U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. -- The U.S. Air Force Academy cemetery has seen several changes over the last few months, to include a relocation of the memorial section in December 2024 and an expansion project that is slated for completion later this month.
“Since fiscal year 2019, the cemetery has seen a significant increase in burials of the first graduating Class of 1959, original cadre members, and spouses—many who were approaching the age of 90,” said Janet Edwards, 10th Force Support Squadron mortuary officer. “At the current rate of use, it was anticipated that the remaining available burial plots would be used by 2026.”
The $3.8M project will increase the number of burial plots by 1,200, and includes the clearing of forested land, grading, gas line relocation, landscaping, irrigation, stormwater drainage and detention, plot markers and extending roadways for vehicle circulation.
Phase one of the expansion adds Sections 9 and 10 as new burial areas, eastward of Section 6 and matching in size, making the overall size of the cemetery approximately 31 acres. There are plans to add Section 11 and 12 during the second phase of the project.
Other additions in phase one include contemplative areas, parking and a pavilion building with a restroom.
In addition to the expansion, the cemetery recently relocated its memorial marker section to a new location south of the Memorial Pavilion. This relocation increases the number of memorial markers from 240 to 530, which now permits the burial of both casketed and cremated remains in the former Memorial Section.
“Memorial markers are for individuals whose remains were not recovered, donated to science or scattered,” said Edwards. “The markers were carefully moved in their original order to ensure accuracy with cemetery records and maintain proper memorialization.”
Updated plot information can be found at the cemetery directory (northeast of the Cemetery Entrance) or online at https://burialsearch.com/ecims#/s/424/Air_Force_Academy_Cemetery.
Cemetery Hours of Operation and other Frequently Asked Questions may be viewed at https://www.usafa.af.mil/Units/10th-Air-Base-Wing/Mortuary-Affairs/