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Timothy Spain Director, First Notice of Death Office October 22-26, 2012

Tribal Veterans Representative Annual Training. Timothy Spain Director, First Notice of Death Office October 22-26, 2012. 1. % of Veterans Served. Fiscal Year. *By an open national, state or tribal Veterans cemetery within 75 miles of home.

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Timothy Spain Director, First Notice of Death Office October 22-26, 2012

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  1. Tribal Veterans Representative Annual Training Timothy Spain Director, First Notice of Death Office October 22-26, 2012 1

  2. % of Veterans Served Fiscal Year *By an open national, state or tribal Veterans cemetery within 75 miles of home

  3. National Cemetery Administration131 National Cemeteries (91 Open, 40 Closed) • Build New Cemeteries • Expand Existing Cemeteries • Urban Initiative • Rural Initiative

  4. Build New Cemeteries Northwestern NY area Eastern NE area South Central CO area Western FL area East Central FL area New National Cemetery

  5. Expand Existing Cemeteries • Install Crypt Burial Sections • Construct Columbaria • Acquire Adjacent Land New Columbarium Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, St. Louis, MO

  6. Benefits of Pre-Placed Crypts Puerto Rico National Cemetery, Bayamon, PR

  7. Urban Initiative Chicago area San Francisco area New York City area Indianapolis area Los Angeles area Columbarium-only Sites Urban Initiative

  8. Rural Initiative MT ND ME ID WY WI UT NV National Veterans Burial Grounds

  9. Memorial Programs Service • FY 12 Projections • Headstones and Markers – 342,687 • Medallions – 6,940 • Total – 349,627

  10. Newest Emblems of Belief Humanist Luther Rose Church of Nazarene Four Directions Medicine Wheel Landing Eagle

  11. Apprenticeship Program for Homeless Veterans • Year-long, paid employment training leading to full-time employment • In areas with large numbers of homeless Vets (FL, PR, TN, TX) • First class in 2012; permanent program by 2014 Apprenticeship Program training will be modeled on NCA’s Caretaker Course

  12. Veteran Cemetery Grants Service

  13. Veterans Cemetery Grants Service • Established 1978 • Assist states, territories and tribal governments to establish, expand & improve Veteran cemeteries • FY 2013 President’s Budget: $46 Million

  14. Veterans Cemetery Grants Service Massachusetts Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery – Agawam, MA Southern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery – Union Grove WI • VA provides 100% of development costs • More than $529 million awarded since 1980 • 88 cemeteries in 41 states, Guam & Saipan • 6 new cemeteries under construction • More than 31,500 interments in FY 2012 14

  15. Newest State Cemeteries • Birdeye, Arkansas • Opened February 15, 2012 • Leesville, Louisiana • Opened February 29, 2012 • Charleston, West Virginia • Opened May 28, 2012

  16. New Cemeteries OpenedFrom 2005 to 2012

  17. New Cemeteries Under Construction - Opening • Rosebud, SD – Spring 2013 (Rosebud Sioux Tribe) • Humboldt, CA – Spring 2013 (Yurok Tribe) • Aguadilla, PR – Spring 2013 • Spanish Fort, AL – Spring 2013 • Covington, LA – Winter 2014 • Pine Ridge, SD – Winter 2014 (Oglala Sioux Tribe)

  18. Process Overview (Grant Cycle) • Submit grant pre-application to VA (due 01JUL) • Matching Funds & Legislation/Resolution (due 15AUG) • VA Prioritizes grant pre-applications (30SEP) • Congress authorizes/approves Federal Budget (01OCT) • VA develops Operating Plan (using approved annual budget) • VA sends Grant Opportunity/Regret letters to states/tribes • Design/Bid Process (range 4-8 months) • Architect & Engineering firm hired; collaborate with Project Managers • Land acquisition/Environmental Assessments/Geotechnical Analysis • Iterative process for site design development, review, approval • Construction bids obtained; lowest cost bid selected • Submit final grant application to VA • VA reviews/approves grant • Site construction/development • Reimbursement as project progresses

  19. Project Priority Groups Priority 1 – (Burial Option Depletion < 5 yrs) Projects for gravesite expansion or improvements that are needed to continue service at an existing veterans cemetery. This includes phased development of currently undeveloped land. Priority 2 - Projects for the establishment of new cemeteries. Priority 3 - (Burial Option Depletion > 5 yrs) Planned phased gravesite developments prior to need. Priority 4 - Other improvements to cemetery appearance or infrastructure, such as building expansion and upgrades to roads and irrigation systems that are not directly related to the development of new gravesites.

  20. FY 2013 Priority List • 95 Total Preapplications - value $276M • 16 New Preapplications - value $35.9M • 25 Establish New Cemeteries - 8 with Design Development Funding • 6 Tribal Gov. Preapplications • Signed by VA Secretary Shinseki on 9/27/12

  21. Public Law 109-461 American Indian Tribal Government Grants

  22. Tribal Government Grants • Awarded in the same manner as states • 564 Federally recognized Tribal Governments • Significant interest • Opportunity to serve more veterans • Addressing cultural differences

  23. Tribal Government Grants • FY 2008 first contact w/Federally recognized Tribal Governments • 6 Grant Preapplications on the FY 2013 Priority List • Four Tribal Government grants awarded since FY 2011 • -Rosebud Sioux Tribe (SD) • -$6.9M New establishment • -Grant awarded 8/15/11 • -Yurok Tribe (CA) • -$3.3M New establishment • -Grant awarded 9/9/11 • -Pascua Yaqui Tribe (AZ) • -$322K New establishment • -Grant awarded 9/9/11 • -Opened/Dedicated 11/11/11 • -Oglala Sioux Tribe (SD) • -$6.5M New establishment • -Grant awarded 9/7/12

  24. 2013 Priority List Ranking of Tribal Government Construction Grants • #26 OK-12-02 Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, Wewoka, Oklahoma estimated grant $1M (offered grant opportunity for 2013) • #27 CA-12-08 Big Sandy Rancheria, Auberry, California estimated grant $550K (offered grant opportunity for 2013) • #78 AZ-09-07 Navajo Nation, Chinle, Arizona estimated grant $9.6M • #81 OK-08-01 Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma, Pawnee, Oklahoma estimated grant $1.9M • #82 NV-09-12 Fallon Pauite-Shoshone Tribe, Fallon, Nevada estimated grant $1.2M • #83 CA-08-02  Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians, Tuolumne, California estimated grant $57,000

  25. First Operational Tribal CemeteryMonte Calvario Cemetery Tucson, Arizona Pascua Yaqui Tribe Dedication: November 11, 2011 Opened: November 11, 2011

  26. Monte Calvario Cemetery • Grant awarded in FY 2011 for $322,554 • Existing cemetery, funded Veterans Section of cemetery • Grant funded the construction of full casketed gravesites, landscaping, and supporting infrastructure. • Provides a burial option to approximately 188 unserved Pascua Yaqui Tribe Veterans and their families.

  27. Grant Requirements • Granted only to states, federally recognized tribal government, or U.S. territories • 100% of the development cost for an approved project • VA can provide for operating equipment for new cemeteries • VA does not provide for acquisition of land • Tribal government cemeteries must be on tribal trust land • The cemetery should consider a 50 year life span at minimum, however our program develops in 10 year increments • Must conform to NCA standards and guidelines for site selection, planning and construction

  28. Operations and Maintenance • Cemeteries must be operated solely for the burial of service members who die on active duty, veterans, and their eligible spouses and dependent children • Maintained and operated according to the operational standards and measures of NCA • Administration, operation, and maintenance is solely the responsibility of the state, territory or tribal government. • State or Tribal Government will receive $700 Plot Allowance for each Veteran interred. • Benefit administered by Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), must apply via VA Regional Office • Most States use plot allowance and charges for dependent burials for cemetery operations.

  29. Grants Process • Submit pre-application through grants.gov by July 1st for consideration the following fiscal year • Grant Opportunity can be searched by CFDA 64.203 • Once submitted, we mail and email viability letter to contact listed on pre-application with next steps

  30. Grants Process continued…Next Steps • To rank high on the Priority List projects must have the following: • State or Tribal Matching Funds • State Legislation or Tribal Resolution supporting the project

  31. State or Tribal Matching Funds • Matching Funds are 10% of the estimated construction costs • Matching Funds are reimbursable at the time of grant award • Matching Funds are used to develop plans, drawings, and specifications • Complete VA Form 40-0895-6 located on internet (http://www.va.gov/vaforms/va/pdf/VA40-0895-6.pdf)

  32. Legislation/Tribal Resolution Legislation must include commitment to own, operate and maintain a Veterans Cemetery in accordance with National Cemetery Administration’s Guidelines

  33. Important Dates • July 1st • All pre-applications must be in grants.gov by July 1st to be considered for 2013 funding • August 15th • Legislation and Matching Funds must be received by VCGS for highest ranking possible on Priority List

  34. Public Law 110-157 Operations and Maintenance Grants

  35. Operations and Maintenance Grants NCA Appearance Standards • Cleanliness of Headstones, Markers & Niche Covers • Height & Alignment of Headstones & Markers • Leveling Gravesites • Turf Conditions

  36. Background Information

  37. Tribal Veterans Cemeteries • Tribal Veteran Cemeteries aim to honor tribal customs and traditions • Use of tribal symbols • Conduct service longer than 15 minutes • Conduct graveside burials • Horse tie-up area at the committal service shelter • Area set aside for traditional scaffold burials

  38. Residency Requirement vs. Tribal Requirement • National cemeteries allow all eligible veterans to be interred at national cemeteries • States have the option to have a residency requirement as an additional eligibility requirement for their cemetery. • Example: Must have lived in state for 2 years • Tribal governments may use a tribal requirement • Example: Any Sioux veteran can be interred at cemetery

  39. Maintenance Options Small Facilities • -The State of Texas provides personnel for the administrative duties and contracts the maintenance and operations portion of the work. • -Hawaii contracts with the Hawaii Department of Transportation for maintenance and the funeral homes perform services and interments. • -Puerto Rico will contract with the City of Aguadilla for operations and maintenance. • -Oglala Sioux Tribe plans to utilize staff from the Oglala Lakota College for maintenance. • -Rosebud Sioux Tribe plans to utilize existing staff from another department to perform maintenance.

  40. VCGS Contact list • Joshua de Leon, Director joshua.deleon@va.gov (202) 632-7369 • Howard Orr, Project Manager howard.orr@va.gov (202) 632-7203 • Tom Paquelet, Project Manager thomas.paquelet@va.gov (202) 632-7202 • LaQuisha Barnes, Program Specialist laquisha.barnes@va.gov (202) 632-7201

  41. …“to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan”…

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