Justification for Revised VA Form 40-0241

Revised VA Form 40-0241 State Cemetery Data Sheet

OMB Number 2900-0559

The data search would be the same for both questions, using the new and old form.  The burden hours will be the same.

In the old block 12, the research required manual analysis of the casketed gravesites, cremation gravesites and columbarium niches.  That analysis adversely impacted the proper reporting in block 12 based on the single block.  This caused greater stress and greater opportunity for incorrect reporting closures.  The new block 35a was added in order to correctly account for the burials (both first and seconds) from the date the facility opened.  The respondents often confused the number if burials and the total gravesites (block 28) and therefore provided incorrect data. FYI multiple burials may be located at one gravesite.  With this action, VA will have accurate reporting of both the gravesites and the burials.