The National Cemetery Administration has awarded the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs (ADVA) a $5 million grant, which will be utilized to expand the Alabama State Veterans Memorial Cemetery at Spanish Fort.

The grant is awarded through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ Veterans Cemetery Grants Program. The award will fund the first of 10 planned expansions of the cemetery that will serve Alabama Veterans for the next 100 years, according to ADVA.

A total of 2,762 pre-placed vault sites will be added with the planned expansion, as well as 960 above-ground urn sites, 800 in-ground urn sites and a memorial wall which will include 100 sites.

Infrastructure improvement to roadways, storm drainage, irrigation and other expansions are also included.

ADVA commissioner Kent Davis expressed his appreciation to the National Cemetery Administration for approving the award, which he says will serve Alabama veterans for years to come.

“We want to thank the National Cemetery Administration for approving the grant that allows us to finalize plans for the second phase of the Alabama State Veterans Memorial Cemetery at Spanish Fort,” said Davis. “The cemetery is a beautiful and solemn place for our Veterans and their family members, and we look forward to continual improvements with this project.”

He added, “ADVA serves all Alabama Veterans from when they take off their uniform for the last time through eternity, and though death is never an easy topic, we want to guarantee Alabama’s heroes receive the resting place they’ve earned when that day does come.”

The ADVA says construction is expected to begin in the fall of 2022 with its estimated completion within one year of the start date.

The Alabama State Veterans Memorial Cemetery at Spanish Fort was dedicated in December 2012 and began interments in April 2013. The cemetery sits on 107 acres of land in Baldwin County.

The initial phase of the cemetery is 22.8 acres and has 2,776 burial sites. The second phase of the cemetery will add an additional 6 acres to the cemetery, according to the ADVA. Expansions are planned for every 10 years.

Dylan Smith is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSmithAL