MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. -- A ribbon cutting ceremony was held for the opening of a new administration building at Quantico National Cemetery on March 26, 2014.
A new, environmentally and visitor-friendly administration office was built near the entrance of the cemetery to better serve customers and employees.
According to Steven E. Fezler, director at Quantico National Cemetery, a large percentage of the new building and the furniture inside was built from recycled materials. The buidling uses geothermal heating and air conditioning, and has a backup generator and voice-over-data telephones in case power goes down.
“Today we’re dedicating the ribbon cutting for the new admin building here at the cemetery,” said Steve Muro, the under secretary for Memorial Affairs, U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs and guest speaker. “The other admin building needed a lot of work. It wasn’t user friendly and it wasn’t accessible to the families that needed it.”
Fezler said that a cost comparison with the old administration building will be done after at least six months of electric bills from the new building are available.
Public restrooms are available as well as a cortege lane that allows 30 to 40 vehicles to come in and park. Visitors can stop at the building if they have any questions or for grave location information.
“I’m here with the honor to say we have a new building and we’re going to better serve the families of all the branches of service as well as the men and women who give their lives,” said Muro. “Whether they give it in combat, or they come home as veterans, having helped the country grow and then, later, pass on, they have a place to be. They and their loved ones will be honored.”
The new building has been in use for about two weeks as a testing and transition period. The old building will not go to waste. It will be remodeled and used as the finance office.
Correspondent: sarah.a.garcia@usmc.mil