2018 US Code
Title 10 - Armed Forces
Subtitle A - General Military Law
Part II - Personnel
Chapter 75 - Deceased Personnel
Subchapter II - Death Benefits
Sec. 1488 - Removal of remains

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Citation 10 U.S.C. § 1488 (2018)
Section Name §1488. Removal of remains
Section Text

(a) Removal Upon Discontinuance of Installation Cemetery.—If a cemetery on a military reservation, including an installation cemetery, has been or is to be discontinued, the Secretary concerned may provide for the removal of remains from that cemetery to any other cemetery.

(b) Removal From Temporary Interment or Abandoned Grave or Cemetery.—With respect to any deceased member of an armed force under the jurisdiction of the Secretary concerned whose last service terminated honorably by death or otherwise, the Secretary may also provide for the removal of the remains from a place of temporary interment, or from an abandoned grave or cemetery, to a national cemetery.

(c) Removal of Remains of Certain Members With No Known Next of Kin.—(1) The Secretary of the Army may authorize the removal of the remains of a covered member of the armed forces who is buried in an Army National Military Cemetery from the Army National Military Cemetery for transfer to any other cemetery.

(2) The Secretary of the Army, with the concurrence of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, may authorize the removal of the remains of a covered member of the armed forces who is buried in a cemetery of the National Cemetery System from that cemetery for transfer to any Army National Military Cemetery.

(3) A removal of remains may not be authorized under this subsection unless the individual seeking the removal of the remains—

(A) demonstrates to the satisfaction of the Secretary of the Army that the member of the armed forces concerned has no known next of kin or other person who is interested in maintaining the place of burial; and

(B) undertakes full responsibility for all expenses of the removal of the remains and the reburial of the remains at another cemetery as authorized by this subsection.


(4) In this subsection:

(A) The term "Army National Military Cemetery" means a cemetery specified in section 7721(b) of this title.

(B) The term "covered member of the armed forces" means a member of the armed forces who—

(i) has been awarded the Medal of Honor; and

(ii) has no known next of kin.

Source Credit

(Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 115; Pub. L. 113–291, div. A, title V, §594, Dec. 19, 2014, 128 Stat. 3395; Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title VIII, §809(a), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1840.)

Editorial Notes
Historical and Revision Notes
Revised sectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large)
1488 5:2160 (as applicable to armed forces). July 15, 1954, ch. 507, §10 (as applicable to armed forces), 68 Stat. 480.

The words "national cemeteries, other installation cemeteries, or" are omitted as surplusage.

AMENDMENTS

2018—Subsec. (c)(4)(A). Pub. L. 115–232 substituted "section 7721(b)" for "section 4721(b)".

2014—Pub. L. 113–291 designated first sentence of existing provisions as subsec. (a) and inserted heading, designated second sentence of existing provisions as subsec. (b), inserted heading, and substituted "the jurisdiction of the Secretary concerned" for "his jurisdiction", and added subsec. (c).

EFFECTIVE DATE OF 2018 AMENDMENT

Amendment by Pub. L. 115–232 effective Feb. 1, 2019, with provision for the coordination of amendments and special rule for certain redesignations, see section 800 of Pub. L. 115–232, set out as a note preceding section 3001 of this title.

Publication Title United States Code, 2018 Edition, Title 10 - ARMED FORCES
Category Bills and Statutes
Collection United States Code
SuDoc Class Number Y 1.2/5:
Contained Within Title 10 - ARMED FORCES
Subtitle A - General Military Law
PART II - PERSONNEL
CHAPTER 75 - DECEASED PERSONNEL
SUBCHAPTER II - DEATH BENEFITS
Sec. 1488 - Removal of remains
Contains section 1488
Date 2018
Laws In Effect As Of Date January 14, 2019
Positive Law Yes
Disposition standard
Statutes at Large References 68 Stat. 480
128 Stat. 3395
132 Stat. 1840
Public Law References Public Law 113-291, Public Law 115-232
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