Which U.S. federal department operates the National Cemetery Administration for veterans’ burial benefits?

The Department of Veterans Affairs operates the National Cemetery Administration, which manages national cemeteries and related burial benefits for veterans.

The National Cemetery Administration is one of the VA’s three major administrations. It maintains national cemeteries, provides headstones and markers, and supports memorial services for eligible veterans and certain family members.

The administration is separate from Arlington National Cemetery, which is operated by the U.S. Army. That distinction is a frequent source of confusion: many national cemeteries are under the VA, while Arlington remains within the Department of Defense.

Veterans Day and Memorial Day both feature cemetery observances, but their purposes differ. Veterans Day honors all who served, while Memorial Day specifically commemorates members of the U.S. armed forces who died in service.