According to ask yahoo, Ted is not eligible to be buried at Arlington.
According to the official Arlington National Cemetery site, any active-duty member of the U.S. armed forces or American veteran retired from active service is eligible for burial there. Veterans who are retired from the reserves are eligible for burial in Arlington if they served in active duty, reached the age of 60, and drew retired pay.
[Kennedy most certainly did not retire]
Also, any former member of the armed forces who was discharged honorably for medical reasons and rated 30% disabled or more prior to October 1, 1949, can be buried in Arlington.
[Not rated 30% disabled and did not even serve till after 1949]
Any former member of the armed forces who received one of these decorations is eligible: Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross, Distinguished Service Medal, Silver Star, or Purple Heart.
[No such decorations. But this leads to an interesting situation. Kerry is qualified but Kennedy is not. Ouch, that is got to hurt]
In addition, all former presidents of the U.S. are allowed an Arlington burial (only two are currently buried there — William Taft and John F. Kennedy).
[Thankfully No]
The spouses, minor children, and certain adult children of all those eligible may be buried at Arlington. Spouses of members of the armed forces who were buried at sea or missing in action are also eligible, along with those whose military spouse was buried in an U.S. military cemetery overseas.
[Nope]
So this begs the question. By what right does Kennedy qualify to be buried at Arlington?
Opps ... spoke too soon. Here is the provision:
Any former member of the Armed Forces who served on active duty (other than for training) and who held any of the following positions:
1. An elective office of the U.S. Government
2. Office of the Chief Justice of the United States or of an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.
3. An office listed, at the time the person held the position, in 5 USC 5312 or 5313 (Levels I and II of the Executive Schedule).
4. The chief of a mission who was at any time during his/her tenure classified in Class I under the provisions of Section 411, Act of 13 August 1946, 60 Stat. 1002, as amended (22 USC 866) or as listed in State Department memorandum dated March 21, 1988.
I read that if he was awarded the highest US Civilian Medal allowed, then that person can also be buried in Arlington. President Bush (43) did award him such a medal. I served 23 years on active duty and I am NOT eligible to be buried there though.