Arlington National Cemetery Question

[ThomWV]

Yesterday I mentioned to my wife that both my mother and my younger sister are buried at Arlington National Cemetery. I suppose somewhere deep in her mind she knew that (my sister died before my wife and I met), but it had never registered. She was very much suprised.

It never occurred to me to be unusual to have a close family member buried there (a couple of uncles and one cousin are there too). Do some of you have close kin there?

[LNM]

1. Were your mother and sister veterans?

Is it correct that you have to be a vet to be buried there or am I misinformed?

[Midlodemocrat]

2. I think you can also be related to a vet.

as in spouse, child, etc. But I might have misunderstood the funeral director who helped us last week with my husband's dad's service.

[LibertyLover]

3. Not a family member

although I have several close family members who were or will be when they die, eligible for interment at Arlington. However I do have two very good friends buried there - my high priestess and her husband. In fact the interment for my high priestess was just a week ago. If the family cound consist of kin by both blood and by choice, Rosemary was a second mother to me.

[Smooth Operator]

4. from Military.com

I have nobody buried there.

Any active duty member of the Armed Forces (except those members serving on active duty for training only).
Any veteran who is retired from active military service with the Armed Forces.
Any veteran who is retired from the Reserves is eligible upon reaching age 60 and drawing retired pay; and who served a period of active duty (other than for training).
Any former member of the Armed Forces separated honorably prior to October 1, 1949 for medical reasons and who was rated at 30% or greater disabled effective on the day of discharge.
Any former member of the Armed Forces who has been awarded one of the following decorations:
Medal of Honor
Distinguished Service Cross (Navy Cross or Air Force Cross)
Distinguished Service Medal
Silver Star
Purple Heart
The President of the United States or any former President of the United States.
Any former member of the Armed Forces who served on active duty (other than for training) and who held any of the following positions:
An elective office of the U.S. Government
Office of the Chief Justice of the United States or of an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.
An office listed, at the time the person held the position, in 5 USC 5312 or 5313 (Levels I and II of the Executive Schedule).
The chief of a mission who was at any time during his/her tenure classified in Class I under the provisions of Section 411, Act of 13 August 1946, 60 Stat. 1002, as amended (22 USC 866) or as listed in State Department memorandum dated March 21, 1988.
Any former prisoner of war who, while a prisoner of war, served honorably in the active military, naval, or air service, whose last period of military, naval or air service terminated honorably and who died on or after November 30, 1993. i. The spouse, widow or widower, minor child, or permanently dependent child, and certain unmarried adult children of any of the above eligible veterans.
The widow or widower of:
a member of the Armed Forces who was lost or buried at sea or officially determined to be missing in action.
a member of the Armed Forces who is interred in a US military cemetery overseas that is maintained by the American Battle Monuments Commission.
a member of the Armed Forces who is interred in Arlington National Cemetery as part of a group burial.
The surviving spouse, minor child, or permanently dependent child of any person already buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
The parents of a minor child, or permanently dependent child whose remains, based on the eligibility of a parent, are already buried in ANC. A spouse divorced from the primary eligible, or widowed and remarried, is not eligible for interment.
Provided certain conditions are met, a former member of the Armed Forces may be buried in the same grave with a close relative who is already buried and is the primary eligible.

[u4ic]

7. Welcome to DU, Smooth Operator!

:toast:

[lpbk2713]

8. That would piss me off no end.

If Smirky were to be buried at Arlington upon his demise.

He has nothing in common with the distinguished vets buried there.

[JohnKleeb]

10. He probably won't be

Only two US prseidents are buried there: JFK and Taft I believe. My best guess is Bush will be buried near the Bush library, yeah funny I know. To answer the OP's question, yes I do have a relative interred at Arlington.

[BrotherBuzz]

5. Uncle and one quarter of my aunt are entombed there.

[bikebloke]

6. Kin are allowed.

I was there doing some Spring photography and noticed the names of spouses and children carved on the back of some headstones. Before, I thought it was just for military personnel.

Playing the Google game of entering people from my past, I found a cousin's obituary. He was buried there. I never knew he went to Vietnam.

[wain]

9. My uncle and aunt

are both buried at Arlington. I attended both their services. My uncle was a WWII bomber pilot in the European campaign and died of polio after many years of struggle.

During Vietnam I was stationed at the Bureau of Naval Personnel which bordered the cemetery. My fellow sailors and I took many a quiet and reverent walk through the cemetery. Truly beautiful and emotionally moving experiences.

:)