Senate Bill 19 was passed in 1999 authorizing the Kansas Commission of Veterans Affairs to establish, operate, and maintain a state veterans cemetery system, to serve the veterans, spouses, and eligible dependents of the veterans of Kansas.
The first State Veterans’ Cemetery has become a reality thanks to the transfer of 16.54 acres of land from the Kansas Soldiers’ Home at Fort Dodge and to the National Cemetery Administration's State Cemetery Grants Program for approving the State’s application for 100% funding for the construction of the Kansas’ Veterans’ Cemetery at Fort Dodge. Construction started on January 1, 2002 and was completed on November 1, 2002. Once construction was completed, a new entrance through the existing Fort Dodge Cemetery was in place to greet visitors and family. This new wider entrance blends the history of the existing cemetery and the rolling hills of the new Kansas Veterans’ Cemetery at Fort Dodge.
The Kansas Veterans’ Cemetery at Fort Dodge was dedicated on November 1, 2002 and officially opened for interments December 2, 2002. The cemetery consists of an administration building, maintenance building, and committal shelter and flag plaza. The cemetery will accommodate 3,752 burials, with 610 of them being pre-place in ground double crypts. In addition, a columbarium wall runs along each side of the committal shelter with 320 niches for above ground cremation placement. As a burial option, there is in-ground burial for cremation, memorial walk, and scattering gardens.
Our goal is to provide a final resting place for our veterans, spouses, and dependents to be maintained in a manner that reflects respect for our veterans and their families.
Mission
The mission of the Kansas State Veterans’ Cemetery Program is to provide veterans and their eligible dependents with interment opportunities for burial in a Kansas veterans’ cemetery. The program is to establish, manage, and operate four state veterans’ cemeteries and to provide staff support and assistance to veterans state-wide regarding their interment options and the procedures for pre-registration.
Philosophy
The Kansas State Veterans’ Cemetery Program (KSVCP) augments the overall mission of Kansas Commission on Veterans Affairs by providing an important aspect of services to the state's veterans and their dependents. The Agency and its governing Commission believe that veterans deserve to be interred with dignity, respect, and honor for their service. In that regard, the state cemetery is not only a burial site but also a fitting memorial for service to country, and full compliance with U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs standards ensures that these cemeteries are indeed memorials. The state's veterans' cemeteries are geographically distributed across Kansas for optimal access for all concerned.