§1488 Removal of Remains

Summary

The Secretary responsible may arrange to move remains from a military reservation cemetery that is closed or will be closed to any other cemetery. The Secretary may also move the remains of a deceased service member under their control, if the member’s last service ended honorably, from a temporary burial site or an abandoned grave or cemetery into a national cemetery. The Secretary of the Army can allow moving the remains of a Medal of Honor recipient with no known next of kin from an Army national military cemetery to another cemetery, or, with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs’ agreement, from a national cemetery into an Army national military cemetery. A move under these Army rules cannot happen unless the person asking for it proves there is no known next of kin or other person interested in the grave and agrees to pay all costs for removal and reburial. Army National Military Cemetery — a cemetery designated by law as an Army national military cemetery. Covered member of the armed forces — a service member who has received the Medal of Honor and has no known next of kin.