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Fort Mitchell National Cemetery burial schedule and eligibility

Fort Mitchell, Alabama · VA national cemetery

Address, hours, directions and contact details: Fort Mitchell National Cemetery.

VeteranFunerals Editorial·4 min read·May 1, 2026·Facts checked

You can look up burials at Fort Mitchell National Cemetery 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.

History of Fort Mitchell National Cemetery

Fort Mitchell is located south of Phenix City in Alabama, adjacent to the state-owned and operated Fort Mitchell Park. The Georgia Militia originally constructed Fort Mitchell in order to sustain a military presence in the area during the Creek War of 1813 to 1814. Shortly after the fort's completion, the Georgia Militia launched an attack against the British at Tuckabatchie and Hothlewali. The militia was ambushed and driven back to Fort Mitchell by a combined force of Creeks and British. Thereafter, until 1825, a small force continued to garrison at the fort.

From 1817 to 1825, Fort Mitchell gradually emerged as a center of commerce for trade with Native Americans. In 1817, a trading house, or factory, was established where produced goods were available to local tribes at prices below what they could otherwise afford. In 1818, a post office was added to the newly extended Federal Road that crossed through Fort Mitchell from Augusta, GA, and westward into the Alabama frontier.

In 1821, an Indian agency was created at Fort Mitchell, and Colonel John Crowell was appointed agent to the Creeks. While Crowell managed the agency, his brother, Thomas, ran the tavern, which later served as an officer's quarters.

Fort Mitchell became central to the protection of Native Americans as settlers consistently violated the Creek territory as defined under terms of the 1814 Treaty of Fort Jackson. In response to Native American protests, a new fort was constructed and occupied by the 4th U.S. Infantry in summer 1825, and it remained garrisoned almost continually through 1840. The second fort encompassed the first, and while much larger, was similar in design.

Notable veterans buried at Fort Mitchell National Cemetery

The National Cemetery Administration lists these people of note at Fort Mitchell National Cemetery, with section and site where it has them.

  • Medal of Honor
  • The Medal of Honor is the highest award for valor in action against an enemy force that can be bestowed upon an individual serving in the Armed Services of the United States. Recipients receive the Medal of Honor from the President on behalf of Congress. It was first awarded during the Civil War and the eligibility criteria, medal design, and recognition on a recipients' grave marker have all evolved over time. There are 434 Medal of Honor recipients interred at VA national cemeteries including 6 double recipients.
  • Medal of Honor recipients interred or memorialized here:
  • Sergeant Matthew Leonard (Vietnam). Matthew Leonard was born November 26, 1929, in Alabama. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in Birmingham about 1949. Sergeant Leonard served in Korea and Vietnam. He was killed in action on February 28, 1967, when his platoon came under attack. Leonard organized a defense, protected the wounded, galvanized his men, and charged the enemy position. Although injured, he destroyed the enemy and propped himself against a tree to continue the fight. He died there. He received the Medal of Honor for bravery and risk of life beyond the call of duty. Initially interred in Birmingham's Shadow Lawn Cemetery, his remains were moved to Fort Mitchell National Cemetery in 2000, Section 14, Site 27.
  • Other Burials: SSG Eric Dwayne Cottrell (Iraq). Cottrell (1968–2007) hailed from Pittsview, AL and joined the U.S. Army in 2004. He was assigned to the 5th Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, and died of wounds suffered when his vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device. Cottrell's awards and decorations include the Purple Heart, National Defense Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Army Good Conduct Medal, Meritorious Unit Commendation, and a posthumous Bronze Star. (Section 12, Site 10)
  • PVT Solona B. Waggoner (World War II). Waggoner (1905–1987) was from Paducah, KY. During World War II she enlisted in the Women's Army Corps (WAC), the all-female branch of the U.S. Army created to "free a man to fight" by fulfilling vital roles needed to support the war effort. After the war, Waggoner had three sons and three daughters and passed away at the age of 82 in Bessemer, AL. (Section 2, Site 1195)

Visiting hours at Fort Mitchell National Cemetery

Visitation Hours: Open daily from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Office Hours: Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Closed federal holidays except Memorial Day and Veterans Day. VA will continue its practice of honoring special requests for weekend burials for religious purposes, in cases of service members killed in action and on at least one day of any three-day Federal holiday weekend at all open VA national cemeteries.

Who can be buried at Fort Mitchell National Cemetery?

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 Fort Mitchell National Cemetery?

  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 Fort Mitchell National Cemetery and a date. National cemeteries hold burials Monday through Friday.

Where is the Fort Mitchell National Cemetery burial schedule?

VA posts a daily burial schedule for every national cemetery. Search it for Fort Mitchell National Cemetery 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 Fort Mitchell National Cemetery directly at 334-855-4731.

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 Alabama law; our sister site ProbateUS explains how probate works in Alabama 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 Fort Mitchell National Cemetery

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. 5.0 mi from the cemetery
  2. 6.5 mi from the cemetery
  3. 8.2 mi from the cemetery
  4. 8.2 mi from the cemetery
  5. 8.3 mi from the cemetery
  6. Colonial Funeral Home & Crematory
    Phenix City, ALMilitary honors services
    8.8 mi from the cemetery

Search all funeral homes by ZIP on FuneralUS

FAQ

Questions about burial at Fort Mitchell National Cemetery

  • Is burial at Fort Mitchell National Cemetery 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 Fort Mitchell National Cemetery 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 Fort Mitchell National Cemetery?

    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 Fort Mitchell National Cemetery?

    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 Fort Mitchell National Cemetery?

    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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