VA Provided URNS

A.   In June 2024 the Veterans Administration (VA) began offering a commemorative urn or plaque as a substitute for a headstone or niche marker at a cemetery.  VA policy regarding urns and memorial plaques states, ‘When a plaque or urn is chosen for a deceased Veteran, by law the veteran is no longer eligible for burial in a VA national cemetery. In addition, when an urn or memorial plaque is provided, the VA is, by law, prohibited from providing a government headstone, marker, or medallion for the Veteran. The plaque or urn becomes the property of the recipient upon receipt.’ The NHSVC policy will be the same as the VA; therefore, upon receipt of an urn or memorial plaque, a veteran is no longer eligible for interment at the NHSVC.

B.   Eligible dependents are not eligible to receive an urn or memorial plaque and therefore remain eligible for interment at the NHSVC, even if the veteran is no longer eligible for interment due to receipt of an urn or memorial plaque.  

C.   Please contact the NHSVC staff with any questions or concerns prior to deciding to receive a VA provided urn or plaque.