Regulations last checked for updates: Nov 26, 2024

Title 32 - National Defense last revised: Nov 18, 2024
§ 553.19 - Ineligibility for interment, inurnment, or memorialization in an Army National Military Cemetery.

The following persons are not eligible for interment, inurnment, or memorialization in an Army National Military Cemetery:

(a) A father, mother, brother, sister, or in-law solely on the basis of his or her relationship to a primarily eligible person, even though the individual is:

(1) Dependent on the primarily eligible person for support; or

(2) A member of the primarily eligible person's household.

(b) A person whose last period of service was not characterized as an honorable discharge (e.g., a separation or discharge under general but honorable conditions, other than honorable conditions, a bad conduct discharge, a dishonorable discharge, or a dismissal), regardless of whether the person:

(1) Received any other veterans' benefits; or

(2) Was treated at a Department of Veterans Affairs hospital or died in such a hospital.

(c) A person who has volunteered for service with the U.S. Armed Forces, but has not yet entered on active duty.

(d) A former spouse whose marriage to the primarily eligible person ended in divorce.

(e) A spouse who predeceases the primarily eligible person and is interred or inurned in a location other than Arlington National Cemetery, and the primarily eligible person remarries.

(f) A divorced spouse of a primarily eligible person.

(g) Otherwise derivatively eligible persons, such as a spouse or minor child, if the primarily eligible person was not or will not be interred or inurned at Arlington National Cemetery.

(h) A service member who dies while on active duty, if the first General Courts Martial Convening Authority in the service member's chain of command determines that there is clear and convincing evidence that the service member engaged in conduct that would have resulted in a separation or discharge not characterized as an honorable discharge (e.g., a separation or discharge under general but honorable conditions, other than honorable conditions, a bad conduct discharge, a dishonorable discharge, or a dismissal) being imposed, but for the death of the service member.

(i) Animal remains. If animal remains are unintentionally commingled with human remains due to a natural disaster, unforeseen accident, act of war or terrorism, violent explosion, or similar incident, and such remains cannot be separated from the remains of an eligible person, then the remains may be interred or inurned with the eligible person, but the identity of the animal remains shall not be inscribed or identified on a niche, marker, headstone, or otherwise.

authority: 10 U.S.C. 985,1128,1481,1482,3013,4721; 24 U.S.C. 295a,412; 38 U.S.C. 2402 note, 2409-2411, 2413; 40 U.S.C. 9102; and Pub. L. 93-43, 87 Stat. 75
source: 81 FR 65877, Sept. 26, 2016, unless otherwise noted.
cite as: 32 CFR 553.19