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services, held in a Committal Service Shelter, are scheduled in advance
by the cemetery administrative staff.
A Public Information Center with Cortege Assembly Area may be
situated near the main cemetery entrance to provide a central point for
vehicles in a funeral procession to wait while the entire cortege assembles
and representatives receive final instructions before proceeding to the
Committal Service Shelter. The Public Information Center would normally
be occupied by cemetery personnel. In the absence of staff, visitors can
contact administrative personnel by telephone provided there. Cemetery
visitors would obtain gravesite locator information there and Public Rest
Rooms would be located there.
The sequence beginning at the cemetery entrance should place the
entrance to the Public Information Center and Rest Rooms adjacent to the
Cortege Assembly Area, and at a distance from the Committal Service
Shelters and Administration/Maintenance Complex, which should be
centrally located on the site.
Some maintenance tasks may be contracted for and the contractor(s)
provided with storage space within the Administration/Maintenance
Complex.
Functional Organization
The functions of a national cemetery include the operation and
maintenance of all aspects of the cemetery. National cemetery directors
and staff verify eligibility for burial, and then schedule the time and date of
interment with funeral directors. They attend to burials and gravesite care,
as well as the overall cemetery appearance, and host patriotic
ceremonies on Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and other special
occasions.. The users of cemetery facilities are typically:
Funeral attendees, including family members, funeral directors,
n
etc.
Public visitors,
n
Cemetery staff, including administrative, maintenance and other
n
visiting VA staff,
Volunteers, who provide honors at interment services and assist
n
cemetery staff in administration and maintenance activities, and
Contractors (maintenance and construction), sales
n
representatives and vendors.
VA Design Guide -- National Cemetery Administration
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