Arlington allows urns of specific size

Dear Sgt. Shaft:

I have a couple of questions:

• I’m pretty sure that Arlington National Cemetery allows the use of urns for veterans who have been cremated. Right?

• How does one get a Form 214?

Many thanks. Keep up the good work.

William Alex F, 97th Division

Dear Bill:

Arlington National Cemetery allows the use of urns. Urns being placed in the columbarium must be of a size that will fit into the dimensions of 10 inches wide, 13 inches high and 18 inches deep. Cremated remains also can be interred (ground burial).

Veterans and next of kin can request a free copy of the DD214 from the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) online request system (www. archives.gov/veterans/evetrecs), by mail or by fax. Requests by mail can be submitted by completing a Standard Form 180, Request Pertaining to Military Records, available online (at www.archives .gov/research/order/standard-form-180.pdf) or by submitting a letter to the NPRC requesting a copy of the DD214. Veterans and next of kin also can submit a request in writing to their local VA Regional Office for a copy from the claims file, if applicable.

Hard-copy requests can be faxed to the NPRC at 314/801-9195 or mailed to the following address: National Personnel Records Center, Military Personnel Records, 9700 Page Ave., St. Louis, MO 63132-5100.

If the DD214 is requested for a burial in a national cemetery operated by the Department of Veterans Affairs, the cemetery staff will work directly with the NPRC to obtain the required records for the service.

Shaft notes

• The Veterans’ Affairs economic opportunity subcommittee recently heard testimony on a number of bills aimed at improving education benefits for active-duty service members and members of the National Guard and Reserve forces.

Department of Veterans Affairs education and training benefits provide veterans and surviving dependents with the opportunity to improve their vocational and financial status. The original GI Bill is credited with helping millions of veterans achieve the American dream of homeownership and raising the economic standing of the entire nation after World War II.

A Shaft attaboy to Rep. John Boozman, Arkansas Republican, for his support and reiteration of his long-standing concern that only about 70 percent of eligible veterans take advantage of the benefit they have earned. He noted that many veterans who do not utilize the GI Bill fail to do so because they are unaware of the types of education and training that are available. Mr. Boozman also expressed resolve to make education benefits more flexible as a means to increase use by members of the Guard and Reserves.

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