imported post
Mike wrote:
virginiatuck wrote:
You're right, the cemetery is owned by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Are you sure? Then why did they not post the correct sign?
I'm sorry, I am not sure if that was sarcasm or not. Perhaps "owned" is not the correct word; all that matters for
Title 38 CFR Sec 1.218 is "charge and control."
From the
Culpeper National Cemetery web site: "On Sept. 1, 1973,
in execution of the National Cemetery Act of 1973, the cemetery was transferred from the U.S. Army to the Veterans Administration’s new National Cemetery System. In 1975, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Burton-Hammond Post 2524, donated an additional 10.5 acres for cemetery use. Another small tract was purchased in 1978 and a brick administration building was constructed on the property. The cemetery re-opened Jan. 16, 1978."
There's also this, from the wikipedia entry for
US National Cemetery: "The National Cemetery Administration of the
United States Department of Veterans Affairs maintains 130 of the 146 national cemeteries. The Department of the Army maintains two national cemeteries, Arlington National Cemetery and
United States Soldiers' and Airmen's Home National Cemetery. The
National Park Service (NPS) maintains 14 cemeteries associated with historic sites and battlefields. Additionally the
American Battle Monuments Commission maintains 24 American military cemeteries overseas."
That wikipedia page provides a list of each National Cemetery and which agency maintains it.
As for why they posted the wrong sign, I'm perplexed. It's quite rare for agents of the Government to make mistakes.
My guess would be that the Federal Government had millions of those signs made referring to Title 18 USC 930, so they got them cheap; and nobody bothered to read that section before putting the sign up; or they never thought any visitor to the cemetery would ever bother to read that section. I.e. the sign looks "official" and that's "good enough for government work."
