Courtesy of Don Blair, correspondent.

"Today we have kept our promise to the men and women of Florida who have faithfully served our nation.  With the first burials in this beautiful national shrine, we have established a final resting place and lasting tribute that commemorates their service and sacrifice."  Thus spoke VA Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs William F. Tuerk as he joined Veterans Administration officials and various state and local officials for a low-key, serene and dignified burial service during which the cremains ( Urned cremated remains) of 11 veterans and three of their spouses were gently placed in the prepared sites by attending officials while family members sat facing them at burial section 12 only a few hundred feet from the cemetery entrance on Clark Road (Rte. 72) about 4 miles east of I-75.

With this ceremony Sarasota National officially became the nation's 128th Department of Veterans Affairs cemetery and only the sixth such site in the state of Florida.  With these initial interments Florida families, who previously had to consider and travel considerable distances to the other five facilities, now have a beautifully designed and landscaped site that encompasses nearly 300 acres of what was only recently typical Florida farmland.  It was purchased by the VA from private citizens in April of 2007.

The other five VA cemeteries are in Barrancas, Bushnell, West Palm Beach, St. Petersburg and St. Augustine with the latter two sites accepting only cremated remains or "cremains."

Sarasota National was pure farm field, wild and rutted with barely a dirt road serving it's entrance when the groundbreaking ceremony took place there back on June lst accompanied by considerable media coverage.  No such coverage on this day which could have been captioned with the word "dignity" and/or "reverence" for the deceased and their families.  

This event took place in Phase 1 which will consist of 60 acres and include all the facilities necessary to maintain, operate and provide burials for approximately ten years.  When Phase 1 is completed it will provide for nearly 18,200 full casket grave sites including 15,200 pre-placed crypts, 500 in-ground cremains and about 7,000 columbarium niches - that is, an above-ground building with niches which accept burial urns.  

The ceremony which lasted only a little more than a half hour had an honor guard, clergy, a 21 gun salute and a Navy bugler playing Taps.  In addition, uniformed members of the represented branches of our armed forces - Army, Navy and Coast Guard- presented the traditionally folded burial flags to each of the families along with Memorial certificates signed by the President.

From the rough fields of last June to today, paved roads and lots and lots of healthy green sod are making this "beautiful national shrine" (as Under Secretary William Tuerk put it) emerge as the striking, carefully thought out final resting place any fallen veteran's family will be proud of.

Is there a cost involved?  No.  Not for any active member of the Armed Forces who was serving honorably at the time of death, nor for any veteran discharged with other than a dishonorable discharge.  Also, qualified Reservists and National Guard members who were entitled to retirement pay at the time of death, certain Philippine Commonwealth Army veterans, and spouses and minor children of service members and eligible veterans.  

The only time a cost could incur would be when a family wishes to remove a loved one from another burial place and have it brought to Sarasota National.

As the old cliché goes - for further information dial toll-free 1-877-861-9840 or call locally 1 941-922-7200 and even e-mail Cemetery Director Sandra Beckley at Sandra.Beckley@va.gov.  The address of Sarasota National is 9810 State Road 72, Sarasota, Fl. 34241.  Note:  The VA takes pains to guard the privacy of next of kin, refusing to divulge addresses or phone numbers of those individuals.  

We have been writing about the capacities of Phase 1.  However, in the decades to come Sarasota National will provide a no-cost burial option for nearly 400,000 eligible veterans and family members who live in southwestern Florida.  

Still to come....an administration and public information complex, electronic grave site locater and public restrooms, a memorial walkway and two committal shelters for funeral services.

It has only just begun.  Already scheduled and about to proceed even as the initial burials began on this Friday, January 9th, eight more similar services at 10 and 11 am, 1 and 1:15 pm and 3 pm and so it will continue from here on, day after day, Mondays through Fridays from 9 am to 3 pm.  

Sarasota County, already a wonderful place to live, work and play now has a growing and beautiful national shrine to point to and take great pride in.