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VA National Cemeteries

Forest Home Cemetery Soldiers' Lot burial schedule and eligibility

Milwaukee, Wisconsin · VA national cemetery

Address, hours, directions and contact details: Forest Home Cemetery Soldiers' Lot.

VeteranFunerals Editorial·2 min read·May 1, 2026·Facts checked

You can look up burials at Forest Home Cemetery Soldiers' Lot on VA's daily burial schedule, which lists the committal services families have agreed to publish. Veterans who were not dishonorably discharged can be buried here, and so can their spouses and some dependent children. To schedule a burial, you or the funeral director call VA's National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 800-535-1117. VA lists Forest Home Cemetery Soldiers' Lot as closed to new burials, so ask the scheduling office whether an existing family gravesite can be used.

History of Forest Home Cemetery Soldiers' Lot

In 1846, with the founding of the city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, local leaders recognized the necessity of a local cemetery. Forest Home Cemetery was established in 1850 to meet this need. An example of the rural cemetery movement, Forest Home Cemetery originally contained 72 acres of pastoral land located outside of the city center. It is one the oldest rural cemeteries in the region, as well as the final resting place for many significant individuals in Wisconsin history. Sixteen mayors of Milwaukee and five governors of Wisconsin are interred at Forest Home Cemetery. Over the years the cemetery has expanded and today it is 200 acres.

The 0.038-acre soldiers' lot, located in section 24, block 5, was purchased from Forest Home Cemetery by the federal government in 1872. Most of the initial burials in the soldiers' lot came from general hospitals in the Milwaukee area. There are 21 interments within this lot.

Forest Home Cemetery, including the soldiers' lot, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in November 1980.

Visiting hours at Forest Home Cemetery Soldiers' Lot

Visitation Hours: Open daily from sunrise to sunset. Office Hours: Monday thru Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Closed federal holidays except Memorial Day.

Who can be buried at Forest Home Cemetery Soldiers' Lot?

VA national cemeteries accept a veteran who didn't receive a dishonorable discharge, a service member who died on active duty or in training, the veteran's spouse or surviving spouse (even if they remarried), and minor or, in some cases, unmarried adult dependent children. National Guard and Reserve members qualify under narrower rules. You can ask VA for a pre-need eligibility decision in advance; it does not reserve a gravesite.

What does burial here include at no cost?

  • A gravesite in any VA national cemetery with available space
  • Opening and closing of the grave
  • A government-provided burial liner
  • A government-provided headstone or marker
  • Perpetual care of the gravesite

Veterans also receive a burial flag, a Presidential Memorial Certificate (presented to the next of kin at the burial) and military funeral honors, which include the playing of Taps and two uniformed service members who present the flag. The committal service is held at a committal shelter, not at the grave, and lasts about 20 minutes. National cemeteries have no viewing facilities, so the funeral itself is held elsewhere.

How do you schedule a burial at Forest Home Cemetery Soldiers' Lot?

  1. Gather the veteran's DD214 or other discharge papers, and the deceased's details (Social Security number, dates of birth and death, relationship to the veteran).
  2. Fax the discharge papers to the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 866-900-6417, or email them to [email protected] with the deceased's name in the subject line.
  3. You or the funeral director call 800-535-1117 (Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. ET) to request Forest Home Cemetery Soldiers' Lot and a date. National cemeteries hold burials Monday through Friday.

VA lists Forest Home Cemetery Soldiers' Lot as closed. Ask the scheduling office what, if anything, can still be arranged here, and about open national cemeteries nearby.

Where is the Forest Home Cemetery Soldiers' Lot burial schedule?

VA posts a daily burial schedule for every national cemetery. Search it for Forest Home Cemetery Soldiers' Lot to see the committal services planned there. It only lists burials whose families agreed to publish them. To change or cancel a burial that's already scheduled, contact Forest Home Cemetery Soldiers' Lot directly at 414-382-5300.

Headstone, flag and burial allowance

  • Government headstone or marker: tell the scheduling office which headstone, marker, niche cover or medallion you want when you schedule the burial.
  • Burial flag: VA Form 27-2008.
  • Burial allowance: For a non-service-connected death on or after October 1, 2026, VA pays up to $1,032 toward burial and funeral costs and $1,032 for a plot; for a service-connected death on or after September 11, 2001, the burial allowance is up to $2,000. Claim it with VA Form 21P-530EZ. All benefits

After the funeral: survivor benefits and the estate

A surviving spouse, child or parent may qualify for Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC), a tax-free monthly VA benefit, for example when the death was service connected (VA Form 21P-534EZ). The veteran's estate is settled under Wisconsin law; our sister site ProbateUS explains how probate works in Wisconsin and lists each county's probate court. For the rest of the paperwork, from Social Security to bank accounts, DeathUS has a step-by-step checklist of what to do when someone dies.

Funeral homes near Forest Home Cemetery Soldiers' Lot

A funeral director usually arranges the burial with the cemetery. These are the closest funeral homes by straight-line distance. Each one links to its full listing on FuneralUS, our funeral home directory.

  1. 0.2 mi from the cemetery
  2. 1.4 mi from the cemetery
  3. 1.6 mi from the cemetery
  4. 2.0 mi from the cemetery
  5. 2.1 mi from the cemetery
  6. 2.2 mi from the cemetery

Search all funeral homes by ZIP on FuneralUS

FAQ

Questions about burial at Forest Home Cemetery Soldiers' Lot

  • Is burial at Forest Home Cemetery Soldiers' Lot free?

    Yes, for eligible veterans, spouses and dependent children. VA provides the gravesite, opening and closing of the grave, a burial liner, a headstone or marker, and perpetual care at no cost. The funeral home's services, such as transport and any service before the burial, are arranged and paid for separately.

  • Can I reserve a gravesite at Forest Home Cemetery Soldiers' Lot in advance?

    No. You can ask VA for a pre-need eligibility decision before a death, but VA says the decision letter doesn't name a cemetery or gravesite, because neither can be reserved in advance.

  • How do I schedule a burial at Forest Home Cemetery Soldiers' Lot?

    Fax the veteran's discharge papers to 866-900-6417 or email them to [email protected]. Then you or the funeral director call the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 800-535-1117 (Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. ET). National cemeteries hold burials Monday through Friday.

  • Where can I see the burial schedule for Forest Home Cemetery Soldiers' Lot?

    On VA's daily burial schedule at https://www.cem.va.gov/cem/dailyburialschedule/. It covers every national cemetery, but it only lists burials whose families agreed to publish them.

  • Are military funeral honors provided at Forest Home Cemetery Soldiers' Lot?

    Yes, if you ask for them. Your funeral director, a Veterans Service Organization or the cemetery staff can arrange them. At minimum, two uniformed service members fold and present the burial flag at the committal shelter, and Taps is played.

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