Iowa Veterans Cemetery

The Iowa Veterans Cemetery sits on a hilltop above the Raccoon River valley in Dallas County, near Van Meter and Adel, visible from Interstate 80. It was dedicated on July 3, 2008. What the statute says, which is almost nothing. Section 35A.5, subsection 10 directs the department to "Establish and operate a state veterans cemetery and make application to the government of the United States ... for funds for the purpose of establishing such a cemetery." The subsection then deals entirely with money and land: agreements with subdivisions, state ownership of the land, authority to accept federal grant funds, subdivision funding, private donations and federal plot allowance payments, authority to accept suitable cemetery land, authority to lease or use the property so long as it does not interfere with cemetery purposes, a dedicated account, and a provision that the account does not revert and keeps its interest. Nothing in the section states who may be buried, what it costs, whether a plot can be reserved, or what kind of marker is used. Every one of those is administrative. That is worth saying plainly, because some states put all of it in statute: Nevada, for example, legislates cemetery eligibility and the free-interment rule in NRS 417.210. In Iowa the cemetery office is the authority and this entry reports what it publishes. Eligibility, as the department states it. "Eligibility for burial is the same as those for other cemeteries operated under the U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs standards. Any service member honorably separated from the service, their spouse, and eligible dependent children may be buried at the cemetery. Please contact the cemetery to determine eligibility." Those two sentences do not say the same thing. The national cemetery standard in 38 C.F.R. section 38.620 reaches any "veteran", which federal law defines by a discharge under conditions other than dishonorable, so a general discharge qualifies and an other than honorable discharge can qualify after a VA character of discharge decision. The department's "honorably separated", and its answer that "Proof of honorable service must be provided", read narrower on their face. No Iowa statute or rule sets the cemetery's discharge test, so a family with a general discharge or a favourable VA character determination should ask the cemetery to apply the VA standard it says it follows, in writing, before accepting a refusal. Cost, as the department states it. "Honorably discharged veterans will be interred at no charge and spouses/dependents will be buried for a $300 fee." So the veteran pays nothing and a spouse or eligible dependent child costs $300. Note that the $300 is a state figure for interment; it is not the federal plot allowance and it is not funeral or casket costs. A spouse may go first. "Can the spouse of a veteran be interred first? Yes, as long as the spouse or eligible dependent meets eligibility requirements." No reservations, and this is the operational fact families most need in advance. "Can a specific gravesite be reserved? No. Burials are performed in the next available site based on the type of interment." There is a pre-registration form for burial eligibility determination, which establishes that you qualify; it does not hold a place. Getting eligibility determined in advance is worth doing, because it removes the question from the week of a death. You cannot supply your own headstone. "No. US Government-issued upright granite headstones (or granite niche covers) are used to ensure the cemetery maintains a distinct nature like its national counterpart." Much of the inscription is fixed for uniformity; some symbolic remembrances may be added where there is room. Staff give the family a mockup at the time of the service and "The family has five calendar days to look it over, make sure the information is right, and correct typos before the grave marker is ordered." Five days. Then "It usually takes 45-60 days for the marker to arrive." There are no graveside services, and no chapel. "Funeral and/or chapel services should be held before arrival at the cemetery." And: "Graveside services are not permitted since burial sites are assigned consecutively and the cemetery staff may be working in the area with heavy equipment opening and closing grave sites." What happens instead is a committal service in a committal shelter, following National Cemetery Administration practice. The family may visit the grave once staff determine the area is safe. The committal service is fifteen minutes and there are four slots a day. "Fifteen (15) minutes is allowed for the service including prayers, remembrances, and the honor detail." Times are Monday through Friday except state holidays at 9:30 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 2:00 p.m., scheduled first come, first served. Your own minister is encouraged to lead it, because the cemetery has no chaplain. For cremated remains the staff escort the family from the shelter to the columbaria plazas for placement in a niche. Military honors. "Federal law provide for military honors if you request them. Start by talking to the funeral director." At least one member of the honor guard should be from the same service as the veteran. Cemetery staff coordinate with funeral directors and the Iowa Honor Guard. Separately, the Iowa Commission of Veterans Affairs may reimburse veterans organizations for providing military funeral honors, and section 35A.13, subsection 8, paragraph "h" lets the veterans trust fund pay for honor guard services. Section 35A.12 guarantees that an honor guard unit from a recognized veterans organization, the Iowa national guard, the reserve forces, the coast guard auxiliary or a reserve officers training corps "shall be allowed to perform any honor guard service on public property." Burial flag. A United States flag is free and may drape the casket or accompany the urn. Apply on VA Form 21-2008; the funeral director usually files it. Flags are available at any VA regional office or post office. The cemetery has an Avenue of Flags and accepts donated burial flags to fly on patriotic holidays. Federal burial allowances are separate and the county office is the place to start. The department's own guidance: some costs may be paid if the veteran died as a result of a service-related disability, was receiving VA pension or compensation at death, was entitled to receive it but declined in order not to reduce military retirement or disability pay, or died in a VA hospital, a nursing home under VA contract or an approved state nursing home. "The family should first contact their County Veterans Affairs Commission". Iowa also has a national cemetery. Keokuk National Cemetery, in the far southeast corner of the state, is run by the National Cemetery Administration and is a separate option with its own eligibility rules. Getting a discharge document. The department notes that Iowa veterans, veterans discharged to Iowa, or those who filed discharge paperwork with the state will have it with the department or with the county recorder of the veteran's residence; recording a discharge with the county recorder is a statutory service under section 331.608 and, since 2026, the recorder may not charge for copies needed to file a veterans benefit claim. Out-of-state records come from the National Personnel Records Center. Hours. Grounds are open 7:30 a.m. to sundown Monday through Friday and 8:00 a.m. to sundown on weekends; the office is 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and closed on state holidays.