Take Arlington National Cemetery’s New Survey on Space Constraints

Take Arlington National Cemetery’s New Survey on Space Constraints
Andy Morataya/Defense Department

Leaders at Arlington National Cemetery want your feedback as officials grapple with preserving burial space on the sacred grounds.

Veterans, servicemembers and their families are invited to complete the cemetery's second survey on capacity issues. Arlington is expected to run out of burial space in about 23 years. There are currently about 27 funerals per day there.

"Your opinion matters - not only to us, but to our military and civilian leaders as they face a difficult future for our hallowed national shrine," Karen Durham-Aguilera, executive director of Army National Military Cemeteries, said in a statement about the survey.

MOAA has been closely tracking this issue. In March, Forrest Allen, MOAA's associate director of Government Relations, testified before Congress on the issue alongside members of other military and veterans service organizations.

Congress directed the Army to study options to keep Arlington National Cemetery an active military cemetery for years to come. That could include adding additional space or limiting burial to those injured or killed in combat, held as prisoners of war, or who earn certain valor awards.

MOAA polled its members on this issue in 2016. Of the nearly 7,000 members who completed that survey, most said there should be additional land expansions before burial eligibility was restricted. When space runs out, nearly 70 percent of MOAA respondents said the cemetery should be closed to future burials.

More than 28,000 people responded to Arlington's first survey on addressing the space limitations. After analyzing the results of first survey, cemetery leadership determined a need for further refinement requiring input from a second survey.

You can complete that survey here.