a Survivors Assistance and Memorial Support (SAMS) program to help with information on available UVR benefits and to ensure unclaimed Veterans using VA health care receive dignified burials at a national or VA grant-funded cemetery.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Service-for-UVR5.png-3.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"763\" height=\"1017\" src=\"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Service-for-UVR5.png.jpg\" alt=\"Folded American flag set atop a concrete pillar.\" class=\"wp-image-126771\" srcset=\"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Service-for-UVR5.png-1.jpg,467 350w, https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Service-for-UVR5.png-2.jpg,973 730w, https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Service-for-UVR5.png-3.jpg 763w\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Burial flag presented at an interment ceremony at the Mountain Home National Cemetery, Tennessee, October 18, 2023<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Ensuring UVR receive burial benefits<\/h3>\n<p>National and VA grant-funded cemeteries routinely hold \u201cunaccompanied\u201d ceremonies for unclaimed Veterans and Veterans whose family are unable to attend an interment service. While there may not be next of kin at these ceremonies, they are usually well attended by the local military and civilian community. Many times, local community leaders and members also attend to respect those who have served. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe great thing is these Veterans and their service are not forgotten,\u201d said Thomas Spahr from VA\u2019s National Cemetery Administration.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Improving UVR oversight with modernized systems and efficient processes<\/h3>\n<p>VA established a system to process and track all requests for UVR burial and it coordinates across VA for burial arrangements. VA also modernized its system to more efficiently track UVR interment requests and burials, and facilitate efficient burial by reducing duplicate requests. VA teams are now coordinating more efficiently to ensure payments of UVR benefits are dispersed quickly and accurately.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Collaboratively ensuring care for all UVR<\/h3>\n<p>VA\u2019s highest honor is to care for those who have served, and we will ensure every Veteran receives the final dignity they have earned. If you are a UVR custodian\u2014or helping someone who is\u2014contact VA at 1-800-MyVA411 (1-800-698-2311) or the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 1-800-535-1117 to determine eligibility for burial in a VA national cemetery.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>VA cares for those who served in our nation\u2019s military and their families, caregivers and survivors. Every eligible Veteran deserves a dignified burial and memorialization to commemorate their service. Volunteers carry the casket during the service of an unclaimed Veteran at the Texas State Veterans Cemetery at Abilene, July 13, 2022. VA offers burial benefits [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":56708,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[639,311,846,847,51],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-56706","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-burial","category-memorial-affairs","category-national-cemeteries","category-uvr","category-vets-experience"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56706","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=56706"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56706\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":56717,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56706\/revisions\/56717"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/56708"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=56706"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=56706"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=56706"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}