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VA Grant Expands West Hawaii State Veterans
Cemetery
August 21, 2007
Expansion Honors Commitment to Veterans
HONOLULU – To ensure Hawaii veterans continue to have a final resting
place that honors their service to the nation, a senior official of the
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) today announced the award of a
$743,035 grant to expand the West Hawaii Veterans Cemetery in Kona.
“With the expansion of this state veterans cemetery, VA ensures that
memorial benefits for Hawaii veterans will be available for many more
years,” said William F. Tuerk, VA’s under secretary for memorial
affairs. “We are proud to partner with the state of Hawaii to honor our
commitment to our nation’s veterans.”
Tuerk was joined by Sen. Daniel Inouye, Sen. Daniel Akaka and
representatives of Gov. Linda Lingle in making the announcement today in
Honolulu.
The grant will pay for the initial development of a new burial section,
including 306 full-casket burial sites, an automated irrigation system
and sod. Full development will include a committal service shelter, an
assembly area, an in-ground cremation burial section, a restroom
facility, a service yard with a covered storage area, supporting roads,
walkways and infrastructure.
Hawaii has seven other VA-funded state cemeteries: Hawaii State Veterans
Cemetery in Kaneohe; East Hawaii Veterans Cemetery I and Cemetery II in
Hilo; Kauai Veterans Cemetery in Hanapepe; Maui Veterans Cemetery in
Makawao; Molokai Veterans Cemetery in Hoolehua; and Lanai Veterans
Cemetery in Lanai City.
VA’s State Cemetery Grants Program complements VA’s 125 national
cemeteries across the country. The program helps states establish,
expand or improve state veterans cemeteries. To date, the VA program has
helped establish 66 veterans cemeteries in 34 states, Guam and the
Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, which provided more than 22,000
burials in fiscal year 2006. Since the program began in 1980, VA has
awarded 157 grants totaling over $287 million.
Information on VA burial benefits can be obtained from VA’s national
cemetery offices, from the Internet at
http://www.cem.va.gov or by calling VA regional offices
toll-free at 1-800-827-1000. Information about Hawaii’s state veterans
cemeteries can be obtained from the Hawaii Office of Veterans Service by
calling 808-433-0420.
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Larry Scott --
