Strategic Goal: Contribute to the public health, socio-economic well being and history of the Nation. VA will support the public health of the Nation as a whole through medical research, medical education and training, and serve as a resource in the event of a national emergency or natural disaster; VA will support the socio-economic well being of the Nation through education, vocational rehabilitation, and home loan programs; and VA will preserve the memory and sense of patriotism of the Nation by maintaining national cemeteries as national shrines, and hosting patriotic and commemorative ceremonies and events.

Objective: Ensure that national cemeteries are shrines dedicated to preserving our Nation’s history, nurturing patriotism, and honoring the service and sacrifice veterans have made.

Performance Goal: Increase the percentage of survey respondents who rate national cemetery appearance as excellent to 88 percent.

NCA will continue to maintain the appearance of national cemeteries as national shrines, so bereaved family members are comforted when they come to the cemetery for the interment, or later to visit the grave(s) of their loved one(s). Our Nation’s veterans have earned the appreciation and respect not only of their friends and families, but also of the entire country and our allies. National cemeteries are enduring testimonials to that appreciation and should be places that provide veterans and their families a dignified burial and lasting memorial.

In order to achieve this objective, NCA must maintain occupied graves and developed acres in a manner befitting national shrines. Improvements in the appearance of burial grounds and historic structures are required for NCA to fulfill this commitment to maintain our national cemeteries as national shrines. In-ground gravesites (casket and cremain) require maintenance to correct ground sinkage and to keep the headstones and markers aligned. Maintenance of columbaria includes cleaning stains from stone surfaces, maintaining the caulking and grouting between the units, and maintaining the surrounding walkways. Maintenance and repair projects involve over 560 buildings and 13,000 acres contained in 153 cemeterial installations. These projects include maintenance and repair of roads, drives, parking lots, and walks; painting of buildings, fences and gates; and repair of roofs, walls, and irrigation and electrical systems. Cemetery acres that have been developed into burial areas and other areas no longer in a natural state also require regular maintenance.

All national cemeteries are important locations for patriotic and commemorative events. NCA will continue to host ceremonies and memorial services at national cemeteries to honor those who made the supreme sacrifice. To preserve our Nation’s history, NCA will continue to conduct educational tours and programs for schools and civic groups.

NCA conducts surveys of the families of individuals who are interred in national cemeteries and of other visitors, to measure how the public perceives the appearance of the cemeteries. This information provides a gauge by which to assess maintenance conditions at individual cemeteries as well as the overall system. Information obtained from these surveys is analyzed to ensure NCA addresses those issues most important to its customers. This approach provides us with data from the customer’s perspective, which is critical to developing our objectives and associated measures.

NCA will continue its partnerships with various VA and civic organizations that provide volunteers and other participants to assist in maintaining the appearance of national cemeteries. An Interagency Agreement with the Bureau of Prisons provides for the use of selected prisoners to perform work at national cemeteries. This agreement has provided a supplemental source of labor to assist in maintaining the national cemeteries. Under a joint venture with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), national cemeteries provide therapeutic work opportunities to veterans receiving treatment in the Compensated Work Therapy/Veterans Industries (CWT/VI) program. The national cemeteries are provided a supplemental work force while veterans have the opportunity to work for pay, regain lost work habits and learn new work skills.

There are no major management challenges that will affect achievement of this performance goal.

The source of these data is the NCA Visitor Comment Card Survey, an annual survey conducted for a period of 90 days. The measure for cemetery appearance is the percentage of respondents returning the comment card who rate the appearance of the cemetery as excellent. Respondents are asked to rate the appearance of cemetery grounds, headstones and markers, gravesites, and facilities. Cemetery appearance is considered the average of excellent scores in each of the four areas rated.

VA headquarters staff oversee the survey process and provide an annual report at the national level. NCA Area Office and cemetery level reports are provided for NCA management use.

(For additional information on this performance goal, refer to General Operating Expenses, Volume 4, Chapter 4.)