Establishing a Veterans Cemetery at the Former Fort Ord
Information about the Central Coast State Veterans Cemetery Foundation
2011

The former Fort Ord served as an active military installation for nearly a century and embodies a history of considerable local and national military significance. Nearly 25 years ago, a group of veterans representing all branches of military service began a mission to honor all veterans by establishing a national Veterans Cemetery on the Central Coast.

In 1991, the opportunity to create a final resting place for veterans and their spouses was provided with closure of the former Fort Ord. About 178 acres of land were included in the 1994 Fort Ord Base Reuse Plan for a cemetery site. The site is located east of General Jim Moore Boulevard and bounded by Parker Flats Road and Parker Flats Cutoff.

Because a federal cemetery existed within 100 miles of the former Fort Ord (the San Joaquin Valley National Cemetery in Gustine), the federal Office of Veterans Affairs determined that it could provide grant funds to design and build the cemetery, but the facility would have to be designated a state (not federal) cemetery, with the State of California (under the California Department of Veterans Affairs) responsible for on-going operation and maintenance.

In 2006, former State Assemblymember John Laird sponsored successful legislation to formally provide for a state cemetery at the former Fort Ord. The legislation also included a proviso that an approximate $3.5 million endowment for maintenance and operations be provided prior to beginning the construction process. A Citizens Advisory Council (CAC) was formed in June 2007 under the auspices of the Monterey County Department of Military and Veteran Affairs to obtain necessary agreements to further propel the project forward.

To achieve the required endowment, a non-profit organization called the Central Coast State Veterans Cemetery Foundation (CCVCF) was formed and is now actively engaged in raising required endowment funds. The Foundation has raised over $200,000 to date.

A conceptual draft Master Plan for the cemetery site was prepared in September 2008. The plan includes areas for both in-ground burial and cremation columbaria, a Wall of Honor, Memorial Hall, non-denominational chapel, military/veteran history museum, amphitheater, and walkways, benches and landscaped areas open and available to the public. The plan also includes acreage that can be used for other purposes including habitat restoration, recreational facilities, and possible residential and commercial development. A copy of the proposed master plan for the cemetery can be found by going to the home page on the Foundation’s website at www.ccvcf.com , then clicking on the line at the bottom of the home page that says “click here to view and print our brochure”.

The cemetery site will be located primarily within property boundaries of the City of Seaside once the land is transferred from the Fort Ord Reuse Authority to local jurisdictions. Final land transfer of former Fort Ord properties for non-military uses is dependent upon verification of completion of base-wide munitions cleanup. 78 acres of the cemetery site have been deemed clear and can be used immediately for purposes of designing and building the cemetery, providing advance funding for design and construction can be secured.

In 2009, the City of Seaside, on behalf of the City and County of Monterey (which currently also holds a portion of the cemetery property within its boundaries), issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) to solicit purchasers for a portion of the overall cemetery site. Uses such as recreational facilities or other environmentally low-impact projects were envisioned, with funds from any such purchase to be dedicated to the cemetery endowment funding requirement. Although no purchaser emerged during the RFP period, the City and County have since remained open to talking with potentially-interested users.

To help move the project even further, Assemblymember William Monning sponsored AB 1757 which became law in September, 2010. Passage of this legislation shortened the cemetery design and construction process by allowing full design of the cemetery facility to proceed while also permitting the construction and endowment funding requirements to proceed in phases (instead of requiring raising the entire endowment amount prior to any work on design or construction).

Also in September 2010, the City of Seaside and the County of Monterey received another inquiry about the property and entered into an Exclusive Negotiations Agreement (ENA) with a potential developer for land adjacent to 78 acres of the cemetery site. If this proposed development moves forward, a portion of proceeds from sale of that land (a segment called the “endowment parcel”) includes full funding for the required cemetery endowment.

In October 2010, HR 3219, the Veterans Benefit Act of 2010 passed Congress and was signed by the President. Among many items in this new law is an increase in certain burial and funeral allowances, including an increase in the amount of plot allowances for veterans’ cemeteries from $300 to $700 effective October 2011. The Act must still receive actual funding allocations in the federal budget, but if funding for the increased plot allowance is provided, it is estimated that the required endowment for the Central Coast Veterans’ Cemetery could be reduced from $3.4 million to approximately $1.25 million. This reduction could mean that the cemetery project moves forward much more quickly.

Further good news was achieved in September, 2011 when AB629, sponsored by Assemblyman William (Bill) Monning, was signed into law by now-Governor Jerry Brown. AB 629 allows the Fort Ord Reuse Authority (FORA) to act on behalf of the California Department of Veteran Affairs (CDVA) to manage the design and construction of the Veterans Cemetery. This action reduces the costs for design and construction and can further speed the CDVA process to obtain Federal funding to achieve construction.

Also in September, 2011, FORA, Monterey County, the City of Seaside, and the Veterans Cemetery Foundation entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) which confirms the commitment of the parties to work together to design, fund and construct the Veterans Cemetery. A next step for the parties is to designate and transfer title of the cemetery property to either CDVA or the Foundation. While these steps may seem tedious, each step brings closer the reality that we will finally and actually have the Veterans Cemetery here on the Central Coast within the next few years.

The Foundation remains committed to raise endowment funds and is currently in discussion with representatives of the California Department of Veterans Affairs, the Fort Ord Reuse Authority, and with local jurisdictions to identify how the cemetery can continue to progress even more rapidly.

Clearly, funding is a critical piece of the equation and support from the community is essential!

As soon as committed funding of approximately $1.5 million can be identified and obtained, allocations for final design of the cemetery can be included in the state and federal budgets --- and construction of the cemetery can then be completed within the following 2 years. Each year that design funding is not included in the state and federal budgets is at least one year of additional delay for final approval and construction.

The Central Coast State Veterans Cemetery at Fort Ord will provide a place of final rest for members of all branches of the military and their spouses. A site marker noting the location of the future cemetery was unveiled at the site in March 2010. The marker serves as a call to the community to join in the effort to honor all veterans who have served and defended our nation over many years and generations.

To obtain more information about the cemetery or make a contribution supporting this effort, please contact the Central Coast State Veterans Cemetery Foundation at P.O. Box 849, Marina CA 93955, send an email to info@ccvcf.com , or visit the Foundation’s website at www.ccvcf.com .

We appreciate your interest and thank you for honoring and caring about our nation’s Veterans.

© Central Coast State Veteran's Cemetery Nonprofit Corporation
A 501(c)(13) tax exempt non-profit organization.