Program Specialist (Scheduling Agent) - Internship

The National Cemetery Scheduling Office (NCSO) is the central call center for verifying military service and scheduling of burials in 157 national cemeteries across the country. Central in that effort are the GS-09 Program Specialist (Scheduling Agent) positions. The internship training consists of three weeks of classroom instruction followed by a probationary hands on period. This training can be tailored from 30-179 days as needed.

The National Cemetery Scheduling Office (NCSO) is a national call center responsible for delivering exceptional customer service to support Veterans and their eligible dependents for scheduling burial and memorial services in a VA National Cemetery. The NCSO is staffed five days a week. Hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 7:00 am to 6:45 pm Central Time. While participating in the internship program, the tour of duty will be Monday through Friday 8:00 am to 4:30 pm unless other schedule arrangements are needed. The Program Specialist will serve as the initial point of contact for the Veteran and his/her representative for scheduling a burial. The incumbent is responsible for the review of military and other legal documents for determining qualifying military service at the time of the call based on the documents provided by the caller or documents obtained from NCA or VA systems. Once military service is verified, the agent/intern will schedule the interment(s) at the preferred national cemetery. The agent/intern will also perform various analytical activities related to the interment of qualified Veterans, their spouses, and dependent children. This position performs extensive public contact by telephone requiring advanced listening skills and a high level of empathy for the Veteran or their family members during their time of grieving or emotional crisis. While these positions are not remote, after the probationary period, telework may be authorized.