In order to achieve this objective, NCA must maintain occupied graves and developed acres in a manner befitting national shrines. Improvements in the appearance of burial grounds and historic structures are required for NCA to fulfill this commitment to maintain our national cemeteries as national shrines. Maintenance of columbaria includes cleaning stains from stone surfaces, maintaining the caulking and grouting between the units, and maintaining the surrounding walkways. Maintenance and repair projects involve over 560 buildings and 13,000 acres contained in 153 cemeterial installations. Cemetery acres that have been developed into burial areas and other areas no longer in a natural state also require regular maintenance.
All national cemeteries are important locations for patriotic and commemorative events.
NCA will continue to host ceremonies and memorial services at national cemeteries to honor those who made the supreme sacrifice. To preserve our Nation s history, NCA will continue to conduct educational tours and programs for schools and civic groups. NCA conducts surveys of the families of individuals who are interred in national cemeteries and of other visitors, to measure how the public perceives the appearance of the cemeteries. This information provides a gauge by which to assess maintenance conditions at individual cemeteries as well as the overall system. Information obtained from these surveys is analyzed to ensure NCA addresses those issues most important to its customers.