From NBC17 Q. Sen. Edward M. Kennedy was buried near his brothers John and Robert in Arlington National Cemetery in northern Virginia. How is this possible? I thought that only military personnel were buried there. – D.P.
A. Kennedy was eligible for burial in Arlington because he was a former member of the Armed Forces and a U.S. senator.
Kennedy enlisted in the Army in 1951, and he was a private first class at the time of his honorable discharge in 1953.
But not all former members of the Armed Forces are eligible to be buried at Arlington. They must have some further distinction, such as having died while on active duty; having been awarded a decoration, such as a Purple Heart; or having been a prisoner of war. The Code of Federal
Regulations spells out who can be buried at Arlington (as well as other national cemeteries).
In the list of who can be buried there, the part that applies to Kennedy reads:
“Any former member of the Armed Forces who served on active duty (other than for training) and who held any of the following positions:
“An elective office of the U.S. Government….”
Some family members, such as spouses or minor children of veterans, are also eligible for burial there.
