Premier Alliances, Inc. is happy to announce that the Fort Huachuca Post Cemetery has achieved Army National Shrine Standards, the highest recognition possible as determined by the Office of Army Cemeteries.
Several Army civilian staff members and federally contracted organizations are responsible for the maintenance and operations of the Post Cemetery, including Premier Alliances, which cares for the grounds of the 7.3 acre graveyard as part of its larger groundskeeping duties for Fort Huachuca.
The Office of Army Cemeteries conducts an in-person review of each of the 30 cemeteries under its jurisdiction on a three-year cycle, inspecting aspects like ensuring proper documentation of the individuals interred in the cemetery, the condition and placement of headstones, the maintenance of surrounding trees and shrubs, and the condition of the cemetery’s infrastructure and facilities.
These standards are essential to ensuring the Army honors its commitment to those that have served their country, said Renea Yates, director of the Office of Army Cemeteries.
“Every veteran is entitled to a dignified burial, and we pride ourselves in maintaining those gravesites to that dignified standard into perpetuity. This is what we owe our fallen,” Yates said.
The designation, earned earlier this year, marks the Fort Huachuca Post Cemetery as having achieved the highest standard among Army cemeteries. The review scores dozens of categories as either green (passing), amber (needs improvement), or red (fail). Of the 42 categories that were covered as part of the review, the Post Cemetery scored green on each one.
“Department of the Army National Shrine Standards for cemeteries is the highest recognition as part of our Organizational Inspection Program,” said Randall Keel, senior program manager, Office of Army Cemeteries.
Eric Gabel, the cemetery responsible official for the Fort Huachuca Post Cemetery, said it was a years-long effort to achieve this distinction.
“It’s what we’re all striving for, all 30 cemeteries,” Gabel said.
He noted there are several contracted companies whose work contributed to the achievement, including Facility Services Management, Inc., JP Industries, Inc., and Liberty Disposal, Inc., among others.
Premier Alliances employees staff the cemetery daily, maintaining the turf, cleaning, installing and aligning headstones, aerating and seeding the soil, excavating burial sites, and keeping pathways and seating areas clean and clear for visitors.
“All I can say is that there are many pieces to this puzzle,” Gabel said.
Director Yates said these standards have been developed over the last 10 years, having been codified only in 2020.
This achievement places the Fort Huachuca Post Cemetery in the top echelons of the 30 Army cemeteries under the jurisdiction of the Office of Army Cemeteries.
“About a third of our active cemeteries have met this standard,” Yates said.
