History

On 21 November 2014, the Secretary of the Army established the Office of Army Cemeteries (OAC) to oversee all Army Cemeteries across the nation. The order specified that the Executive Director of OAC will be the principal advisor to the Secretary of the Army on all matters related to Army cemeteries and will report directly to the Secretary of the Army. We here at OAC, housed on the grounds at Arlington National Cemetery, oversee 30 Army Cemeteries across the nation, including two Army national cemeteries: Arlington National Cemetery and United States Soldiers' and Airmen's Home National Cemetery.  

OAC, at the direction of the Executive Director, sets the strategic direction and oversees the implementation of policies and programs for all Army cemeteries. Additionally, OAC formulates, promulgates, administers, and oversees doctrine, plans and standards with all stakeholders to include the Army staff, major commands, and the other services as appropriate.  OAC establishes and maintains gravesite accountability, provides technical guidance, training, staff assistance, and inspections for cemetery responsible officials, public works departments and those who directly or indirectly care for Army cemeteries both inside and outside Army installation grounds. OAC also adjudicates burial exceptions, disinterments, expansion requests, and other issues of concern at the Army cemeteries.

Despite the young age of the organization, OAC has facilitated, consolidated and completed the gravesite location record and interment accountability information for all those interred at Army cemeteries. OAC is working diligently to make information accessible via this public website. The OAC gravesite explorer project is just one part of a multi-media outreach effort by OAC to inform the public about the importance of what we at OAC, and all those involved in Army cemetery operations, do to care for our heroes and loved ones interred in these hallowed grounds.