A Study on the Process Reengineering of Exhumation and Reburial for Early Deceased Single Veterans in Taiwan

This study explores the process of exhumation and reburial for approximately 600,000 military personnel who relocated to Taiwan with the National Government and were settled by the Veterans Affairs Council after retirement. These single veterans were buried using traditional inground burial methods. Over time, these graves have deteriorated due to lack of maintenance and are scattered across the country, making planned reburial (secondary burial) challenging. To meet environmental and burial management needs, the government has been planning exhumation and reburial annually. The Veterans Affairs Council needs to conduct statistical surveys and process reengineerin studies to balance budget savings and environmental concerns, addressing the burial issues of early single veterans. This study designs a posthumous handling model and explores the feasibility of budget savings and process reengineering through in-depth expert interviews, providing policy recommendations. The study suggests handling the ashes through sea burial and enshrining the memorial tablets in the Veterans’ Shrine to reduce storage space and achieve information management. Currently, exhumation and reburial operations rely mainly on private donations, and it is recommended that the government establish special funds to support these efforts. Promoting eco-friendly burial methods, such as sea burial, and providing legal protection and operational guidelines are also advised. Strengthening public education and advocacy to promote the advantages and importance of ecofriendly burial methods is crucial. These recommendations aim to save budget, improve efficiency, and promote environmentally sustainable burial practices