New burial rules seek to extend Arlington Cemetery lifespan

FALLS CHURCH, Va. (AP) - The Army is proposing new rules to significantly restrict eligibility for burial at Arlington National Cemetery, seeking to preserve a dwindling number of gravesites.

The Army says the new rules preserve the lifespan of the cemetery for another 150 years. Without new restrictions it says the cemetery would run out of space by the mid-2050s. More than 400,000 people are buried in the cemetery now, and 95,000 burial spaces remain.

Under the proposals, veterans who retired from active duty and were eligible for retirement pay would no longer be automatically eligible for in-ground burial. They would be eligible though for above-ground "inurnment" of cremated remains.

Those killed in action or who received awards such as the Purple Heart or Silver Star could still receive an in-ground burial. U.S. presidents and vice presidents also would retain eligibility.