Date: January 5, 2016
From: Mr. Bruce D. Frail
National Graves Registration Officer at Sons of Union Veterans of the
Civil War
Providence, Rhode Island Area Research
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"The VA has tightened their control over
who can order government headstones. But, it can be done. The easiest way is to
do a Next of Kin (NOK) search to see if you can locate a NOK. If you can, ask
them to fill out the paperwork or write a letter to the VA stating who they are
and that they give you or your group the right to act on their behalf to order
the headstone. You will still need to get supporting documents, i.e. copies of
actual military or pension records, these need to be the records not
transcriptions of records and you will need to have someone to sign for the
headstone when it is delivered and you will need someone from the cemetery or
cemetery land owner to state they will allow the headstone to be installed.
If you are ordering for someone whose service ended prior to 1917 it
gets a little easier"
".....a letter from the VA to a
Congressman's office stating that the VA will allow people other than the NOK
to order for older veterans, i.e Pre-1917 which should be included with the
application for a headstone.
It is our hope that all people who wish to work on the graves of others
outside of their family would try to locate NOK to get permission before
touching the grave site."
(Letter below provided by Mr. Bruce D. Frail)
Email:
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Sons of the Union Veterans of the Civil War National Headquarters:
National Graves Registration
