WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mark R. Warner announced today that the Army has accepted an offer from the Northern Virginia Technology Council to assess the information technology challenges at Arlington National Cemetery, where the continued use of paper records has been tied to the recent disclosure of misidentified and misplaced remains. In addition, NVTC members will immediately work to digitize the paper records and maps to protect these fragile records from damage or loss.

“All of us were frustrated and angered to learn that Arlington Cemetery officials continued to rely on paper records, which means we are one fire, rainstorm or coffee-spill away from damaging or even losing these truly irreplaceable records,” Senator Warner said. “I appreciate Army Secretary John McHugh’s willingness to partner with NVTC on this novel approach, and I especially appreciate the overwhelming response from Northern Virginias strong I-T community. This is corporate citizenship at its best.”

"NVTC is made up of the country's most well respected and innovative technology companies and this collaborative pro bono effort demonstrates their loyalty, compassion and admiration for those who served in the armed forces, many making the ultimate sacrifice," said Bobbie Kilberg, President and CEO, NVTC. "We applaud Senator Warner for his leadership in trying to resolve this important matter. NVTC looks forward to working under the direction of Army Secretary McHugh and his team to help assess Arlington Cemetery's technology requirements. It is an honor and privilege to be involved."

“The NVTC membership is eager and willing to support the U.S. Army as it responds to this difficult situation. We want to ensure that we honor the women and men who served their country and, in many cases, gave the ultimate sacrifice for this nation. We are united in our willingness to support Senator Warner in his efforts to remedy this crisis," said George C. Newstrom, President and COO of Lee Technologies.

The following 15 NVTC member companies have volunteered their assistance as part of the assessment group: ACS, a Xerox Company; Blue Canopy; Booz Allen Hamilton; CACI; CGI; Consumer Electronics Association (CEA); Corporation for National Research Initiatives; CSC; IBM; Lee Technologies; MAXIMUS; Microsoft; MITRE; SoltechOne; and Vistronix.

Arlington National Cemetery, which contains more than 330,000 graves on 200 acres in northern Virginia, has served as the nation's pre-eminent military cemetery for almost 150 years. More than 100 military burials are conducted at Arlington each week. Four million visitors pay their respects every year.

A June 10th report from the Army rendered 76 findings and more than 100 specific recommendations, and the Secretary of the Army announced a long-term plan to correct deficiencies at Arlington that same day.

The Northern Virginia Technology Council (NVTC) is the membership and trade association for the technology community in Northern Virginia. As the largest technology council in the nation, NVTC serves about 1,000 companies from all sectors of the technology industry, as well as service providers, universities, foreign embassies, non-profit organizations and governmental agencies. Through its member companies, NVTC represents about 200,000 employees in the region.