WASHINGTON, D.C. - The State of New Jersey has received a grant of $98,564 from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to improve the Brigadier General William C. Doyle Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Burlington County.

"A final resting place for our veterans has to be properly maintained," Saxton said. "This is hallowed ground that has been made sacred by the interment of many soldiers, airmen and sailors from New Jersey who have made sacrifices during war and peace. Their service to our country was a sacrifice, and we owe it to them to provide this final place of honor."

The cemetery is located in North Hanover Township, in the Jacobstown section of the township, and is open to New Jersey veterans.

Jim Nicholson, U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs, informed Congressman Saxton Thursday of the funding, which will be administered by the State of New Jersey’s Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA). The grant will pay for costs to install an underground drainage system in Section L of the cemetery, which often floods during times of heavy rain or snowmelt. DMVA operates the cemetery, and has initiated multiple efforts to improve the facility

"Over the past few years, upgrades to the cemetery have been aimed at ensuring that future burial space will be available, improving drainage and making parking and facilities sufficient for the visitors who come to pay their respects to our veterans," Saxton said.

The VA calculated that the Brigadier General William C. Doyle Veterans Memorial Cemetery provided 2,669 burials last fiscal year and is the most active state veterans cemetery in the nation. It is also the only veterans cemetery in the state that has space available for casketed burials.

During Fiscal Year 2004, New Jersey received more than $1 billion from the VA to serve an estimated 583,000 veterans across the state. VA also operates medical facilities on Fort Dix, in East Orange and Lyons with outpatient clinics and Vet Centers in communities.

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