News

Reminder To Veterans’ Cemetery Families:
Full Compliance Begins Next Week

Officials at the Cumberland County Veterans’ Cemetery are reminding families who have loved ones interred there that items which do not comply with cemetery rules will be removed from gravesites beginning next week.

The Office of Veterans’ Affairs and Interment announced last month that they would begin more rigorous enforcement of uniformity rules that have been in place since the opening of the cemetery on Trench Road in Hopewell Township.

The rules, which were designed to guarantee uniformity and respect, ban items such as solar lights, plants in pots, hanging and in-ground plants and personal items of sentiment, pictures and personally placed flags. Any of these or other unauthorized items still on grave sites next week, will be removed.

On designated remembrance days, the cemetery (rather than individual families) will place flags on every grave. Cemetery officials say one or two cones with flowers will be allowed at the top of the graves above the marker.

Veterans’ Affairs Director Diana Pitman said, “This is not being done to be insensitive to veterans’ families. Uniformity is essential to honoring our veterans, and the rules at our cemetery and all other military cemeteries exist to pay the utmost respect to those who served our country.”

CUMBERLAND COUNTY VETERANS' CEMETERY

Rules & Regulations

• Fresh, artificial and small plants must be in floral cones.
• Only 2 floral cones permitted at TOP edge of grave.
• No in-ground planting of any type.
• Potted plants, wreaths, flags, emblems or other decorative articles are NOT permitted on graves unless specifically authorized during defined holidays.
• Flowers of any type may be removed at the discretion of cemetery personnel when they become unsightly, faded or wilted.
• Evergreen blankets and wreaths permitted 15 December – 15 January.
• Wreaths and/or floral arrangements are permitted up to one week during Specified Holidays:
  • Easter
  • Mothers’ Day
  • Memorial Day
  • Fathers’ Day
  • Independence Day
  • Veterans’ Day
• No eternal and/or solar lights are permitted on graves.
• No modifications or changes may be made to grave markers or concrete footings without authorization from the Veterans' Interment Office.