The Naval Weapons Station Yorktown plans to return human remains found on its land to the appropriate Native American tribes or descendants, in line with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act. These remains, which belong to a Native American individual, were discovered during archaeological work in 2003. The Pamunkey Indian Tribe is given priority for the remains. If no valid claims are made by January 16, 2026, the remains may be categorized as unclaimed. Disposition is set to begin after February 18, 2025, but claims for the remains can still be submitted before the deadline.
Simple Explanation
The Navy found some old human bones and wants to give them back to the right Native American tribe, just like you would return a lost toy to the kid who owns it. They want to make sure they give them back by next year, but they still need to figure out who exactly should get them.