Today Senator Warner, along with Northern Virginia Technology Council (NVTC) president Bobbie Kilberg and Arlington National Cemeteries Program executive director Kathryn Condon, released a report [pdf] detailing “a roadmap” to fixing problems with the Cemetery’s record-keeping and administration.

The report provides both short-term and long-term recommendations for the Cemetery, including digitizing record systems and improving handling procedures for remains. Ms. Condon said that the Cemetery had already taken action to fix some of the problems outlined in the report, including beginning to hire key staff and creating a call center to  improve communication on burial requests.

Senator Warner and members of NVTC discussed the report in a news conference on Capitol Hill today.

Last year, Senator Warner asked for NVTC’s help in finding a way to fix Arlington’s problems, “instead of pointing fingers.” Senator Warner brokered a deal in which the Cemetery agreed to accept NVTC’s help to produce an assessment.

NVTC member companies, including Booz Allen Hamilton, Science Applications International Corp. and The MITRE Corp, spent three months producing the study at no cost to the Cemetery or taxpayers. Senator Warner noted that the study was worth “hundreds of thousands of dollars.” Additionally, Ms. Condon said that the report represented the “best possible way” that private industry and the government could work together.