Arlington National Cemetery

What Arlington National Cemetery does

Arlington National Cemetery is the United States' premier federal military cemetery, established in 1864 on the former Custis-Lee Arlington Estate and now operated by the Department of the Army through Army National Military Cemeteries (ANMC) and the Office of Army Cemeteries (OAC). It provides burial and inurnment services, free of charge, to eligible U.S. armed forces veterans, active duty service members killed in service, Medal of Honor recipients (with 1,000 gravesites reserved), former Presidents and Vice Presidents, and certain other categories defined under the FY19 National Defense Authorization Act. The cemetery spans 639 acres in Arlington, Virginia, across the Potomac from Washington, D.C., has conducted more than 400,000 interments since 1864, and is supported by 149 federal employees. Eligibility criteria are tightening under Congressional mandate to preserve operations for 150 years into the future, with approximately 79,000 burial opportunities remaining before the Southern Expansion adds an additional ~50 acres and 80,000 spaces.

The organization's product surface is a mix of physical infrastructure and digital services. Physical assets include the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (dedicated 1921), monuments, columbaria, ceremonial grounds, and the planned Southern Expansion Service Complex. Digital products include the official arlingtoncemetery.mil portal, the ANC Explorer mobile app (iOS and Android) for grave location and walking tours, an online eligibility questionnaire (launched May 2026), the Cemetery Locator Map covering Army, national, state, and DoD-operated cemeteries, the Find a Grave tool, and a public Web Services API exposing GIS mapping and burial-record data via JSONP for third-party developers. Ancillary offerings include K-12 and adult education programs, self-guided walking tours, and public-affairs communications via social, email (GovDelivery), and YouTube.

Arlington does not operate a commercial revenue model; it is funded entirely through federal appropriations, and burial services are provided at no charge to eligible recipients. Its "go-to-market" is therefore public-sector rather than commercial: marketing and outreach focus on visitation, education, commemorative events, and funeral scheduling rather than customer acquisition. Strategic direction is set by Congressional mandate and DoD policy, with execution supported by partnerships across the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Norfolk District, the Federal Highway Administration Eastern Federal Lands Highway Division, VDOT, Arlington County, and the Air Force District of Washington.

Name

Arlington National Cemetery

Legal name

Arlington National Cemetery

Website

https://arlingtoncemetery.mil

Company type

Public

Founded year

1864

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Arlington National Cemetery is a U.S. Army-operated federal military cemetery in Arlington, Virginia, providing free burial and inurnment services to eligible veterans, active duty service members, and certain dignitaries, supported by a digital stack including a mobile app, public API, and education programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Military Cemetery Services

NAICS

Cemeteries and Crematories (812220), Cemeteries and Crematories (81222), Historical Sites (71212), Historical Sites (712120)

akta.pro primary industry

Places of Worship & Religious Facilities Operations (Cemeteries, Retreat Centers, Pilgrimage Sites) (BPAGAJAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Monuments, Statues & Memorials (THAJACAB)

Keywords

• Military burial services
• National cemetery operations
• Veterans funeral services
• Interment scheduling
• Cemetery education programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Arlington, VA - VIRGINIA 51

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others, Technology or R&D

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Arlington National Cemetery provides burial and inurnment services for eligible U.S. military veterans, active duty service members killed in action, recipients of the Medal of Honor and certain other decorations, former prisoners of war, former Presidents and Vice Presidents, and qualifying family members. Beyond burial services, the cemetery maintains 639 acres of hallowed grounds, monuments, and memorials; offers visitor access, ceremonies, and wreath-layings at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier; and runs an educational program with K-12 classroom materials and self-guided walking tours. Digital offerings include the ANC Explorer mobile app, Find a Grave tool, Cemetery Locator Map, Funeral Scheduling System, online Eligibility Questionnaire, and developer Web Services API.

Product overview

Arlington National Cemetery operates as a federal government military cemetery providing burial services for U.S. veterans and active duty service members. The organization offers a digital ecosystem comprising the official website (arlingtoncemetery.mil), mobile applications (ANC Explorer for iOS/Android), funeral scheduling services, an online eligibility questionnaire, educational programs (K-12 curriculum and walking tours), and developer APIs (web services for burial records and GIS/mapping data). These products work together to serve cemetery visitors, families of veterans, funeral directors, educators, and third-party application developers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ANC Explorer Mobile App

Quantifiable outcome

• Southern Expansion project will add 80,000 new burial spaces
• +2 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - Norfolk DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 September 2021Leading the Southern Expansion project construction; responsible for cemetery expansion work including new operations complex (South Parcel) with office building, warehouse, green-roof maintenance bays, and public parking garage; columbaria courts and crypt installations
• Federal Highway Administration - Eastern Federal Lands Highway Division (EFLHD)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 September 2021Leads the Defense Access Road (DAR) portion of the Southern Expansion project, including realignment of Columbia Pike and South Joyce Street, modification of Columbia Pike/Washington Boulevard interchange, and replacement of Southgate Road with South Nash Street; construction of pedestrian and bicycle paths, street lighting, retaining walls, and tunnel
• Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 September 2021Collaborating on roadway realignment and land exchange agreement as part of Southern Expansion; working on transportation system needs for the region
• Arlington CountycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 September 2021Partner on roadway realignment and land exchange agreement; collaborating on transportation system improvements in conjunction with Southern Expansion project
• Air Force District of WashingtoncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 September 2021Partner in Southern Expansion project; Air Force Memorial located adjacent to expansion area; memorial integration and potential temporary closure coordination during construction
• Virginia State Historic Preservation OfficerminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerNHPA Section 106 consultation for Southern Expansion project; review of historic preservation impacts; signatory on Memorandum of Agreement for the project
• Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerNHPA Section 106 consultation partner; signatory on Programmatic Agreement for Confederate Memorial removal compliance
• Pentagon Memorial FundminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeveloping Pentagon Memorial Fund Visitor Education Center on grounds of Arlington National Cemetery; environmental assessment and Section 106 processes underway

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Soldiers' and Airmen's Home National Cemetery: A second national cemetery maintained by the Department of the Army in Washington, D.C., with over 14,000 veterans interred including Medal of Honor recipients. Operated by the same parent organization as ANC, providing directly comparable burial services and veteran commemoration.
• National Cemetery Administration (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs): Operates 150+ national cemeteries across the U.S. for veterans. Directly comparable as the primary federal provider of veteran burial services, with overlapping mission, eligibility frameworks, and interment operations; differs in that NCA serves broader veteran eligibility whereas ANC has more restrictive criteria.
• American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC): Operates U.S. military cemeteries and memorials overseas (e.g., Normandy, Manila). Directly comparable as a federal agency managing American military burial grounds with similar commemorative mission, monument maintenance, and visitor services, though geographically outside the U.S.
• StoneMor Partners L.P. Owns and operates over 300 cemeteries in the U.S., focused entirely on cemetery operations. Directly comparable as a cemetery-focused operator, but operates on a commercial model with pre-need sales rather than government-funded free services.
• Green-Wood Cemetery: Historic 478-acre cemetery in Brooklyn, NY with over 570,000 interments since 1838. Comparable as a large, historic, active cemetery with significant cultural and tourism value, though privately operated rather than government-owned.
• Forest Lawn Memorial-Parks & Mortuaries: One of the largest private cemetery operators in the U.S. with multiple Southern California locations. Comparable as a large-scale cemetery operator offering burial, cremation, and memorial services, but operates commercially rather than as a government institution.
• Gettysburg National Cemetery: National cemetery at Gettysburg National Military Park managed by the National Park Service. Comparable as a federally operated military burial ground with strong historical significance and tourism draw, though smaller in scale and operated by NPS rather than the Army.

Broad incumbents

• Service Corporation International (SCI): The largest funeral services and cemetery operator in North America, operating Dignity Memorial and other brands with over 2,000 locations. Comparable as a major player in the death care industry with extensive cemetery portfolio, but operates commercially with paid services rather than free federal provision.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/ArlingtonNatl
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCdviiwqQHHUePZglBHXFvPw
• Facebookfacebook.com/ArlingtonNatl
• Instagraminstagram.com/arlingtonnatl
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/arlingtonnatl

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Arlington National Cemetery