Paul Sipe

Arlington National Cemetery is the final resting place for more than 400,000 active duty service members, veterans and their families. Service to country is the common thread that binds all who are remembered and honored here. Arlington is both a national treasure and an active cemetery. The cemetery conducts between 27-30 funerals each week day and between six and eight services on Saturdays – nearly 7,000 services per year. The cemetery hosts more than 3,000 ceremonies per year, including wreath-laying ceremonies for national and international dignitaries; memorial and remembrance services; services honoring specialized groups, units and historical events; and national observances for Memorial Day and Veterans Day. More than three million people visit each year. Laying our Nation’s veterans and their eligible family members to rest with dignity and honor, while treating their loved ones with respect and compassion, is the cornerstone of Arlington National Cemetery’s mission. It’s not uncommon for those visiting the cemetery to see a horse-drawn caisson carrying an American flag-draped casket, hear the firing of three rifle volleys in the distance, or hear the 24 lingering notes of Taps. These honors are examples of the dignified way we take care of those who have defended and protected our freedoms. Monuments, memorials and dedicated trees commemorating individuals and significant events in our Nation’s history are interspersed throughout the cemetery among the headstones of those for whom Arlington is the final resting place. They honor service members and events from all branches of the military, and pay respect to astronauts, nurses, chaplains, war correspondents and unknowns, just to name a few. We encourage visitors to discover Arlington’s rich history, witness the time-honored ceremonies, take in the scenic landscapes, wander through the headstones and monuments, reflect on the names, and ponder the stories each person could tell.