VA Names New National Cemetery in Nevada
March 29, 2022
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced the name Elko National Cemetery for the new cemetery which will be built in Elko, Nevada.
"I am pleased to announce the name of the first VA national cemetery in Nevada," said VA Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs Matt Quinn. "With every new Veterans cemetery, we increase access across the nation for Veterans who want to be buried in a Veterans cemetery close to their home and loved ones. When this new cemetery opens, approximately 94% of America's Veterans will have a national, state, or tribal cemetery located within 75 miles of where they live."
VA relies on local Veterans and community leaders to submit name suggestions. Of the names submitted, "Elko National Cemetery" was nominated by several Veterans groups, had the support of Elko's mayor and Nevada's director of Veteran Services, and is consistent with the requirements specified in Title 38 United States Code § 531 requiring VA property to be named for the geographic area in which the facility is located.
The closest burial option for Veterans currently living in the Elko area is Snake River Canyon National Cemetery, located 169 miles away in Buhl, Idaho. Nevada has two in-state Veterans cemeteries, Northern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery located 254 miles away in Fernley, and Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery, located 457 miles away in Boulder City. The Utah Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Bluffdale is located 241 miles from Elko. There are currently 3,705 Veterans within a 75-mile radius of Elko.
VA purchased 15.37 acres of land, located south of Rocky Road and East of Jennings Way, in August 2021 for $900,000. Elko National Cemetery is scheduled to conduct its first interments in late 2024. The cemetery will be master planned and subsequently constructed in multiple phases. Each phase will provide 15 years of burial service. Phase 1 will include 600 gravesites.
For more information about this cemetery, call the National Cemetery Administration, Office of Public Affairs & Outreach at 202-632-8035.
