1 1 Timothy Spain Director, First Notice of Death Office October 22-26, 2012 Tribal Veterans Representative Annual Training

% of Veterans Served Fiscal Year *By an open national, state or tribal Veterans cemetery within 75 miles of home 2

National Cemetery Administration 131 National Cemeteries (91 Open, 40 Closed) Build New Cemeteries Expand Existing Cemeteries Urban Initiative Rural Initiative 3

Build New Cemeteries Eastern NE area Western FL area East Central FL area Northwestern NY area South Central CO area New National Cemetery 4

Expand Existing Cemeteries Install Crypt Burial Sections Construct Columbaria Acquire Adjacent Land New Columbarium Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, St. Louis, MO 5

Benefits of Pre-Placed Crypts 6 Puerto Rico National Cemetery, Bayamon, PR

Urban Initiative New York City area Los Angeles area Chicago area San Francisco area Urban Initiative Columbarium-only Sites Indianapolis area 7

Rural Initiative MT ID WY NV UT ND WI ME National Veterans Burial Grounds 8

Memorial Programs Service FY 12 Projections – Headstones and Markers – 342,687 – Medallions – 6,940 – Total – 349,627 9

Newest Emblems of Belief 10 HumanistLuther Rose Four DirectionsMedicine Wheel Church of Nazarene Landing Eagle

Apprenticeship Program for Homeless Veterans Year-long, paid employment training leading to full-time employment In areas with large numbers of homeless Vets (FL, PR, TN, TX) First class in 2012; permanent program by 2014 Apprenticeship Program training will be modeled on NCA’s Caretaker Course 11

12 Veteran Cemetery Grants Service

13 Veterans Cemetery Grants Service Established 1978 Assist states, territories and tribal governments to establish, expand & improve Veteran cemeteries FY 2013 President’s Budget: $46 Million

14 Veterans Cemetery Grants Service VA provides 100% of development costs More than $529 million awarded since cemeteries in 41 states, Guam & Saipan 6 new cemeteries under construction More than 31,500 interments in FY 2012 Massachusetts Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery – Agawam, MA Southern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery – Union Grove WI

15 Newest State Cemeteries Birdeye, Arkansas – Opened February 15, 2012 Leesville, Louisiana – Opened February 29, 2012 Charleston, West Virginia – Opened May 28, 2012

16 New Cemeteries Opened From 2005 to Redding, CASaipanRadcliff, KYAdel, IAManhattan, KS Medical Lake, WAAlliance, NELeesville, LA Killeen, TXMission, TXKeithville, LAMissoula, MTAbilene, TX Fort Leonard Wood, MO Dublin, VABirdeye, AR Anderson, SC Williamstown, KY Springvale, MENewton, MS Charleston, WV Glennville, GA Greenup, KYKnoxville, TN Tucson, AZ (Pascua Yaqui Tribe) Corpus Christi, TX

17 Rosebud, SD – Spring 2013 (Rosebud Sioux Tribe) Humboldt, CA – Spring 2013 (Yurok Tribe) Aguadilla, PR – Spring 2013 Spanish Fort, AL – Spring 2013 Covington, LA – Winter 2014 Pine Ridge, SD – Winter 2014 (Oglala Sioux Tribe) New Cemeteries Under Construction - Opening

18 Process Overview (Grant Cycle) Submit grant pre-application to VA (due 01JUL) – Matching Funds & Legislation/Resolution (due 15AUG) VA Prioritizes grant pre-applications (30SEP) Congress authorizes/approves Federal Budget (01OCT) VA develops Operating Plan (using approved annual budget) – VA sends Grant Opportunity/Regret letters to states/tribes Design/Bid Process (range 4-8 months) – Architect & Engineering firm hired; collaborate with Project Managers – Land acquisition/Environmental Assessments/Geotechnical Analysis – Iterative process for site design development, review, approval – Construction bids obtained; lowest cost bid selected Submit final grant application to VA VA reviews/approves grant Site construction/development – Reimbursement as project progresses

19 Priority 1 – (Burial Option Depletion < 5 yrs) Projects for gravesite expansion or improvements that are needed to continue service at an existing veterans cemetery. This includes phased development of currently undeveloped land. Priority 2 - Projects for the establishment of new cemeteries. Priority 3 - (Burial Option Depletion > 5 yrs) Planned phased gravesite developments prior to need. Priority 4 - Other improvements to cemetery appearance or infrastructure, such as building expansion and upgrades to roads and irrigation systems that are not directly related to the development of new gravesites. Project Priority Groups

20 FY 2013 Priority List 95 Total Preapplications - value $276M 16 New Preapplications - value $35.9M 25 Establish New Cemeteries - 8 with Design Development Funding 6 Tribal Gov. Preapplications Signed by VA Secretary Shinseki on 9/27/12

21 Public Law American Indian Tribal Government Grants

22 Awarded in the same manner as states 564 Federally recognized Tribal Governments Significant interest Opportunity to serve more veterans Addressing cultural differences Tribal Government Grants

23 FY 2008 first contact w/Federally recognized Tribal Governments 6 Grant Preapplications on the FY 2013 Priority List Four Tribal Government grants awarded since FY Rosebud Sioux Tribe (SD) -$6.9M New establishment -Grant awarded 8/15/11 -Yurok Tribe (CA) -$3.3M New establishment -Grant awarded 9/9/11 -Pascua Yaqui Tribe (AZ) -$322K New establishment -Grant awarded 9/9/11 -Opened/Dedicated 11/11/11 -Oglala Sioux Tribe (SD) -$6.5M New establishment -Grant awarded 9/7/12 Tribal Government Grants

2013 Priority List Ranking of Tribal Government Construction Grants #26 OK Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, Wewoka, Oklahoma estimated grant $1M (offered grant opportunity for 2013) #27 CA Big Sandy Rancheria, Auberry, California estimated grant $550K (offered grant opportunity for 2013) #78 AZ Navajo Nation, Chinle, Arizona estimated grant $9.6M #81 OK Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma, Pawnee, Oklahoma estimated grant $1.9M #82 NV Fallon Pauite-Shoshone Tribe, Fallon, Nevada estimated grant $1.2M #83 CA Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians, Tuolumne, California estimated grant $57,000

First Operational Tribal Cemetery Monte Calvario Cemetery Tucson, Arizona Pascua Yaqui Tribe Dedication: November 11, 2011 Opened: November 11, 2011

Monte Calvario Cemetery Grant awarded in FY 2011 for $322,554 Existing cemetery, funded Veterans Section of cemetery Grant funded the construction of full casketed gravesites, landscaping, and supporting infrastructure. Provides a burial option to approximately 188 unserved Pascua Yaqui Tribe Veterans and their families.

Grant Requirements Granted only to states, federally recognized tribal government, or U.S. territories 100% of the development cost for an approved project VA can provide for operating equipment for new cemeteries VA does not provide for acquisition of land Tribal government cemeteries must be on tribal trust land The cemetery should consider a 50 year life span at minimum, however our program develops in 10 year increments Must conform to NCA standards and guidelines for site selection, planning and construction

Operations and Maintenance Cemeteries must be operated solely for the burial of service members who die on active duty, veterans, and their eligible spouses and dependent children Maintained and operated according to the operational standards and measures of NCA Administration, operation, and maintenance is solely the responsibility of the state, territory or tribal government. State or Tribal Government will receive $700 Plot Allowance for each Veteran interred. – Benefit administered by Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), must apply via VA Regional Office – Most States use plot allowance and charges for dependent burials for cemetery operations.

Grants Process 1.Submit pre-application through grants.gov by July 1 st for consideration the following fiscal year 2.Grant Opportunity can be searched by CFDA Once submitted, we mail and viability letter to contact listed on pre-application with next steps

Grants Process continued… Next Steps To rank high on the Priority List projects must have the following: State or Tribal Matching Funds State Legislation or Tribal Resolution supporting the project

State or Tribal Matching Funds Matching Funds are 10% of the estimated construction costs Matching Funds are reimbursable at the time of grant award Matching Funds are used to develop plans, drawings, and specifications Complete VA Form located on internet ( pdf)

Legislation/Tribal Resolution Legislation must include commitment to own, operate and maintain a Veterans Cemetery in accordance with National Cemetery Administration’s Guidelines

Important Dates July 1 st All pre-applications must be in grants.gov by July 1 st to be considered for 2013 funding August 15 th Legislation and Matching Funds must be received by VCGS for highest ranking possible on Priority List

34 Public Law Operations and Maintenance Grants

35 Operations and Maintenance Grants NCA Appearance Standards Cleanliness of Headstones, Markers & Niche Covers Height & Alignment of Headstones & Markers Leveling Gravesites Turf Conditions

Background Information

Tribal Veterans Cemeteries Tribal Veteran Cemeteries aim to honor tribal customs and traditions – Use of tribal symbols – Conduct service longer than 15 minutes – Conduct graveside burials – Horse tie-up area at the committal service shelter – Area set aside for traditional scaffold burials

Residency Requirement vs. Tribal Requirement National cemeteries allow all eligible veterans to be interred at national cemeteries States have the option to have a residency requirement as an additional eligibility requirement for their cemetery. – Example: Must have lived in state for 2 years Tribal governments may use a tribal requirement – Example: Any Sioux veteran can be interred at cemetery

Maintenance Options Small Facilities  -The State of Texas provides personnel for the administrative duties and contracts the maintenance and operations portion of the work.  -Hawaii contracts with the Hawaii Department of Transportation for maintenance and the funeral homes perform services and interments.  -Puerto Rico will contract with the City of Aguadilla for operations and maintenance.  -Oglala Sioux Tribe plans to utilize staff from the Oglala Lakota College for maintenance.  -Rosebud Sioux Tribe plans to utilize existing staff from another department to perform maintenance.

 Joshua de Leon, Director (202)  Howard Orr, Project Manager (202)  Tom Paquelet, Project Manager (202)  LaQuisha Barnes, Program Specialist (202) VCGS Contact list