National Cemetery Administration
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Receives Grant for Expansion of CNMI Veterans Cemetery
July 16, 2019
WASHINGTON – The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) National Cemetery Administration (NCA) announced today that it has awarded the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands a grant in the amount of $3,394,008 for the expansion and improvement of the CNMI Veterans Cemetery, Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands.
"Our state and tribal partners are critical in helping the National Cemetery Administration achieve our strategic goal of providing 95 percent of America's Veterans with convenient access to a burial option within 75 miles of their home" said Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs Randy Reeves. "Without territorial cemeteries like the CNMI Veterans Cemetery, we would be unable to deliver a viable burial option to the local Veteran community on Saipan."
This grant will fund the construction of 278 pre-placed crypts, 320 columbarium niches, memorial wall, an administration building, a maintenance and storage building, irrigation, landscaping and supporting infrastructure. The project will develop approximately 0.35 acres and serve approximately 1,000 Veterans, their spouses and eligible family members.
The closest national cemetery is National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, Hawaii, which is approximately 3,705 miles away.
The VA Veterans Cemetery Grants Program (VCGP) complements the 136 VA national cemeteries across the country. Since its inception 41 years ago, the VCGP has awarded grants totaling more than $816 million to establish, expand, improve, or operate and maintain 114 state, territorial and tribal Veterans cemeteries. These VA-funded cemeteries provided more than 39,000 burials in 2018.
For more information about the CNMI Veterans Cemetery, contact Epiphanio E. Cabrera, Jr., Administrator, Office of Grants Management, Office of Governor at 670-237-2220.
