Arlington National Cemetery

[Rustyt1953]

Until reading this article I had no idea that there are 22 million military personnel (active and veterans) eligible for burial at Arlington but there is only room for 95,000.

There is talk of narrowing the criteria and focusing on above ground urns. I will be curious, as time goes by, to see how they deal with this. It is one of the places I regret having not seen.

Arlington National Cemetery running out of room for veterans’ burials

 

[bigwheelzip]

We recently visited hubby's grandpa and uncle, interred at Long Island National Cemetery in Farmingdale NY, which has been closed to new burials for at least 30 years.

The are currently constructing above ground columbarium (vaults) for cremated remains.

 

[BB57]

My dad chose to be buried at the Black Hills National Cemetery. That was partly because it's peaceful and scenic, with deer and elk often in view on the ridge west of the cemetery. It was also partly because he figured I'd continue to be in the Black Hills and retire there. It didn't quite work that way as about a year later I transferred to DC and the 3 years later to NC, where I probably will retire.

The point here being that while there are 22 million vets eligible to be buried in Arlington and only 95,000 spots remaining, not all that many vets really want to be buried there, and there are a lot of other options.

 

[Rudi]

Arlington is such hallowed ground. I was just a kid when we went there. Made a big impression me.

 

[carpriver]

I have wanted to be cremated and in turned in a national cemetery my wife is also a 20 year vet we want be in turned in the same site. we have no family that are going to visit our graves. If I could have my way just turn me into ash and dump the ash into the land fill and be done with it. I see no sense in using good land to bury a person. we came from dust and to dust we will return. life is for the living the dead are gone and all to soon forgotten. the marble stone will soon be unreadable and the brass plate will also be unreadable. we are all soon forgotten.

 

[ancient-one]

I am going to be buried at Arlington but a different one, Arlington Memory Gardens in Midwest City. Tucked in beside my dear wife.

 

[STCM(SW)]

Both me and my wife, also a Vet, are to have our ashes interned at the
Veterans Memory Cemetery in Medical Lake Washington.
A nice place that I don't want to see alive again........

 

[Rustyt1953]

Ruthie has a spot on the mantel picked out for me.

 

[BB57]

I have wanted to be cremated and in turned in a national cemetery my wife is also a 20 year vet we want be in turned in the same site. we have no family that are going to visit our graves. If I could have my way just turn me into ash and dump the ash into the land fill and be done with it. I see no sense in using good land to bury a person. we came from dust and to dust we will return. life is for the living the dead are gone and all to soon forgotten. the marble stone will soon be unreadable and the brass plate will also be unreadable. we are all soon forgotten.

In about 3 billion years the sun will complete it mains sequence phases where it is fusing hydrogen at its core and it will start fusing the hydrogen in the shell around it's core which will cause the core to contract and the outer envelope to expand. The loss of solar mass by that time will also mean Earth's orbital distance will increase by about 150% of its present radius.

Unfortunately, by about 7 billion years from now, the sun's luminosity will have slowly increased to about 2700 times its present level. Consequently, the Earth will be cooked to a cinder and then eventually become an ocean of lava with a few floating metallic continents.

As the sun nears the end of its life in about 8 billion years, it will expand into a red giant with a diameter extending outside the orbits of Mercury and Venus. Tidal interaction with the sun will reduce Earth's orbital radius and drag from the chromosphere will cause the orbit to decay and the bits that have not been blown into space by then will be consumed when the metallic core of what it left of the earth falls into the the sun, increasing the suns metallic content by about 0.01% - the ultimate fate of our S&W revolvers, unless of course future collectors take them with them into interstellar space.

So...in the big picture, burial or cremation, it'll all be the same in the end.

 

[Tradewind36]

Such a hallowed place, I've been there many times. Both of my parents are buried at Arlington.

 

[Eagle 477]

When my mother left this life in 1973 My Father a WW II vet had her interned in a small rural Cemetery with a very rich history of veterans of wars from 1812 to present. My Dad foresaw the cemetery filling up at some time and purchased 8 plots as family. When Dad passed away 10 years ago. He was interned with full military Honor Guard, every veteran day and memorial day the cemetery is a sea of Red White and Blue.

Rob

 

[16thVACav]

For those who have never been to Arlington:

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4utXb3auOew[/ame]

 

[dave1918a2]

Here in CO at FT Logan They will bury three family members in one grave if cremated. I will be put with My Mom and Dad. If I move back to SD I will be cremated and interred a Ft Meade. I spent a few years standing at the flag pole there playing taps for the American Legion of Lead.

 

[Camster]

We recently visited hubby's grandpa and uncle, interred at Long Island National Cemetery in Farmingdale NY, which has been closed to new burials for at least 30 years.

The are currently constructing above ground columbarium (vaults) for cremated remains.

My family lives fairly close to Farmingdale.When my father passed 21 years ago, we utilized the next closest option, which is Calverton National Cemetery.
(My mother was also a veteran, but she chose to go to a family plot.)
Farmingdale and Calverton combined have in excess of 500,000.

 

[bigwheelzip]

My family lives fairly close to Farmingdale.When my father passed 21 years ago, we utilized the next closest option, which is Calverton National Cemetery.
(My mother was also a veteran, but she chose to go to a family plot.)
Farmingdale and Calverton combined have in excess of 500,000.

Calverton is an option, but it's good to see Farmingdale open some space for cremated remains. That long trip out east is tough for some seniors.

 

[RSBH44]

My father in law will hopefully be buried in Arlington. We currently have his ashes until my mother in law passes so that they can be buried together. She Is a Very spry 91 yrs. old, so we have a bit to wait yet. If they don’t have room left by then we will make arrangements to have them both buried at Saratoga National cemetery. Their second choice.

 

[HOUSTON RICK]

Arlington and the Vietnam Memorial are the two places you can go in DC to enjoy peace and quiet and think of how lucky you are to be a citizen here and what freedom costs.

 

[BRatliff]

I had the honor to witness the "changing of the guard" as a very young Boy Scout nearly 50 years ago. I still remember every detail as if it were yesterday.

My heart swells with pride and my eyes fill with tears each time I see it again. It truly must be seen in person to be appreciated. Everyone who considers themselves an American should see it in person to Honor those who gave their lives to make our way of life possible.

Best regards, Bob.

 

[eveled]

I was lucky enough to visit. It is a very beautiful yet somber place. The guards are amazing to watch.

What I remember most is how perfect the rows are it is almost mind bending to stand in the middle of a section and slowly turn in a circle looking down the rows. The precision is astounding.

On each stone is a religious symbol most are crosses or stars of David. But one stone I saw in the same place had the flaming ordnance bomb carved into it. I always wondered the back story on that one.