Cemeteries

Army Cemeteries

By Order of the Secretary of the Army:

JAMES C. MCCONVILLE
General, United States Army
Chief of Staff

Official:

KATHLEEN S. MILLER
Administrative Assistant
to the Secretary of the Army

History. This publication is an administrative revision. The portions affected are listed in the summary of change.

Summary. This regulation states the authority and prescribes policies, procedures, and responsibilities for the development, operation, maintenance, administration, and inspection of cemeteries for which the Department of the Army is responsible.

Applicability. This regulation applies to the Regular Army, the Army National Guard/Army National Guard of the United States, and the U.S. Army Reserve, unless otherwise stated. This regulation also applies to personnel of all headquarters and organizations leading and supporting cemeteries for which the Army is responsible, including Army national and post cemeteries; cemeteries and burial plots located on Army property that were originally established to inter enemy prisoners of war; Army cemeteries originally established to inter persons who died while criminally incarcerated; private cemeteries on Army property; and not otherwise defined cemeteries including within the Regular Army, U.S. Army Reserve, and cemeteries on Department of Defense property for which the U.S. Army National Guard is responsible.

Proponent and exception authority. The proponent of this regulation is the Executive Director, Office of Army Cemeteries. The proponent has the authority to approve exceptions or waivers to this regulation that are consistent with controlling law and regulations. The proponent may delegate this approval authority, in writing, to a division chief within the proponent agency or its direct reporting unit or field operating agency, in the grade of colonel or the civilian equivalent. Activities may request a waiver to this regulation by providing justification that includes a full analysis of the expected benefits and must include formal review by the activity's senior legal officer. All waiver requests will be endorsed by the commander or senior leader of the requesting activity and forwarded through their higher headquarters to the policy proponent. Refer to AR 25-30 for specific guidance.

Army internal control process. This regulation contains internal control provisions in accordance with AR 11-2 and identifies key internal controls that must be evaluated (see app C).

Supplementation. Supplementation of this regulation and establishment of command and local forms are prohibited without prior approval from the Executive Director, Office of Army Cemeteries, 1 Memorial Drive, Arlington, VA 22211-5003.

Suggested improvements. Users are invited to send comments and suggested improvements on DA FormDA FormDepartment of the Army form 2028 (Recommended Changes to Publications and Blank Forms) directly to the Executive Director, Office of Army Cemeteries, 1 Memorial Drive, Arlington, VA 22211-5003.

Committee management. AR 15-39 requires the proponent to justify establishing/continuing committee(s), coordinate draft publications, and coordinate changes in committee status with the Office of the Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Army, Analysis and Integration Cell (AAAI - CL), 105 Army Pentagon, Washington, DC 20310 - 0105. Further, if it is determined that an established "group" identified within this regulation later takes on the characteristics of a committee as found in AR 15-39, then the proponent will follow AR 15-39 requirements for establishing and continuing the group as a committee.

Distribution. This regulation is available in electronic media only and is intended for the Regular Army, the Army National Guard/Army National Guard of the United States, and the U.S. Army Reserve.

*This regulation supersedes AR 290-5, dated 1 September 1980 and AR 210-190, dated 16 February 2005.

The purpose of table B – 1 is to list all cemeteries for which the Army is or was responsible that are known at the time of this regulation’s publishing, except for individual “private” cemeteries that are maintained in the Army real property inventory. Commanders discovering cemeteries that meet the qualifications contained within this regulation, including as outlined in paragraph 1 – 7, but are not listed in this table should provide these details to Executive Director, Office of Army Cemeteries, 1 Memorial Avenue, Arlington, VA 22211 – 5003.