Arlington National Cemetery was officially designated as a cemetery for the military in 1864 by the Secretary of War Edwin Stanton. Since then, more than 260,000 people have been buried at Arlington Cemetery.

Veterans from all wars the nation was involved are buried in the cemetery, from the American Revolution through the Persian Gulf War, Somalia, and the War in Iraq.  In addition, there are more than 3,800 former slaves which were called "Contrabands" during the Civil War and their headstones are designated with the word "Civilian" or "Citizen." President J.F. Kennedy's tombstone is also at the Arlington National Cemetery, overlooking the Potomac River and Washington, DC.