In April 1980, the first 5,000-niche section of Arlington National Cemetery's Columbarium for cremated remains was opened for use. Eventually, 50,000 niches will be provided.

The Columbarium is in the southeast section of the Cemetery, about a half mile from the Memorial Gate.

Eligibility

Because of space limitation, ground burial in Arlington is quite restricted. The criteria for the Columbarium is more liberal and extended to all honorably discharged veterans. Those qualifying for inurnment include:

• Any member of the Armed Forces who dies on active duty
• Any person eligible for in-ground burial at Arlington National Cemetery
• Any former member of the armed forces who served on active duty (other than for training) and whose last service ended honorably
• Any former member of the armed forces retired from active duty
• Any member of a reserve component who dies while on active duty for training or performing full-time service under Title 32, United States Code; while performing authorized travel to or from that duty or service; while on authorized inactive-duty performed as a member of the Army National Guard or Air national Guard (23 USC 502); while hospitalized or being treated at the expense of the U.S. government for an injury or disease incurred or contracted while on that duty or service, performing that travel or inactive-duty training or undergoing that hospitalization or treatment at the expense of the United States
• Any citizen of the United States who, during any war in which the United States has been engaged, served in the armed forces of any government allied with the United States during that war, whose last service ended honorably by death or otherwise, and was a citizen of the United States at the time of entry into that service and at the time of death
• Any member of the Reserve Officers' Training Corps of the Army, Navy or Air Force whose death occurs while attending an authorized training camp; on an authorized practice cruise; performing authorized travel to or from that camp or cruise; or while hospitalized or receiving treatment at the expense of the United States for injury or disease incurred while attending that camp or cruise, performing that travel, or receiving that hospitalization or treatment at the expense of the United States
• Certain commissioned officers of the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration or the U.S. Public Health Service
• The spouse, minor children and certain adult children of those listed above
• A former member of a group certified as active military service for the purpose of receiving benefits by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs by the provisions of Section 401, Public Law 95-202

Those Not Eligible

• Parents, brothers, sisters, or in-laws -- even if they live with, or are dependents of, an eligible person
• A person whose last separation from the armed forces was under less-than-honorable conditions, even though he or she may receive veteran's benefits
• A person who has volunteered for the armed forces but has not entered upon active duty
• A remarried former spouse of a deceased service member (unless the remarriage is terminated by divorce from or death of the second spouse)

Dependents are not eligible unless the primary eligible person has been, or will be inurned in the Columbarium. This does not apply to cases where the primary eligible has been lost or buried at sea or officially determined to be permanently missing, or missing in action.

Columbarium Plaques

Each niche, which accommodates no more than two urns, is sealed with a marble plaque inscribed with the names, highest military grades and years of birth and death of those inurned. The plaques are automatically ordered when inurnment is requested and are provided at no cost. Neither flowers nor other commemorative items are allowed in the Columbarium.