National Cemetery Administration

Hours (visitation and office hours): Cemetery-Open daily from sunrise to sunset. No offices are available at the cemetery. Please contact Alabama National Cemetery (Alabama National Cemetery office hours are Monday thru Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.)

Ft. McClellan EPW Cemetery is closed to new and second interments.

Burial in a national cemetery is open to all members of the armed forces who have met a minimum active duty service requirement and were discharged under conditions other than dishonorable.

A Veteran's spouse, widow or widower, minor dependent children, and under certain conditions, unmarried adult children with disabilities may also be eligible for burial. Eligible spouses and children may be buried even if they predecease the Veteran.

Members of the reserve components of the armed forces who die while on active duty or who die while on training duty, or were eligible for retired pay, may also be eligible for burial.

» Eligibility for Burial in a VA National Cemetery

Fax all discharge documentation to the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 1-866-900-6417 and follow-up with a phone call to 1-800-535-1117.

For information on scheduled burials in our national cemeteries, please go to the Daily Burial Schedule.

Between 1943 and 1946 Fort McClellan was used to house enemy prisoners of war, and the POW cemetery includes those who died while in captivity.

For educational materials and additional information on this cemetery, please visit the Education section, located below.

Our cemetery floral regulations exist only to reflect the honor and respect we hold for our Nation's Veterans, by preserving the dignity and solemnity of their final resting place.

Floral arrangements accompanying the casket or urn at the time of burial will be placed as follows, a maximum of three will be placed on the grave and the remainder will be placed at a central location.

The cemetery welcomes and encourages fresh-cut flowers throughout the year. Floral containers are located throughout the cemetery for public use and free of charge. Items left at grave side must be floral in nature and may not stand taller than the headstone.

Floral items and other decorations may not be secured to the headstone. Flowers will be removed when spent, for mowing and maintenance, or if damaged by weather or wildlife.

No permanent floral vases are permitted. Due to the open nature of the grounds, we cannot guarantee against theft, vandalism or the effects of nature.

Artificial flowers will be permitted during the period from October 1 through April 1.

Plantings will not be permitted on graves at any time. Potted plants will be permitted on graves during the period 10 days before and 10 days after Easter Sunday, Memorial Day, Veterans Day and Christmas.

Holiday wreaths or grave blankets are permitted on graves from December 15 through January 10 and will be removed not later than January 20 of each year. Grave floral blankets may not be larger than two by three feet.

Permanent plantings, statues, vigil lights, breakable objects and similar items are not permitted on the graves. Hazardous materials, glass, metal, toys, candles, balloons and flags are not permitted.

The Department of Veterans Affairs does not permit adornments which are considered offensive, inconsistent with the dignity of the cemetery or considered hazardous to cemetery personnel. For example, items incorporating beads or wires may become entangled in mowers or other equipment and cause injury. Unauthorized items will be removed immediately. The cemetery does not keep any unauthorized decorations once they have been removed from the grave.

In order to preserve the dignity and honor of our Veteran's final resting place, please observe the following rules of behavior while visiting the cemetery grounds:

• Pets are not allowed on the cemetery grounds at any time.
• No soliciting.
• Sports or recreational activities of any kind are prohibited.
• No picnicking.
• Public gatherings of a partisan nature are prohibited, no unauthorized gatherings are permitted. Committal shelters are for services only, no loitering.
• Littering is not allowed, please use one of the many receptacles provided.
• Smoking is not allowed on the grounds, in any building or the committal shelter. Please smoke only at the designated receptacles.
• No cutting, digging or otherwise damaging the landscape.
• Boisterous activity, including the playing of loud music, is prohibited.

Altering a headstone in any manner is prohibited. (i.e., marking, sitting on, placing objects upon, attaching photographs or keepsakes to, etc.)

These rules are covered by 38 CFR 1.218 and are subject to fines.

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