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The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), National Cemetery
Administration (NCA) values its partnership with you as we seek to honor the
service of Veterans and their families with VA memorial benefits. We
could not accomplish this task without your strong support. For that
reason, we are sending you this message so that you can help us inform Veteran
families of updated application and eligibility information for
Government-furnished headstones, markers, or medallions for placement in
private or local Government cemeteries.
Today, VA published a revised VA Form 40-1330, Claim for
Standard Government Headstone or Marker and VA Form 40-1330M, Claim for
a Government Medallion for Placement in a Private Cemetery. Both
forms are now available on VA’s website at www.va.gov/forms. All other versions of
the VA Form 40-1330 are obsolete. Please ensure the most current version
dated December 2017 is submitted. For your convenience, we have included a
direct link to both claim forms: https://www.va.gov/vaforms/va/pdf/VA40-1330.pdf
and https://www.va.gov/vaforms/va/pdf/VA40-1330M.pdf
Why Did We Change Our Forms?
The revision of the forms are primarily a result of two recent
changes in the law:
Headstones and Markers
Under 38 CFR 38.600(a)(1) only the following individuals may apply
for a burial headstone or marker:
1) a decedent’s family member;
2) a personal representative;
3) a representative of a Congressionally-chartered Veterans
Service Organization;
4) an employee of a state or local government whose official
responsibilities include serving Veterans;
5) any individual who is responsible, under the laws of a state or
locality, for the disposition of unclaimed remains or matters related to the
decedent’s interment or memorialization; or
6) any individual, if the dates of service of the Veteran ended
prior to April 6, 1917.
Note: For a memorial headstones and markers that commemorate the
memory of an eligible individual, the applicant must be a member of the
decedent’s family, 38 CFR 38.600(a)(2).
Medallions:
Public Law 114-315 authorizes VA to furnish a Government medallion
in lieu of a traditional Government headstone or marker to Veterans who
served on or after April 6, 1917, and whose grave in a private cemetery is
marked with a privately purchased headstone or marker.
What Was Changed On The Forms?
1. On the VA Form 40-1330, Claim for
Standard Government Headstone or Marker, we updated the selection box for
each eligible claimant (as identified under 38 CFR 38.600(a)(1)).
2. On the VA Form 40-1330M, Claim for a
Government Medallion for Placement in a Private Cemetery, we updated our
General Information Sheet to reflect that Veterans who served on or after April
6, 1917, and whose grave in a private cemetery is marked with a privately
purchased headstone or marker are eligible for a Government medallion.
Previously, only Veterans who died on or after November 1, 1990 were eligible
for the Government medallion.
Additionally, both forms now:
· Ask for
demographic information (which is optional) for statistical reporting purposes
only,
· Allow claimants
to request one or more Presidential Memorial Certificates, and
· Include a fax
cover sheet with a checklist for convenience.
Thank you for your understanding regarding this
matter. Should you have additional concerns regarding the headstone and
marker, and medallion claim forms, please contact us using our Inquiry Routing
& Information System https://iris.custhelp.com, so we can track
inquiries and respond promptly.
For information on VA
burial benefits, visit http://www.cem.va.gov or call (800) 827-1000. Please
look for our future e-mails on memorial benefits available for eligible
Veterans and spouses. Also, please encourage your friends and colleagues
to sign-up for notifications, future e-mail updates and information regarding
VA memorial benefits through GovDelivery at https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/usvanca/subscriber/new
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