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Riverside National Cemetery
Support Committee
PO Box 7519, Redlands, CA 92375
Voice: 909-957-3982 – FAX: 909-874-0670
© 1978-2010
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Next Event: Memorial Day - Salute to Fallen Heroes May 28, 11:00 a.m., RNC Amphitheater Keynote Speaker: Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran SSgt. Octavio Gomez. Music by the Riverside Concert Band Donate To The Support Committee
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Requesting Services At The POW/MIA Memorial |
| 1. PURPOSE: To establish policy and procedures to request committal or memorial services at the POW/MIA Memorial. 2. POLICY a. POW/MIA Memorial: It is the policy of this national cemetery to assist funeral homes and families when the immediate next of kin wishes to hold a committal or memorial service at the POW/MIA Memorial. All requests will be considered, and every effort will be made to accommodate these requests. The cemetery point of contact for these requests will be the Director, Deputy Director, or Assistant Director of Riverside National Cemetery. 3. DEFINITIONS a. Committal Service: A short service (usually of 30 minutes' duration) conducted in preparation for committing the remains to the grave. A committal service is a final farewell, and does not fulfill the same function as a funeral service or celebration of life. Committal services usually include, but are not limited to, the family and friends of the deceased, and clergy. When the service is for a veteran, Department of Defense (000) military honors may be rendered at the request of the next of kin. Interment follows the completion of the committal service, and the gravesite or niche will be available for the family's visit at the cemetery's close of business. b. Memorial Service: A short service (usually of 30 minutes' duration) conducted to memorialize the decedent. Memorial services follow the same format as a committal service with the exception that remains are not usually present and no interment takes place following the service. 4. PROCEDURES a. Burial Application and Eligibility Verification (1) When processing a burial application and the cemetery staff becomes aware that the decedent was a former Prisoner Of War or Missing In Action, the cemetery staff will notify the funeral home or family that a committal service may be conducted at the POW-MIA Memorial, and immediately notify the Director, Deputy Director, or Assistant Director of Riverside National Cemetery. (2) The burial application should include documents such as a DO 214 or other service records that establish the veteran's eligibility for burial in a national cemetery. In the event that a discharge certificate is unavailable, the cemetery staff will assist in obtaining eligibility verification. The next of kin should be made aware that military discharge documents expedite the eligibility verification process, and not having the discharge papers can delay eligibility verification. (3) Upon verifying the veteran's eligibility, a cemetery representative will contact the funeral home or next of kin to schedule the service. In addition, the cemetery representative will request an estimate of planned attendance to assist the cemetery in preparing for the service. b. Special Requirements (1) The cemetery should be informed within 48 hours of the scheduled service of any special requirements such as additional seating, a podium or sound system. (2) The burial application should include information about arrangements the next of kin may desire to make at the service for a medal presentation, dove release, military f1yover or other special observance. 5. CEMETERY REQUIREMENTS a. Logistics: Cemetery staff will resolve any logistical issues that arise from holding a service at a site other than a committal shelter. These issues include but are not limited to parking, seating, transport of remains from the memorial, transport of floral arrangements and public access. b. Verification of Unique Status: Cemetery staff will verify the unique status of the eligible veteran, such as a former Prisoner of War or Missing in Action, when use of the POW-MIA Memorial is requested. c. News Media: News media will be restricted from these events unless approved by the immediate next of kin. ~ Honoring Those Who Served ~ |
Riverside National Cemetery
22495 Van Buren Blvd.
Riverside, CA 92518
(951) 653-8417 - Ext. 874
FAX (951) 653-5233
Cemetery Administration Office hours of operations are:
08:00 A.M. - 4:30 P. M.
Cemetery gates open at Dawn and close at Dusk