USNA Cemetery Interment (Burial) and Inurnment Information
Those eligible for Interment (Burial) in the Naval Academy Cemetery are:
- Those graduates who have served on active duty with the rank of Rear Admiral or Brigadier General, or senior thereto, and such others as the Secretary of the Navy or the Superintendent may designate.
- Unremarried spouse of an officer or enlisted person of the Navy or Marine Corps who is buried or eligible to be buried in the Naval Academy Cemetery. In the event the spouse remarries, his or her eligibility is automatically terminated.
- Any officer, former officer, or enlisted person of the Navy or Marine Corps whose spouse is buried in the Naval Academy Cemetery.
- Distinguished Graduates of the Naval Academy.
Those eligible to make a reservation for burial, in Section 17 of the Cemetery, are:
- Graduates who have served on active duty with the rank of Rear Admiral, Brigadier General or senior
- Others as the Secretary of the Navy or Superintendent may designate.
Individual lots in section 17 are not reserved in advance. They are assigned sequentially at the time of need. Nothing in these regulations will change or alter cemetery reservations and commitments made under previous regulations.
Those eligible for Inurnment in the Naval Academy Columbarium are:
- All Naval Academy graduates.
- Unremarried widow of one inurned or eligible for inurnment in the Columbarium. Such inurnments will be in the same niche as the spouse.
- Unremarried widow of Naval Academy graduates who have no known grave.
- Distinguished Graduates of the Naval Academy.
- Others whose inurnment is specifically approved by the Superintendent.
USNA Procedures for Inurnment or Interment:
- Upon being informed that an eligible sponsor wishing to be interred or inurned in the USNA cemetery or columbarium is deceased, the Memorial Affairs Coordinator (MAC) will complete a Memorial Affairs Worksheet.
- The MAC will store all associated information in an organized filing system. The labels will be used to track receipt of necessary information and paperwork.
- Files will be properly maintained IAW Superintendent instructions.
- Upon receipt of remains to be interred or inurned, the MAC will:
- Verify the serial number noted on the cremation certificate matches the serial number on the cremains container. Match transit slips and any other documentation to ensure accuracy.
- In the event a family delivers cremains directly, a signed receipt form shall be included in the file for chain of custody documentation.
- Place the remains in secure temporary storage, at a minimum a door locked office space preferably with a locked cabinet.
- Complete and return original certificates if necessary, and maintain copies of certificates and transit slips in the deceased's assigned folder.
- Mark the appropriate blocks on the outside of the deceased's assigned folder.
- In the event no death certificate was received, the MAC will contact the family and funeral home for a copy of the death certificate. This certificate will be stored in the deceased's assigned folder.
- Ensure a custody transfer form is completed and maintained with signatures for all parties for receipt and transfer.
- The MAC will coordinate with the family, Public Works Officer, and USNA Chief of Staff (as needed) to make burial/inurnment and honors arrangements for the sponsor. The MAC will provide the next of kin with the required forms and information regarding restrictions on monuments and inscriptions.
- After interment/inurnment, the MAC will enter all appropriate data into CIMS and the USNA public database. All physical records will be scanned and converted to digital documents and be maintained by the MAC until disestablishment.
How to Contact the Memorial Affairs Coordinator:
- The USNA MAC is Anthony C. Whalen, CFSP
- His email is awhalen@usna.edu; phone (410) 293-1101 and Fax 410-293-4809
- More information is available on the USNA Cemetery Website
- USNA INSTRUCTION 11170.1K Naval Academy Cemetery and Columbarium provides additional detail
USNA Columbarium Urns are Available from Signcraft Annapolis
Contact Signcraft (contact data below) or the USNA Alumni Association MAC about personally designing and ordering an urn. Many options are available. This is FYI only and not an endorsement.
Signcraft Annapolis (Click to go to Website)
212 Renard CT, Suite 0
Annapolis, MD 21401
(410) 268-2008
(410) 268-2270 (FAX)
Updated: February 07, 2021
Curator: Ed Moore