Several years ago, my grandfather passed away. Even though it is a difficult time for our family, one thing made it easier for us. My grandfather served in the US Navy during WWII and as a veteran of the US military, he was eligible for a free burial with full military honors. My wife’s family recently experienced a similar loss, when her uncle, A Korean War Era veteran, passed away. He too was eligible for military funeral honors.
Funerals are expensive, with the average funeral costing between $5,000-10,000. Military Funeral Honors send the veteran off in style and save the family a lot of money at a time when they are already stressed with the passing of their loved one.
Honoring Those Who Served
Military funeral honors are a benefit earned by all who served honorably in the US Armed Forces and are provided free of charge as a last “thank you” from a grateful nation. To be eligible for a free military burial, a veteran must have died while on active duty or must have received a discharge other than dishonorable. Veterans may also be eligible if they were a member or former member of the selected reserve.
The military will provide the Military Funeral Honors to the eligible beneficiary, which consists of the ceremonial folding and presentation of the American flag and the sounding of Taps.
The ceremony is normally provided by a military funeral honors detail of two or more uniformed military personnel, with at least one being a member of the veteran’s parent service.
In the event current uniformed personnel are not available for the service, many other veterans service organizations provide military funeral honors.
Let Your Family Know You Desire Military Funeral Honors
Public Law 106-65 requires that every eligible veteran receive a military funeral honors ceremony, but the government doesn’t have the resources to track down each veteran at the time of death. It is your duty to let your family know your desires so they can make your funeral arrangements after you pass.
You should also let your family know the location of your DD Form 214 (verification of military service) or other discharge documents, which they will need in order for you to receive Military Funeral Honors. You may also wish to request a full copy of your military service records as having this documentation on hand will expedite the process.
How to Arrange Military Funeral Honors
To arrange Military Funeral Honors, contact your local funeral home. Upon request of the next of kin or authorized representative, the funeral director requests the honors from the Military Service in which the veteran served. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) National Cemetery Administration cemetery staff can also assist with arranging Military Funeral Honors at VA national cemeteries. When military funeral honors at a national cemetery are desired, they are arranged prior to the committal service by the funeral home.
Headstones and Markers
Military Funeral Honors also includes a headstone and marker for the veteran and eligible dependents. Styles include flat bronze, flat granite, flat marble, and upright marble. Again, the funeral director can provide more information.
Free Burial at Sea for Veterans
Burial at sea was a Navy tradition of yore, but it is still available for veterans who wish for it. Burial at sea services are performed while the vessel is on official duty, so it is impossible for family members to be present. Following the burial at sea, the ship’s commanding officer will notify the surviving family members of the date, time, latitude, and longitude at which the burial took place.
Here is more information regarding military burials:
- Military Funeral Honors.
- VA website.
- VA website – headstones and markers.
Which Documents Do You Need for a Military Burial?
In addition to qualifying military service, the veteran must be able to prove his or her military service. This is most commonly done with the DD Form 214, which is the record of service each military member receives upon discharge (prior to 1950, each service used its own discharge form).
Unfortunately, not everyone has a copy of his or her DD Form 214. It is possible to order a replacement form from the National Archives, but there is also a large segment of the veteran population whose military records were destroyed in the National Archives Fire of 1973. The fire occurred before the government had digital or microfilm backups of military records and many military records were permanently lost or destroyed. For those veterans, proving military service may be more difficult.
Thankfully, there are other ways to prove military service for last burial rights and other veterans benefits beyond the DD Form 214. In many cases, you can provide an Honorable Discharge certificate, retirement order, military documentation from your state if you served in the Guard, or a variety of other documents.
Documents Required for Military Funeral Honors
The following is a list of approved Veterans Military Discharge Documents which will satisfy the VA requirements for proof of honorable military service. You can use these forms to establish eligibility for a military burial, or for requesting a headstone or marker. You can find the full list at the VA.
- Official Retirement Order
- Official Retirement Register
- Reserve Retirement Eligibility Benefits Letter
- Verification of Service letter from the VA
- Summary of Military Service Record From various states
- DD 214 *** – Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty
- DA 1569 – Transcript of Military Record
- DD 2A – Armed Forces Identification Card (Active)
- DD 2AF – Armed Forces Identification Card (Active)
- DD 2CG – Armed Forces Identification Card (Active)
- DD 2MC – Armed Forces Identification Card (Active)
- DD 2N – Armed Forces Identification Card (Active)
- DD 2NOAA – Armed Forces Identification Card (Active)
- DD 2 (Retired) – US Uniformed Services Identification Card
- DD 13 – Statement of Service
- DD 217 – Discharge Certificate
- DD 256A * – Honorable Discharge Certificate
- DD 256AF * – Honorable Discharge Certificate
- DD 256CG * – Honorable Discharge Certificate
- DD 256MC * – Honorable Discharge Certificate
- DD 256N * – Honorable Discharge Certificate
- DD 257A * – General Discharge Certificate
- DD 257AF * – General Discharge Certificate
- DD 257CG * – General Discharge Certificate
- DD 257MC * – General Discharge Certificate
- DD 257N * – General Discharge Certificate
- DD 303 – Certificate in Lieu of Lost or Destroyed Discharge
- DD 303AF – Certificate in Lieu of Lost or Destroyed Discharge
- DD 303CG – Certificate in Lieu of Lost or Destroyed Discharge
- DD 303MC – Certificate in Lieu of Lost or Destroyed Discharge
- DD 303N – Certificate in Lieu of Lost or Destroyed Discharge
- DD 1300 – Report of Casualty
- ADJ 545 – Discharge Certificate
- Army DS ODF – Honorable Discharge from the United States Army
- AGO 525 – Discharge Certificate
- AGO 755 – Discharge Certificate
- AGO 01252 – Discharge Certificate
- AGO 01254 – Transcript of Military Record
- AGO 01502 – Discharge Certificate
- WD AGO 53 – Enlisted Record and Report of Separation Honorable Discharge
- WD AGO 53-55 – Enlisted Record and Report of Separation Honorable Discharge
- WD AGO 53-58 – Enlisted Record and Report of Separation General Discharge
- WD AGO 53-90 – Certificate of Service
- WD AGO 53-98 – Military Record and Report of Separation Certificate of Service
- WD AGO 55 – Honorable Discharge from The Army of the United States
- WD AGO 280 – Certificate of Service, AVS
- WD AGO 525 – Honorable Discharge from the United States Army
- WD AGO 755 – Honorable Discharge, Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps
- WD AGO 0729 – Honorable Discharge from Army of the United States of America
- WD AGO 01502 – Certificate in Lieu of Lost or Destroyed Discharge Certificate
- WD AGO 01504 – Discharge Certificate
- Bureau of Investigation No. 6 – Discharge Certificate
- Bureau of Investigation No. 53 – Discharge Certificate
- Bureau of Investigation No. 118 – Discharge Certificate
- Bureau of Investigation No. 213 ** – Discharge from U. S. Naval Reserve Force
- Form No. 6, U.S.N. – Discharge Certificate
- Navy (No number) – War Service Certificate
- NAVCG-553 – Notice of Separation from U.S. Coast Guard
- NAVCG-2510 – Honorable Discharge, U.S. Coast Guard
- NAVMC-455 – U.S. Marine Corps Certificate of Service, In Lieu of Lost or Destroyed Discharge Certificate
- NAVMC 70-PD – Honorable Discharge, U.S. Marine Corps
- NAVMC 78-PD – U.S. Marine Corps Report of Separation
- NMC 258 A&I – Discharge Certificate
- NMC 2571 A&I – Honorable Discharge, U.S. Marine Corps
- NAVPERS-553 – Notice of Separation from U.S. Naval Service
- NAVPERS-563 – Navy Discharge-Notice of Separation from U.S. Naval Service
- NAVPERS-566 – Standard Statement of Service
- NAVPERS-660 – Honorable Discharge from U.S. Navy
- NAVPERS-661 – Certificate of Discharge, U.S. Naval Service
- NAVPERS-663B – Discharge Certificate
- NGB 22 **** – Report of Separation and Record of Service, Departments of the Army and the Air Force, National Guard Bureau
- GSA 6851 – Service Information
- GSA 6954 – Certificate of Military Service
- NAR 529 – Certification of Military Service
- NA 13038 – Certification of Military Service
- NA 13041 – Statement of Service
- VA Adjudication 545 – Summary of Record of Active Service
- VA 3101 – Request for Army Information
Notes:
- * A DD Form 256 or DD Form 257 must indicate a period of active duty service dates to be a valid document for eligibility determination purposes.
- ** Valid only if active duty service dates are indicated.
- *** The DD Form 214 has been issued by all military services since January 1, 1950. Before January 1, 1950, several similar forms were used by the military services.
- **** NGB Form 22 can be used to verify eligibility if it indicates prior active federal service other than for training or a minimum of 20 years total service for pay.
Make Your Intentions Known
Burying a family member is always a stressful time. If you are a veteran and plan on receiving a military burial, then please inform your spouse, children, or other survivors of your intentions and have your documentation in order in advance. The last thing your family needs to stress about during this time is finding your military records or requesting a copy of them from the National Archives – which could delay your burial service. Take the time to put together a folder with your military documentation and other records so your family can take them to the funeral home. From there, the funeral director should be able to take care of the rest of the details with the VA.
If you have any questions or concerns about your documentation or proof of honorable military service, then please take your concerns to a local funeral parlor in advance. This way you and your family can be prepared. Visit the VA Cemetery Services or osd.mil sites for more information.
Photo credit: Beverly & Pack
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Lon Earl Williams says
I am just wanting to set up my military funeral to put less burned on my family. I spent 28 years in the ARMY and retired as an LTC. I want to be buried in the Leavenworth cemetery. How do I start that process?
Ryan Guina says
Lon, I recommend contacting the Leavenworth Cemetery for more information. Here is a list of VA National Cemeteries and their address and contact information. I wish you the best!