VA National Cemeteries
Prescott National Cemetery burial schedule and eligibility
Prescott, Arizona · VA national cemetery
Address, hours, directions and contact details: Prescott National Cemetery.
You can look up burials at Prescott 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 Prescott National Cemetery
Prescott National Cemetery is located in Prescott, AZ, adjacent to the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center. The cemetery, which closed to new interments in 1974, covers a little over 15 acres. Interments were made here primarily because it was a conveniently safe distance from Fort Whipple, Arizona, where attacks from local Native Americans were more likely.
The present site of Prescott National Cemetery is thought to be its third location. The original cemetery was established when Fort Whipple was a camp near Del Rio Springs in 1864, and was moved soon after. The cemetery was relocated again in 1869 to its current location because flash floods washed out numerous burials in the previous site. These floods may account for the majority of the 25 unknown graves in the cemetery.
Prescott National Cemetery was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1999.
Monuments and Memorials Prescott National Cemetery has an Unknown Soldiers Monument made of white marble rusticated to look like blocks with a centered cross on top.
Notable veterans buried at Prescott National Cemetery
The National Cemetery Administration lists these people of note at Prescott 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 Nicholas Foran (Indian Wars). Foran received the Medal of Honor while serving in the U.S. Army, Company L, 8th U.S. Cavalry, for actions in the Arizona Territory, from August to October 1868. Foran died in 1927 and is buried in Section 1, Row B, Site 54.
Visiting hours at Prescott National Cemetery
Visitation Hours: Open daily from sunrise to sunset. Office Hours: Monday thru Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. MT. Closed federal holidays except Memorial Day.
Who can be buried at Prescott 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 Prescott National Cemetery?
- 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).
- 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.
- You or the funeral director call 800-535-1117 (Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. ET) to request Prescott National Cemetery and a date. National cemeteries hold burials Monday through Friday.
Where is the Prescott National Cemetery burial schedule?
VA posts a daily burial schedule for every national cemetery. Search it for Prescott 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 Prescott National Cemetery directly at 928-717-7569.
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 Arizona law; our sister site ProbateUS explains how probate works in Arizona 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 Prescott 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.
- Hampton Funeral HomePrescott, AZMilitary honors services1.4 mi from the cemetery
- Ruffner-Wakelin Prescott ChapelPrescott, AZ1.5 mi from the cemetery
- Heritage Memory Mortuary, Inc.Prescott, AZ1.5 mi from the cemetery
- Prescott Mt. View CrematoryPrescott, AZ1.8 mi from the cemetery
- Heritage Memory MortuaryPrescott, AZ3.2 mi from the cemetery
- Hampton Funeral Home IncPrescott, AZ4.7 mi from the cemetery
FAQ
Questions about burial at Prescott National Cemetery
Is burial at Prescott 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 Prescott 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 Prescott 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 Prescott 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 Prescott 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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