For veterans
Burial benefits, and the paper to keep with your plan.
A short, checked list of what is available and who can help, from official VA, state, and county sources.
For veterans
- Raleigh National Cemetery is closed to new interments. It accepts only additional burials of eligible family members in an existing gravesite, though a space occasionally opens when a reservation is canceled. Ask at the time of need. (VA: Raleigh National Cemetery)
- North Carolina runs four state veterans cemeteries, which offer a free burial plot to eligible veterans: Goldsboro, Spring Lake, Jacksonville, and Black Mountain. Goldsboro and Spring Lake are the closest to the Triangle. Caskets are not opened for viewing at the state cemeteries; viewings happen beforehand. (NC DMVA state veterans cemeteries)
- Keep a copy of the DD-214 with your plan. Your county Register of Deeds can tell you whether it will record a discharge for safekeeping.
Veterans offices near you
County veterans service officers help with claims and burial benefits at no cost. Call ahead, since hours and appointment rules change.
- Wake County: appointment-based help with VA claims and burial benefits. Call (919) 212-8387 (212-VETS) or email [email protected]; waits can be long, so ask early. (wake.gov)
- Chatham County: 964 East Street, Suite 209, Pittsboro, (919) 545-8334, by appointment. There is also a Wednesday office at the Siler City Center for Active Living, 112 Village Lake Road. Call to confirm hours. (chathamcountync.gov)
- Lee County: 1615 S. Third Street, Sanford, (919) 776-0501, option 1. The office handles disability and pension claims and death and burial benefits. (leecountync.gov)
- Orange County: in-person help by appointment, at no cost. Call (919) 245-2594 to schedule. (orangecountync.gov)
Details checked against official county, VA, and NC DMVA pages in October 2026.
Put it all in one place
Your wishes, your DD-214 location, and who to call, written down once so your family has it.