North Dakota Veterans Cemetery

The cemetery office is open from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM CST Monday through Friday, except on State Holidays. The cemetery gates are open to visitors at any time. All committal services in the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery are conducted in our Interment Building unless the cemetery director approves other arrangements. Arrangements for pallbearers, military honors and religious services are to be made by your or the next of kin. The cemetery is not able to provide any of these services, however we are able to provide a list for veteran service organization (AP3) that perform military funeral honors.

 

Facilities for viewing remains are not provided at the cemetery. VIEWING OF REMAINS IS NOT ALLOWED AT THE CEMETERY UNLESS A SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCE IS DISCUSSED PRIOR TO THE FUNERAL WITH A CEMETERY REPRESENTATIVE.

 

Except in the case of cremations, the US Flag should be properly draped over the casket at the church or funeral home. Some families prefer the flag to be folded in a triangle when there is a casket spray. If the service at the cemetery has military funeral honors, or a veteran’s organization is performing honors, they will usually fold and present the flag to the next of kin or other designated individual. In the case when the flag is pre-folded, either casketed remains or cremation, proper procedure is to unfold and then refold the flag prior to presentation to the next of kin.

 

The use of concrete burial vaults or a concrete box is required. The contractual arrangements for the purchase of such vaults will be made by the next of kin with you or the vault company, as the case might be. If the vault is oversized the cemetery must be notified of the outside dimensions. Since some interments will be at the nine-foot level it is necessary that the vault or concrete box be substantial enough to support the weight of an additional vault and the earth above it.

 

Each grave at the cemetery will be marked with an upright granite headstone. A headstone is provided without charge for all veterans eligible for burial in the cemetery. This benefit also applies to National Guard or Reserve members who have at least 20 years of service. In addition, for the National Guard member that qualifies for burial at the cemetery but did not have 20-years of service, there is a $305.00 headstone fee.  If this is applicable, please call and verify whom the check should be made out to. We contract with vendors that may change every year and the check needs to be made out to the appropriate vendor, not the cemetery.

 

There is no charge for burial plots; however, there will be a burial fee for all non-military (spouse or dependent’s) interments. The charge is currently $300.00.

 

1. If the Veteran has pre-registered or we are performing a re-entry, we will already have the DD214/NGB22 or it’s equivalent on file. If the Veteran is not pre-registered, we will then need the appropriate discharge for the Veteran or eligible dependent/spouse if the Veteran is still surviving.

2. In the event the burial transit is out of state or we have a disinterment/re-interment form, please keep in mind we do need: Social Security Number, Point of Contact (Name, address, phone number), Date of Birth, Date of Death, and Father and Mother’s Names. This information is required to order the headstone.

3. Preferably email the obituary to us at vetcem@nd.ngb.army.mil if you have the capability.

4. The $305.00 headstone fee is required if we are interring a National Guard soldier with less than 20 years of service in. This would also apply to the National Guard Soldiers spouse/eligible dependent.

 

Please note: In the case of cremated remains, we ask you substitute the death certificate in lieu of or in addition to the burial transit permit! If you provide the above information to us prior to the service, we will create an informative memorial handbook for the family to receive at the time of burial.

 

SERVICES OFFERED

 

We would like you to be aware that we are expanding our services being offered. In addition to the memorial booklet, we also are offering the following two services:

 

We now have a tumbler that polishes the shells when a veteran has Military Funeral Honors (MFH). If the family wishes, please provide us with the shells and we will polish and mail them to the family. The polishing does take 1-day to do and we try to mail them out the following day.

 

We will be ordering a Presidential Memorial Certificate (PMC) for all Veterans the day of the service. A PMC is a paper certificate engraved with the late Veterans name and signed by the current president. This does take 45-60 days for the family to receive. We will be using the point of contact listed on the burial transit to sent it to.

 

Also, we like to keep each of you informed of any changes that are implemented at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery. Please either call, fax or email us with your most current email address and we can assure you prompt notification of any changes that may occur.

 

Active duty and retirees are entitled to Full Honors that can be provided by the active military components. For example, a 20-year retiree from the Air Force is entitled to Full Honors that can be provided by the Minot and Grand Forks Air Force Bases. An active duty or 20 year retiree from the National Guard is also eligible for Full Honors that can be supported by the North Dakota National Guard. In any case, if an active component is involved, they are authorized to travel to where ever the funeral may be.

Any retirees participating in Military Funeral Honors for a veteran are entitled to receive compensation for travel and a $50.00 stipend. If you have any retires involved within your community, please have them contact the Military Funeral Honors coordinator at the North Dakota Veteran Cemetery.

Please take time to visit the website for Military Funeral Honors at www.militaryfuneralhonors.osd.mil/. The website has useful information on the Military Funeral Honors (MFH) program.

For additional information or questions on eligibility, stipends etc. Please contact the Military Funeral Honors Operations Coordinator located at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery.

Contact information:

North Dakota Veterans Cemetery

1825 46^th St.

Mandan, ND 58554

Phone 701-667-1418

Cell 701-220-3086

Fax 701-667-1419

E-mail vetcem@nd.ngb.army.mil