National Cemetery Administration

Visitation Hours: Open daily from sunrise to sunset.

Office Hours: Monday thru Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Closed federal holidays except Memorial Day and Veterans Day.

This cemetery has space available to accommodate casketed and cremated remains.

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.

A columbarium is also available for cremated remains.

The cemetery staff maintains a list of Veterans Service Organization units that may be contacted by the Funeral Home or Next of Kin to arrange a military honor group in addition to or in lieu of the Department of Defense Military Funeral Honors.

There are more than 323,000 veterans living in western Pennsylvania; the 292-acre national cemetery will serve the veterans and their families well into the next century. The cemetery is located approximately 20 miles southwest of downtown Pittsburgh.

Note: The cemetery is actually located in Washington County, Cecil Township, Cecil, PA.

The firm of Marshall-Tyler-Raush of Pittsburgh completed the master plan design and construction documents. Phase I construction was completed in July 2008 and the staff moved into their new facilities in August 2008.

Yearly events include a Memorial Day Ceremony held the Sunday before Memorial Day at 11:00 a.m. and a Veterans Day Ceremony held on Veterans Day at 11:00 a.m.

There is a Wreaths Across America Ceremony held each year in December. For more information about the Wreaths Across America program, date/time of the ceremony and to make donations you may go to their web site located at www.wreathsacrossamerica.org. Please note that the cemetery does not coordinate donations for the wreaths.

There is a gravesite locator (Kiosk) in the Public Information Building for those who may not know the location of a gravesite.

The cemetery has a Volunteer Program. If you are interested in volunteering in our Public Information Center or Administration Building, please contact the office for more information.

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

Visitation to the National Cemetery of the Alleghenies is from dawn until dusk every day. The cemetery office is open from 8:00 a.m. till 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday except holidays.

The cemetery employees believe that the National Cemetery of the Alleghenies is not only the resting place for your loved ones, but also a place for the living to treasure their memories in a peaceful and beautiful atmosphere.

It is our goal to preserve the dignity, beauty, and serenity of these hallowed grounds at the National Cemetery of the Alleghenies. We ask your assistance in reaching and maintaining these goals by adhering to the Floral Regulations.

Staff and weather permitting, a golf cart is available to transport handicapped/disabled individuals to the grave sites Monday through Friday, 8:00a.m. to 4:00 p.m., excluding Federal Holidays.

The Department of Veterans Affairs does not permit adornments that are considered offensive, inconsistent with the dignity of the cemetery or considered hazardous to cemetery personnel.

Floral Regulations – Traditional Gravesites
Only one floral arrangement that is accompanying the casket or urn at the time of burial will be placed on the completed gravesite.

Fresh cut flowers may be placed at the gravesite at any time. The National Cemetery of the Alleghenies will provide flower containers which are located in bins next to the burial sections.

Flowers will be removed from gravesites and disposed of by cemetery personnel when they become withered, faded, or otherwise unsightly or when it becomes necessary to facilitate cemetery operations such as mowing, internments or any renovations. Due to the open nature of the grounds, we cannot guarantee against theft, vandalism or the effects of nature.

To maintain the dignity of the cemetery, items left at the grave must be floral in nature and may not stand taller than the headstone. No permanent plantings are allowed. Other items, to include hazardous materials, glass, metal, toys, candles, vigil/votive lights, statues, wind chimes, balloons, pinwheels, decorative flags, breakable objects of any kind and similar commemorative items are not permitted. Unauthorized items will be removed.

Floral items and other types of decorations will not be secured to or placed on top of the headstone.

Artificial flowers will be permitted on gravesites during the period from October 10 through April 15; however, seasonal flower arrangements, such as Thanksgiving and Valentine's Day, will be removed 10 days after the holiday. Artificial flowers and potted plants will be permitted on gravesites 10 days before and 10 days after Easter Sunday and 10 days before and ten 10 days after Memorial Day.

During the Christmas Season, Christmas wreaths, grave floral blankets and other such Christmas floral arrangements will be permitted commencing December 1 and allowed to remain on the grave through January 20 of each year. Grave floral blankets may not be larger than 2 feet by 3 feet.

Floral Regulations – Columbarium
Only one floral arrangement accompanying the urn at the time of burial will be placed in the gravel area next to the appropriate niche.

Fresh cut flowers may be placed anytime. The National Cemetery of the Alleghenies will provide flower containers.

Flowers will be removed and disposed of by cemetery personnel when they become withered, faded, or otherwise unsightly or when it becomes necessary to facilitate cemetery operations such as maintenance or any renovations. Due to the open nature of the grounds, we cannot guarantee against theft, vandalism or the effects of nature.

To maintain the dignity of the cemetery, items left must be floral in nature. Other items, to include hazardous materials, glass, metal, toys, candles, vigil/votive lights, statues, wind chimes, balloons, pinwheels, decorative flags, breakable objects of any kind and similar commemorative items are not permitted. Unauthorized items will be removed.

Floral items and other types of decorations may not be secured to or placed on top of the Columbarium or niche cover.

Artificial flowers will be permitted throughout the year in the Columbarium area; however, seasonal flower arrangements, such as Thanksgiving and Valentine's Day will be removed 10 days after the holiday. Artificial flowers will be removed to perform cemetery maintenance, as required, or when they become faded or unsightly. Items removed from Columbarium will be placed in a holding area for one month prior to disposal.

Potted plants will be permitted 10 days before and 10 days after Easter Sunday and Memorial Day.

If you have any question you would like to address, please contact us at the above address. Together we can make these hallowed grounds of our Heroes and loved ones a place for everlasting rest and solitude for you and all our visitors.

Prior to the development of the National Cemetery, the site was continually farmed since the 1800s, and the region was the flash point of the historic Whisky Rebellion of 1794.

Burials at the National Cemetery began in August 2005 with the formal dedication taking place on October 9, 2005.

Monuments and Memorials
The cemetery has a memorial section in instances where there are no remains. Please contact the cemetery for further information and procedures to request a memorial headstone.

The cemetery features a Memorial Pathway that is lined with a variety of memorials that honor America's Veterans.