When a Veteran’s Headstone Is Replaced—Does the Original Have to Go?

A huge misconception I often see when people install replacement headstones for veterans is that the original marker must be removed or destroyed. Many people believe this is required by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, but that’s not always the case.

The rule people are usually referring to applies specifically to government-furnished headstones or markers. When a previously issued government marker is replaced (for example, due to damage, incorrect information, or vandalism), the old government marker is not supposed to remain in use.

However, many older markers found in cemeteries, especially for Civil War, War of 1812, and Revolutionary War veterans, were privately purchased by the veteran’s family, not issued by the government. These stones are historic memorials placed by loved ones and were never government property.

To better understand how this applies in practice, we recently asked a staff member at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs about a deteriorated private marker that was being replaced. We were told:

“The existing private marker is in such poor condition it did not meet VA criteria to consider it marking the grave. If the cemetery wants to leave it there to continue to deteriorate, that is up to them.”

In other words, when an old private marker has deteriorated to the point that it no longer qualifies as marking the grave, the VA may approve a government headstone. But what happens to the original private marker is ultimately up to the cemetery and the family, not the VA.

A respectful solution that many preservation groups follow is to leave the original historic marker in place and install the new government marker nearby (often behind it or facing the opposite direction). This allows us to clearly mark the veteran’s service while also preserving the historic memorial placed by their family.

These older stones are part of the history of our cemeteries and communities. Preserving them helps ensure that both the veteran’s service and the family’s original tribute are not lost to time.

The first picture is of the headstone the VA representative is talking about. 

The second picture is a screenshot of what is mentioned at the VA.gov website about destroying VA headstones that are getting replaced.

Submitted by Gone Graving