(if you have already read part 1, just skip down to the numbers part to compare ground burial vs. mausolem spaces in a private cemetery's veteran section) 

Free burial spaces for veterans? Well, it is true, but unless you go to a National Cemetery, you can easily pay over $8000 for a "free" grave or crypt for a veteran and their spouse. Let's start with the simple part: An honorably discharged veteran and their spouse are entitled to free graves, free grave liners, free headstones, free open & closing (the digging), and free perpetual care. This is if they select any National Cemetery for their resting place (Marion National is the closest to Indianapolis).
    Private cemeteries love to advertise "free burial spaces for veterans" which is technically true, but then they charge for the grave for the spouse, the open & closing of the grave, the headstone, the headstone backing, the headstone installation, a paperwork processing fee, a perpetual care fee, a consumer protection fee- for BOTH the veteran and the spouse. Remember, it is TOTALLY FREE for BOTH at any of our fine National cemeteries.
    I recently visited a local cemetery and inquired about Veteran's burial for my father-in-law, a Vietnam Veteran who served two tours in the Marine Corps. (Semper Fi!!!)  Whereas his grave ($1100) and VA Bronze marker were free, the other charges were as follows:

    Mausoleum Crypts
    veteran's crypt-     free 
spouse's grave-            $4895
administrative fee        $95    (for paperwork, etc.)
consumer protection fee    $48.95
open & closing for veteran    $695
open & closing for spouse    $695
                So far, we are at $6428.95

Instead of headstones, the crypt has an engraved front or a face plate
veteran's crypt plate-        $750
spouse's crypt plate-        $750
sales tax                        $105
total for crypt plates        $1605
Add the two together, and the grand total is $8033.95 to entomb the veteran and the spouse (but the veteran's crypt is "free")

In all fairness, Mausolem entombment is not available in all VA cemeteries.
In all fairness, care and respect for veterans is not available in all private cemeteries.

Thanks for listening! Please feel free to email any questions to me at info@indianafuneralcare.com