What: Open House that will include Historical Tours of the Cemetery, Discussion on Veteran Benefits and PreNeed Eligibility, Military Honors and Committal Service information, and tour of casket (crypt) section, columbarium, and cemetery equipment
Who: Staff of Rock Island National Cemetery, VBA representative, Vet Center Representative, Honor Guard, Bugler
When: Wednesday, October 4th, 2017 from 3:00 to 6:00 pm
Where: Rock Island National Cemetery several stations throughout the cemetery
Contact: Sue Nan Jehlen, Cemetery Director
Chris Hickey, Assistant Cemetery Director
Gloria Dzekunskas, Budget Analyst
Office: 309-782-2094
BACKGROUND:
Rock Island National Cemetery invites Veterans and spouses, Veteran Service Officers, Funeral Home Directors and staff, our Congressional members, and the public to the first Open House. During this Open House, Historical Tours will be given as the cemetery was established in 1863 and has two Medal of Honor recipients and other notable burials (tours will begin at the Memorial Walkway). Visit our Administration building to find out information on Veterans benefits and PreNeed Eligibility for burial program. Stop by Committal Shelter 1 for Military Honors and information on a Committal Service. Also, driver over to Section 5 and see our casket burial section crypt and equipment used at the cemetery, as well as visit our Columbarium wall for cremations.
VA operates 135 national cemeteries, one national Veterans burial ground and 33 soldiers’ lots and monument sites in 40 states and Puerto Rico. More than 4 million Americans, including Veterans of every war and conflict, are buried in VA’s national cemeteries. VA also provides funding to establish, expand, improve, and maintain 105 Veterans cemeteries in 45 states and territories including tribal trust lands, Guam, and Saipan. For Veterans not buried in a VA national cemetery, VA provides headstones, markers or medallions to commemorate their service. In 2016, VA honored more than 353,000 Veterans and their loved ones with memorial benefits in national, state, tribal and private cemeteries.
Information on VA burial benefits is available from local national cemetery offices, from the Internet at www.cem.va.gov, or by calling VA regional offices toll-free at 800-827-1000. To make burial arrangements at any open VA national cemetery at the time of need, call the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 800-535-1117. ###