1 National Cemetery Administration The American Legion August 26, 2006 National Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation Commission Richard A. Wannemacher, Jr. Acting Deputy Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs Department of Veterans Affairs

2 Mission The National Cemetery Administration honors veterans with final resting places in national shrines and with lasting tributes that commemorate their service to our Nation.

3 Responsibilities  Provide burial space for veterans and maintain cemeteries as National Shrines  Administer the Federal grants program for construction of state veterans cemeteries  Furnish headstones and markers  Administer the Presidential Memorial Certificate Program

4 National Cemetery Administration  1,523 FTE  123 national cemeteries  2.7 million gravesites  93,245 interments (FY 2005)

5 National Cemetery Administration FY 2005 – Memorial Programs 363,627 Headstones and Markers Provided 487,809 Presidential 487,809 Presidential Memorial Certificates Memorial Certificates

6 NCA Total Programs Budget $346 $328 $317 0 $400 Million FY04FY05FY06 FY07 Budget Request $353 $300 Million $200 Million $100 Million $143 million $148 million $150 million O&M $161 million

7 NCA Total Programs Budget - FY 06 Operations and Maintenance$150 Million Information Technology$ 4 Million Headstones, Markers, Allowances$ 41 Million Graveliners, OBR Reimbursements$ 30 Million State Cemetery Grants Program $ 32 Million Major Construction$ 65 Million Minor Construction $ 24 Million NCA Total Programs $346 Million

8 Projected Veteran Deaths Thousands War PeriodParticipantsLiving VeteransMedian Age WW I 4,734,000 < WW II16,112,000 3,526, Korean Conflict 5,720,000 3,257, Vietnam Era 9,200,000 8,055, Gulf War Era 2,322,000 4,378,000 36

9 NCA Strategy to Meet Burial Needs of Veterans Develop new cemeteriesDevelop new cemeteries Extend the service life of existing cemeteriesExtend the service life of existing cemeteries Encourage states to build veterans cemeteriesEncourage states to build veterans cemeteries

10 New National Cemeteries Sacramento Valley VA National Cemetery October 2007 South Florida National Cemetery Spring 2007 Georgia National Cemetery April 2006 National Cemetery of the Alleghenies August 2005 Great Lakes National Cemetery October 2005

11 Future National Cemeteries Sarasota area Bakersfield area Philadelphia area Birmingham area Jacksonville area Columbia/ Greenville, S.C. area

12 State Cemetery Grants Program  VA provides 100% of development costs  $258 million awarded in 150 grants since 1980  36 states, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands received grants  63 operational, 5 under construction  States provided 20,822 burials in FY 05

13 Meeting Burial Needs – Percent of Veteran Population Served* *within 75 miles of a national or state veterans cemetery 73.9% 75.2% 75.3% 77.1% 81.6% 83.8% 90% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% FY02 FY04FY06 FY10 FY03 FY05 FY07

14 Open National and State Cemeteries National Cemetery State Cemetery

15 1Riverside, CA8, Florida6, Calverton, NY6, Ft. Snelling, MN4, Jefferson Barracks, MO4, Ft. Sam Houston, TX3, Ft. Logan, CO3, Willamette, OR3, Nat. Mem. Cem. of Ariz.2, B/Gen Wm. C. Doyle, NJ2, Ten Most Active - FY 2005 Average RankVeterans CemeteryBurials Per Day

16 NCA Gravesites Maintained 550, , , , , ,000,000 2,400,000 2,800,000 3,200,000 3,600,000 Gravesites MaintainedVeteran Deaths

17 National Shrine Commitment An initiative to maintain the appearance of VA cemeteries in a manner befitting their status as National Shrines.

National Shrine Commitment Before Danville National Cemetery, IL After

National Shrine Commitment Before Wood National Cemetery, WI – Drain Marshy Area After

National Shrine Commitment Before Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, TX After

National Shrine Commitment Before National Cemetery of the Alleghenies Pennsylvania After

22 NCA will provide a lasting tribute to our Nation’s veterans by being mission driven, results oriented and customer focused.