On September 1, 1973, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) incorporated 82 Department of Defense cemeteries and 21 burial grounds to form 103 national cemeteries. The move replaced what was previously called the National Cemetery System with the National Cemetery Administration (NCA). Since then, NCA has opened more than 50 additional national cemeteries and expanded access to them with the Veterans Cemetery Grant Program, supporting state, territory, and tribal cemeteries. 

Today, 94 percent of veterans are within 75 miles of a national, state, or tribal veterans cemetery.

VA is honoring five decades of service with a commemorative edition of its employee magazine, VAnguard. In it are photographs depicting the past 50 years and articles highlighting NCA employees’ innovation and service to veterans. To read the commemorative edition, click here.