MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Virginia -- Laying a loved one to rest can be a painful and stressful experience. While some struggle to move on, others may find tranquility, but in between those emotions, the Department of Veteran Affairs Cemetery Administration continues to honor and recognize the sacrifice veterans and their families have made to the nation through national memorials.
“Our goal is to make the families experience painless as we can,” said Scott Burner, program support assistant for the Quantico National Cemetery. “We have one opportunity to make a perfect service for their loved one. It is vital we get it right first, because we only have one chance.”
The Quantico National Cemetery, located in Triangle, Va. continues to be a final resting place for thousands of veterans who have served the nation. The 725-acre area was founded in 1983 and conducts more than 1,100 funerals annually, and is the resting place for more than 31,000 veterans that have interred and 4,449 veterans that have been cremated.
But, before its existence, the Department of Veterans Affairs reported the Common Wealth of Virginia used the land for Navy operations in 1775, and as a barrier point for the Confederate army during the Civil War in the 1800s. In addition the Department of Veterans Affairs, reported the United States Marine Corps donated 725 acres of land to the Veterans Affairs National Cemetery Administration in 1977 to create a facility at Marine Corps Quantico. The cemetery was officially dedicated on May 15, 1983.
The Quantico National Cemetery is open daily to the public for visitation from sunrise to sunset for 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Visitors are asked not to park on the grass and be respectful while viewing the cemetery. In addition to the Quantico National Cemetery, the facility manages the Culpepper, Staunton, Balls Bluff, Winchester and Alexandria national cemeteries. In total the Quantico National Cemetery manages more than 750 of land.
Each day the staff works to maintain the appearance and preserve the legacy of the cemetery. From cutting the grass, removing flowers at gravestones and removing trash, the staff put forth countless hours each week to ensure the cemetery is pristine.
“I served in the Navy and I have lost friends and loved ones myself, for me and everyone else that works here, this is our way of giving back to the families,” said Brunner.
Families who have questions about funeral plans or for information on the Quantico National Cemetery, visit http://tinyurl.com/l9s37rj or call 703-221-2183.
The Department of Veterans Affairs National Cemetery Administration safeguards 131 national cemeteries across the county in 39 state, including Puerto Rico.
Writer: twertz@quanticosentryonline.com