Fiscal Year 2005 Performance and Accountability Report Published November 15, 2005
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Strategic Objective 3.5: Symbolic Expressions of Remembrance
Provide veterans and their families with timely and accurate symbolic expressions of remembrance.
Performance Trends and Impact of FY 2005 Results
Performance Trend |
FY 2005 Impact |
Key Measure: Percent of Graves in National Cemeteries Marked Within 60 Days of Interment
| |
2002 |
49% |
2003 |
72% |
2004 |
87% |
2005 Result |
94% |
2005 Plan |
88% |
2006 Plan |
89% |
Strategic Target |
90% |
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The amount of time it takes to mark the grave after an interment is extremely important to veterans and their families. The headstone or marker is a lasting memorial that serves as a focal point not only for present-day survivors, but also for future generations. In addition, it may bring a sense of closure to the grieving process to see the grave marked. The 2005 achievement not only represents continued improvement, but also indicates that VA is serving veterans and their families well in this area. |
Related Information
Major Management Challenges
Neither VA's Office of the Inspector General nor the Government Accountability Office identified any major management challenges related to this objective.
Program Evaluations
In 2005 NCA initiated a joint effort with VBA and VA;s Office of Policy, Planning, and Preparedness to begin a comprehensive program evaluation of the full array of burial benefits and services that VA provides to veterans and their families. The program evaluation will assess, develop, and update program outcomes, goals, and objectives and compare actual program results with established goals.
Program Assessment Rating Tool (PART) Evaluation
In relation to this strategic objective, the Administration conducted a PART evaluation of VA's Burial program during 2002, which resulted in a rating of "Moderately Effective." Please see Summary Table 3 for more information.
New Policies and Procedures
VA has developed a new performance measure that will help ensure timely and accurate symbolic expressions of remembrance are provided for veterans who are not buried in national cemeteries. NCA receives and processes applications to order headstones and markers for graves of such veterans. In 2005 (the baseline year), VA processed 13 percent of these applications within 20 days of receipt. VA;s long-range performance goal is to process 90 percent of the applications within 20 days of receipt.
Other Important Results
VA furnishes headstones and markers for the graves of eligible persons in national, state, other public, and private cemeteries. VA also furnishes memorial headstones and markers bearing the inscription "In Memory of" to memorialize eligible veterans whose remains were not recovered or identified, were buried at sea, donated to science, or cremated and scattered. VA furnishes headstones and markers for national cemeteries administered by the Department of the Army and the Department of the Interior, as well as for state veterans cemeteries, and contracts for all columbaria niche inscriptions at Arlington National Cemetery. In 2005 VA processed more than 363,000 applications for headstones and markers for placement in national, state, other public, or private cemeteries. Since 1973 VA has furnished nearly 9 million headstones and markers for the graves of veterans and other eligible persons.
Headstones and markers must be replaced when either the government or the contractor makes errors in the inscription, or if the headstone or marker is damaged during installation. When headstones and markers must be replaced, it further delays the final portion of the interment process, the placing of the headstone or marker at the gravesite. NCA will continue to improve accuracy and operational processes in order to reduce the number of inaccurate or damaged headstones and markers delivered to the gravesite. In 2005, 96 percent of headstones and markers were delivered undamaged and correctly inscribed. In 2005 inscription data for 99 percent of headstones and markers ordered by national cemeteries were accurate and complete. VA will continue to focus on business process reengineering, including improving accuracy and operational processes, in order to reduce delays in marking graves caused by inaccurate or damaged headstones and markers.
In 2005 VA issued nearly 488,000 Presidential Memorial Certificates (PMCs), bearing the President;s signature, to convey to the family of the veteran the gratitude of the Nation for the veteran;s service. To convey this gratitude, it is essential that the certificate be accurately inscribed. The accuracy rate for PMCs provided by VA is consistently 98 percent or better.
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