Re picture requests for Arlington National Cemetery: As explained below, the FAG administrators have approved pictures that are posted in the Arlington National Cemetery's Explorer database. Unfortunately, some FAG volunteers are posting the night pictures. I'm trying to keep track of those requests and hope to take and post day pictures. It will be a while because I can't get there often and you can't drive into the ANC without having a family pass. It's also 650 acres but I found that the paid tram helps me to get around and I am able to go thru the Old Post gate as I have a DoD ID. Hang in there!

In addition, some FAG volunteers are asking requesters to delete their requests if the person's name isn't found in the ANC Explorer. This is unfortunate that some of the requests are very complex with, for example, a person who died 3 years ago will be buried with a spouse that died between 2019 and now. Or, with a little research, it has been possible for me to locate the persons as being buried elsewhere. Please don't delete your requests if asked to. You can always change the location to "unknown" or to another cemetery, if your relative/friend is buried elsewhere. People looking to fill ANC and other cemeteries requests can just ignore the "problems" and try to fulfill the remaining ones.

TO EVERYONE TAKING PICTURES: FAG now has an APP that, when you use the APP, it will automatically record the GPS coordinates for that grave!! If you are taking pictures on your phone and then go back home and upload them using the web version, the GPS coords don't save. One of the city's caretakers of one of the huge cemeteries in Richmond, VA, was so glad to hear this news!!

I take pictures to fulfill requests if I'm already in that area. That includes cemeteries out to the Northern Neck of Virginia, down to Richmond, out to Culpepper, VA, up to Marine Corps Base Quantico, into Alexandria, VA, and, into the District of Columbia.

Re pictures from Arlington National Cemetery, if you don't live in the area, you can't just drive around the cemetery. You can't drive onto the ANC without a family pass (annual or day). You can park at the Visitors' Center and either walk the grounds or pay for the tram tour. I believe the Metro stop is now open and is a short walk to the Vistors' center. The ANC has military members taking pictures when they can and posting the PUBLIC DOMAIN pictures to the ANC website: https://ancexplorer.army.mil/publicwmv/#/arlington-national/search/ . The ANC's "Use policy" can be viewed at https://www.arlingtoncemetery.mil/Photos/Use-Policy#:~:text=Photographs%20on%20this%20site%20are,can%20be%20reproduced%20without%20permission. I'm sure people are taking pictures, NOT AS A HOBBY, but to give some comfort to family members. As a Military Retiree, I can appreciate that. But, if very nice pictures (with no copyright) are already available from the ANC, then the logically thing is to use those and then take the long trek to the ANC to take pictures in person. R, Pam

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June 9 2021 UPDATE: FAG admins sent an email to me today, part of which is:

"I have discussed with our photo department and they informed me that it is completely fine to use those photos, as long as you do place the source for them. This is the only cemetery on the site that this is allowed, so I apologize for the misleading information I gave you previously."

So, when the ANC picture is nice (ie a "day picture," has grass), I hope to continue to fulfill FAG requests for the ANC. I don't know when I'll be able to getnback to the ANC. But I'll keep trying to fulfill requests.

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Update: December 2022 - I've relocated to the western part of Virginia, so I can't take anymore pictures in Arlington Nat'l Cemetery.

Re picture requests for Arlington National Cemetery: As explained below, the FAG administrators have approved pictures that are posted in the Arlington National Cemetery's Explorer database. Unfortunately, some FAG volunteers are posting the night pictures. I'm trying to keep track of those requests and hope to take and post day pictures. It will be a while because I can't get there often and you can't drive into the ANC without having a family pass. It's also 650 acres but I found that the paid tram helps me to get around and I am able to go thru the Old Post gate as I have a DoD ID. Hang in there!

In addition, some FAG volunteers are asking requesters to delete their requests if the person's name isn't found in the ANC Explorer. This is unfortunate that some of the requests are very complex with, for example, a person who died 3 years ago will be buried with a spouse that died between 2019 and now. Or, with a little research, it has been possible for me to locate the persons as being buried elsewhere. Please don't delete your requests if asked to. You can always change the location to "unknown" or to another cemetery, if your relative/friend is buried elsewhere. People looking to fill ANC and other cemeteries requests can just ignore the "problems" and try to fulfill the remaining ones.

TO EVERYONE TAKING PICTURES: FAG now has an APP that, when you use the APP, it will automatically record the GPS coordinates for that grave!! If you are taking pictures on your phone and then go back home and upload them using the web version, the GPS coords don't save. One of the city's caretakers of one of the huge cemeteries in Richmond, VA, was so glad to hear this news!!

I take pictures to fulfill requests if I'm already in that area. That includes cemeteries out to the Northern Neck of Virginia, down to Richmond, out to Culpepper, VA, up to Marine Corps Base Quantico, into Alexandria, VA, and, into the District of Columbia.

Re pictures from Arlington National Cemetery, if you don't live in the area, you can't just drive around the cemetery. You can't drive onto the ANC without a family pass (annual or day). You can park at the Visitors' Center and either walk the grounds or pay for the tram tour. I believe the Metro stop is now open and is a short walk to the Vistors' center. The ANC has military members taking pictures when they can and posting the PUBLIC DOMAIN pictures to the ANC website: https://ancexplorer.army.mil/publicwmv/#/arlington-national/search/ . The ANC's "Use policy" can be viewed at https://www.arlingtoncemetery.mil/Photos/Use-Policy#:~:text=Photographs%20on%20this%20site%20are,can%20be%20reproduced%20without%20permission. I'm sure people are taking pictures, NOT AS A HOBBY, but to give some comfort to family members. As a Military Retiree, I can appreciate that. But, if very nice pictures (with no copyright) are already available from the ANC, then the logically thing is to use those and then take the long trek to the ANC to take pictures in person. R, Pam

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June 9 2021 UPDATE: FAG admins sent an email to me today, part of which is:

"I have discussed with our photo department and they informed me that it is completely fine to use those photos, as long as you do place the source for them. This is the only cemetery on the site that this is allowed, so I apologize for the misleading information I gave you previously."

So, when the ANC picture is nice (ie a "day picture," has grass), I hope to continue to fulfill FAG requests for the ANC. I don't know when I'll be able to getnback to the ANC. But I'll keep trying to fulfill requests.

---
Update: December 2022 - I've relocated to the western part of Virginia, so I can't take anymore pictures in Arlington Nat'l Cemetery.