Troops who die on active duty but not in combat would no longer be eligible for burial at Arlington National Cemetery, according to a proposal.
WASHINGTON – Troops who die on active duty but not in combat would no longer be eligible for burial at Arlington National Cemetery, according to a proposal released Wednesday by the Army aimed at conserving space at the nation’s most hallowed ground for fallen troops.
The new criteria for burial include troops killed in combat, recipients of the Silver Star or a higher award, wounded who have received the Purple Heart, former prisoners of war, presidents and vice presidents, and combat veterans who have exceptional records of public service.The new eligibility rules at the cemetery also would allow certain veterans, including those from the World War II era, to be laid to rest at the cemetery in above-ground facilities.
“Arlington National Cemetery is a national shrine for all Americans, but especially those who have served our great nation,” McCarthy said in a statement. “We must ensure it can honor those we have lost for many years to come.”Congress mandated the proposed rule changes, which will be open to public comment. Without changes to eligibility, the 155-year-old cemetery would be filled to capacity sometime after 2050.
The cemetery occupies land once owned by George Washington Parke Custis, grandson of Martha Washington and step-grandson of George Washington. In 1857, Custis willed the property to his daughter Mary Anna Randolph Custis, whose husband was Robert E. Lee. Lee left the U.S. Army at the outset of the Civil War and led Confederate troops.
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