Who may request a headstone or marker when interment is in a cemetery other than a VA or National Cemetery?

• A. The veteran only.
• B. The cemetery manager.
• C. The next of kin only.
• D. The nearest relative, funeral director or other person.

Answer: (D)

When a veteran is interred in a cemetery other than a VA or National Cemetery, the authority to request a government headstone or marker isn’t limited to the veteran or the cemetery staff. The policy allows the nearest relative, the funeral director, or another person who has an interest in the burial to make the request. This broad eligibility ensures that someone with a substantial connection to the veteran or the burial can obtain the official headstone or marker, even when the grave is in a private or non-VA cemetery.

That’s why this option is the best: it covers the range of people who may act on behalf of the veteran or family, not just one narrow group. The other possibilities are too restrictive—the veteran alone or the nearest relative alone do not capture the full scope, and the cemetery manager isn’t the designated requester in this context.