Established in November 2014, OAC provides oversight and expertise for all Army cemeteries through policy, program management, inspections, training and assistance to honor those laid to rest in perpetuity. The small but mighty office, composed of service members and civilians, oversees 32 Army cemeteries and 11 Department of War cemeteries across the country, to include Arlington National Cemetery (ANC).  

OAC cemeteries represent nearly every conflict in American history. Spanning generations, individuals buried at these sites include U.S. service members, civilians, Native Americans and foreign military POW.  

Many Army cemeteries remain active and open to new interments. Each cemetery, whether active or closed to new interments, has an onsite garrison team that manages day-to-day operations and care. OAC provides oversight and support to these garrison teams through training, policy actions and inspections, guided by Army Regulation (AR) 290-5.  

OAC also hosts a Cemetery Responsible Officer (CRO) certification course twice a year. Military cemeterians (those who professionally manage cemetery operations) and others who provide cemetery support can attend a five-day training at ANC to better understand AR 290-5 and related policy and doctrine. The course includes a series of hands-on instructions and demonstrations, offering cemeterians the most up-to-date information and guidance. Finally, OAC conducts in-person inspections of each Army cemetery across the nation at least once every three years. They inspect headstones for damage, verify that inscriptions are accurate, check records and share their results with the cemetery’s Army installation leadership.