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Alameda Level Nationwide Cemetery | VA San Francisco Well being Care

Contact point: NCA Pacific District
Phone: 510-637-6270 | E-mail

The VA National Cemetery Administration (NCA) is expanding access to funeral services to serve the San Francisco area by developing the Alameda Point National Cemetery, a columbaria-only cemetery that is part of the planned VA development of the former Alameda Point Naval Air Station will be.

The first phase of Alameda Point National Cemetery opens with 25,000 niches and has a final capacity of approximately 300,000 niches. Construction is expected to start in 2023-2024. Alameda Point National Cemetery is designed to serve veterans and their eligible family members for the next 100 years or more.

NCA Urban Initiative

Alameda Point National Cemetery is part of the NCA’s Urban Initiative, a program to improve access to funeral services in certain densely populated areas to better serve veterans, their spouses, and families. In some of the largest urban areas that VA serves – the San Francisco Bay Area, New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Indianapolis – the nearest national cemeteries are more than 100 km away. The two VA cemeteries in the San Francisco Bay Area, Golden Gate and San Francisco National Cemeteries, are closed to new burials.

Open cemeteries serving the San Francisco Bay Area

Until Alameda Point National Cemetery is open, the two closest open cemeteries in VA are Sacramento Valley National Cemetery and San Joaquin Valley National Cemetery.

Sacramento Valley National Cemetery
5810 Midway Road, Dixon, California 95620
707-693-2460 | website
The cemetery offers the following burial options: coffin, urn (in the ground or columbarium), ossuary and memorial wall.

San Joaquin Valley National Cemetery
32053 West McCabe Rd., Santa Nella, CA 95322
209-854-1040 | website
The cemetery can accommodate coffin and cremated remains (in soil or columbarium).

VA funeral services and memorabilia
VA Funeral Services can help service members, veterans, and their family members plan and pay for a funeral or memorial service at a VA National Cemetery. Family members can also order memorial items to honor a veteran’s service. Find out how to apply for the funeral services you have purchased and how to schedule a funeral in advance or on demand.

important phone number
National Cemetery Planning Office: 800-535-1117
Gravestones and markings: 800-697-6947
Hotline for VA benefits: 800-827-1000

Helpful Links on the Benefits of VA Funerals and Memorials
Funeral and memorial service video in VA
Funeral services
Eligibility to participate
Determination of the burial authorization prior to the burial
Schedule a funeral

frequently asked Questions

Can I reserve a funeral at Alameda Point National Cemetery?
No, the National Cemetery Administration plans services as required. We have a pre-burial eligibility program to help anyone interested in finding out if they are eligible for a VA National Cemetery burial. VA sponsors pre-eligibility determinations to encourage veterans and their eligible family members to plan ahead to take advantage of the VA funeral benefits veterans have earned through their military service. Planning ahead for the death of a veteran or loved one can avoid unnecessary delays and reduce stress for a family during a difficult time. For more information and to apply online, visit the pre-authorization website.

What burial options are available at Alameda Point?
Alameda Point National Cemetery is an above-ground cremation-only facility that will serve veterans and their eligible family members in the San Francisco Bay Area for decades to come. The cemetery can only accept urns.

What is a columbarium?
A columbarium is an above-ground structure intended for the burial of cremated remains in an alcove 10½ “x 15” x 20 “deep measured at the front. The columbarium unit is usually double sided with numbered rows and columns for efficiency that identify each niche.
The columbarium is a prefabricated concrete structure with foundations. The structure is clad with bricks, blocks, stones, granite or prefabricated veneers, which are similar in material to other structures in the cemetery. Niche covers are provided by the National Cemetery Administration, the Memorial Programs Service (MPS).

Can I still be buried in Alameda Point National Cemetery if I do not want to be cremated?
No, Alameda Point is a cremation-only cemetery. There are other burial options at the Sacramento Valley and San Joaquin Valley National Cemeteries for veterans and family members who choose a different burial option.

My loved one is buried in another VA National Cemetery. Can I move them to Alameda Point National Cemetery once the cemetery is open?
We consider all funerals final, however families may go through the move out process at their own expense to relocate their loved ones. Please visit the NCA’s disinterment page for more information.

When will Alameda Point be open for funerals?
We expect the Alameda Point National Cemetery to open in late 2025.

How many niche spaces will Alameda Point National Cemetery have?
Alameda Point will initially open with 25,000 niches and will have an approximate final capacity of 300,000.

Can spouses be buried in a VA National Cemetery?
Yes, a veteran’s spouse, minor children and, under certain conditions, unmarried adult children with disabilities (if diagnosed at the age of 21 or 23 if enrolled in college) may also be buried even if they died before the veteran .

Who is eligible for a funeral at Alameda Point National Cemetery?
Eligibility for the Alameda Point National Cemetery is the same as for any other VA National Cemetery. Burial in a VA National Cemetery is open to all members of the armed forces and veterans who have fulfilled the minimum requirements for active service and have been released under other than dishonorable conditions. Under certain conditions, members of the reserve troops of the Wehrmacht who died in active service or in training service, as well as soldiers and former soldiers who were entitled to their death at the time of the retirement claim, are also entitled to a burial.

A veteran’s spouse, minor children, and, under certain conditions, unmarried adult children with disabilities (if diagnosed at the age of 21 or 23 if enrolled in college) may also be buried even if they died before the veteran.

On the page “Eligibility” you will find information about the eligibility for certain groups and the exclusion criteria.

How do I schedule a service at Alameda Point National Cemetery?
Scheduling is easy. Fax all discharge documents to the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 866-900-6417, then call 800-535-1117. You can also scan all discharge documents and email them to the NCA scheduling office. Visit the Burials and Memorials page for more information.

Does the VA pay the funeral expenses?
The veteran’s family should arrange for burial or cremation with a funeral home or cremation office. Any item or service obtained from a funeral home or cremation office is the responsibility of the family. The VA offers a reimbursement funeral allowance to cover burial, funeral and transportation costs for veterans who meet certain requirements. For more information and to apply for reimbursement, see the Veteran’s Funeral Allowance page.

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