NEBRASKA VETERANS CEMETERY: Nebraska's Senator Ben Nelson
introduced legislation S.2701on 4 MAR authorizing the
establishment of a new national cemetery for eastern Nebraska
in Bellevue. Current Veterans Affairs (VA) regulations
require a threshold of 170,000 eligible veterans living within a
75-mile radius of a proposed cemetery site to merit the
establishment of a new national veterans cemetery. An
independent analysis conducted by the Metropolitan Area Planning
Agency in Omaha estimates the number to be near 172,500,
while the VA estimate places the number of eligible people
closer to 133,000. Nebraska veterans and local officials have
pushed for the radius to be increased for the Bellevue
cemetery due to differences in the rural region. The
introduced legislation if approved would direct the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs to establish a national cemetery in
Bellevue. Both the Sarpy County Board and Omaha City Council have
supported the establishment of a national cemetery in
Bellevue. Both boards passed resolutions last year encouraging
federal officials to do what is necessary to push the VA and
authorize the cemetery. "By local estimation there are
33,000 World War II veterans in the Omaha metropolitan area.
Taking from national statistics, the average age of these
veterans is 83," said Steven Johnson, President of the
Memorial Ridge of the Midlands Foundation. "With the great numbers
of aging veterans, we feel an urgency to establish another
national cemetery in eastern Nebraska. Not only is it
necessary, but it would be a fitting gesture from a grateful
nation as a final resting place of honor for our brave men
and women who have served us. It would be instructive to
present and future generations to provide a place locally to
view nationally significant memorials permanently
commemorating the importance of their great service to this country."
A cemetery at Bellevue would be the second site in
Nebraska. At present the state only has the Fort McPherson
National Cemetery, 12004 S Spur 56A, Maxwell, NE 69151-1031
Tel (308) 582-4433/4616F or (888) 737-2800. This 20 acre
cemetery has space available to accommodate casketed and
cremated remains. The number of internments through 2006 were
8,615. Records of burials (7643) on file with the VA are
available at
http://www.interment.net/data/us/ne/lincoln/ftmcphnat/index.htm.
The site can be viewed at
http://www.rootsweb.com/~nephotos/monumts/mcphercem1.htm.
For additional info on this facility refer to
http://www.cem.va.gov/CEM/cems/nchp/ftmcpherson.asp.
[Source: Sen, Ben Nelson Press Release 5 Mar 08 ++]
Author
