A Guide to Military Funeral Honors and Benefits

Last updated 4 months ago. Our resources are updated regularly but please keep in mind that links, programs, policies, and contact information do change.

When a veteran dies, the United States provides military funeral honors as a final tribute to those who defended the nation. This solemn ceremony represents a sacred obligation – a powerful expression of a country’s profound gratitude for service and sacrifice.

Since January 1, 2000, federal law has guaranteed every eligible veteran the right to military funeral honors at no cost to the family.

The Department of Defense oversees this program, called “Honoring Those Who Served,” ensuring that upon a family’s request, every qualifying veteran receives a ceremony that includes the playing of “Taps,” the ceremonial folding and presentation of the American flag, and a detail of uniformed military personnel to render the honors.

This guide explains everything families need to know about military funeral honors – who qualifies, how to request them, what ceremonies look like, and the full range of burial benefits available to veterans and their families.

A Nation’s Promise: What Every Veteran Is Guaranteed

Military funeral honors aren’t just a custom – they’re a legal right established by Public Law 106-65. Before this 2000 legislation, honor guard availability was inconsistent, based mainly on military custom and Defense Department directives. The law transformed this practice into a national promise: every eligible veteran shall receive military funeral honors upon their family’s request.

The Three Core Elements

Federal law mandates a minimum standard that forms the foundation of every military funeral. While some ceremonies may be more elaborate depending on rank and circumstances, every eligible veteran receives these three essential elements:

Two-Person Uniformed Detail: At minimum, the honor guard consists of two uniformed Armed Forces members. At least one must be from the same service branch in which the veteran served, ensuring a personal connection to their military experience. This detail conducts the ceremony with precision and dignity.

The Sounding of “Taps”: The haunting 24-note bugle call is central to every ceremony. While a live bugler is always preferred, the law recognizes logistical challenges of providing buglers for every service nationwide. If a live bugler isn’t available, high-quality stereophonic recordings may be used, often through a “ceremonial bugle” containing a hidden electronic device. Active-duty funerals require live buglers.

Flag Folding and Presentation: The ceremony includes meticulous folding of a United States burial flag into the iconic triangle shape. An honor guard member then formally presents the flag to the veteran’s next of kin with standardized words honoring their service.

The system is designed to be scalable. While the law guarantees core honors for every veteran, ceremony scale and formality can vary based on factors like rank, personnel availability, and location. This flexibility allows the military to honor every veteran while managing nationwide logistical demands.

Who Qualifies for Military Funeral Honors

Eligibility centers on one crucial factor: the character of a veteran’s service. The system broadly includes those who served honorably while rigidly excluding those whose actions brought discredit upon the uniform.

The Key Requirement: Discharge Character

The most important eligibility factor is the veteran’s discharge character. To qualify for military funeral honors, service members must have been separated under conditions other than dishonorable. This typically means receiving either “honorable” or “under honorable conditions” discharge.

Who Is Eligible

The following groups qualify for military funeral honors:

Active Duty and Selected Reserve Members: Any military member who dies while on active duty or in the Selected Reserve (including National Guard and Reserves).

Military Veterans: Former Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard members who served on active duty and were separated under other than dishonorable conditions. For service beginning after September 7, 1980 (enlisted) or October 16, 1981 (officers), veterans generally must have served at least 24 continuous months or their full called-to-duty period.

Former Selected Reserve Members: Those who completed at least one full enlistment term or initial obligated service period and were discharged under other than dishonorable conditions.

Other Uniformed Services: Members of the Commissioned Officer Corps of the Public Health Service and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Special Civilian Groups: Certain civilian or contractual groups who provided military service (like World War II Merchant Mariners or “Flying Tigers”) have been granted veteran status by law and may qualify.

Who Is Not Eligible

Federal law explicitly prohibits certain individuals from receiving military funeral honors, regardless of service record. These disqualifications reflect judgment that certain actions forfeit the right to national honor.

A person cannot receive military funeral honors if they:

• Were separated with a dishonorable discharge or have service character that legally bars VA benefits
• Were convicted of federal or state capital crimes (murder, treason) resulting in life imprisonment or death sentences
• Were convicted of Tier III sex offenses resulting in life imprisonment
• Were ordered to report for military induction but never actually inducted
• Were convicted of subversive activities against the United States after September 1, 1959

These criteria underscore that eligibility represents the nation’s final, formal judgment on whether an individual’s life and service warrant its ultimate expression of gratitude.

How to Request Military Funeral Honors

For grieving families, arranging military funerals can seem overwhelming. However, the system is designed to be managed by professionals with clear, time-sensitive pathways to securing honors.

Step 1: Work with Your Funeral Director

The funeral director serves as your primary contact and liaison with the military. Upon your request, they will:

• Verify the deceased’s veteran status
• Collect necessary documentation
• Contact the appropriate military service coordinator to schedule the honor guard detail

Inform your funeral director of your wishes as early as possible. The military recommends at least 48 hours advance notice to properly coordinate and dispatch funeral honors details.

Step 2: Provide the DD Form 214

The most important document needed is the veteran’s military discharge certificate, usually the DD Form 214 “Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty.” This document contains all necessary information about service, including branch, dates, and critically, discharge character. Any official discharge paper showing honorable service can establish eligibility.

Step 3: If You Can’t Find Discharge Papers

Many families cannot locate veterans’ discharge papers, creating stressful delays during funeral planning. Fortunately, established procedures exist for requesting records from the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), which provides copies free to veterans and next of kin.

Request Options:

Online: Use the National Archives’ eVetRecs portal – the fastest method.

Mail or Fax: Complete Standard Form 180 (SF-180) “Request Pertaining to Military Records” and mail or fax to the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) in St. Louis, Missouri. General fax: 314-801-9195.

Emergency Funeral Requests: NARA has expedited processes for funeral arrangements. Fax the completed SF-180 with proof of death (death certificate or funeral home letter) to the emergency fax: 314-801-0764. Call NPRC Customer Service at 314-801-0800 the following morning (preferably around 7:00 a.m. Central Time) to confirm receipt and ensure expedited processing.

Important Note – The 1973 Fire: A catastrophic 1973 fire at the National Personnel Records Center destroyed 16-18 million files, including about 80% of Army records for personnel discharged between 1912-1960 and 75% of Air Force records for personnel discharged between 1947-1964 (names after “Hubbard, James E.”). If records were likely destroyed, NARA will attempt reconstruction using alternate records, though this process is more complex.

Step 4: Contact the Right Service Branch

Once the funeral director has the DD Form 214 and confirms eligibility, they contact the appropriate military service coordinator for the state where the funeral occurs. This is done using the official Military Funeral Honors Directory maintained by Military OneSource.

Levels of Military Funeral Honors

Not all military funerals are identical. Honor levels reflect the military’s culture recognizing rank, achievement, and circumstances of death. The ceremony honors the individual while acknowledging their place in institutional history.

Standard Military Funeral Honors

Generally provided for enlisted service members (E-1 through E-8), Warrant Officers (WO-1 through CW-3), and company-grade/junior field-grade Officers (O-1 through O-3). Beyond the core elements, these ceremonies often include:

• Casket team (pallbearers) to carry the casket
• Firing party to render the three-rifle volley
• Bugler to sound “Taps”

Full Military Funeral Honors with Escort

More elaborate ceremonies reserved for senior personnel or those who died under specific circumstances. Eligible recipients include:

• Senior Enlisted Personnel (E-9)
• Senior Warrant Officers (CW-4 and CW-5)
• Field-grade and General Officers (O-4 and above)
• Any service member who was a Medal of Honor recipient, former Prisoner of War, or killed in action (regardless of rank)

This ceremony includes standard honor elements plus:

• Military band
• Marching element (escort platoon) sized according to deceased’s rank
• Use of caisson (horse-drawn wagon) to carry the casket, if available

Armed Forces Funeral Honors

The highest level of tribute, reserved for the nation’s highest military and civilian leaders including the President (as Commander-in-Chief), Secretary of Defense, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and officers who held multiple-service commands.

Identical to full military honors with escort, but adds escort platoons from each military service, creating a powerful visual representation of the entire Defense Department paying respects.

Special Honors at Arlington National Cemetery

Arlington National Cemetery, as the nation’s most sacred military shrine, offers unique honors generally unavailable elsewhere:

Caparisoned (Riderless) Horse: For Army and Marine Corps colonels and general officers, a single horse, saddled and bridled, follows the caisson. The officer’s boots are reversed in stirrups – an ancient symbol signifying the fallen warrior will ride no more.

Cannon Salute: Army, Navy, and Marine Corps general and flag officers may receive cannon salutes with the number corresponding to rank:

• 1-star: 11 guns
• 2-star: 13 guns
• 3-star: 15 guns
• 4-star: 17 guns
• President: 21 guns

Military Funeral Honors Overview

The Sacred Traditions: Understanding the Ceremony

Military funerals weave together rich symbolism, with each element rooted in history and tradition. These rituals connect individual veteran service to the long line of patriots who came before.

The Story of “Taps”

The 24 notes of “Taps” represent the most emotionally resonant sound in American military tradition.

Origin: “Taps” is uniquely American, composed not in a concert hall but on a Civil War battlefield. In July 1862, during the Peninsular Campaign, Union General Daniel Butterfield felt the standard “lights out” bugle call – a French tune called “L’Extinction des feux” – was too formal and lacked feeling. Working with brigade bugler Oliver Willcox Norton, Butterfield revised an older call known as “Tattoo,” humming notes until Norton could write them down.

First Funeral Use: The call’s adoption for funerals was born of battlefield necessity. Soon after its creation, Union Captain John Tidball was burying a cannoneer killed in action. Fearing traditional three-rifle volleys would alert nearby Confederate forces and restart fighting, he ordered the bugler to play the new, quiet call of “Taps” instead. The practice quickly spread.

Official Status: “Taps” was formally required at military funerals in Army regulations by 1891. In 2012, Congress officially designated it the “National Song of Military Remembrance.”

The American Flag in Military Funerals

The American flag serves as the ceremony’s central symbol, representing the nation the veteran served.

Draping the Casket: The flag is carefully placed on closed caskets so the blue star field (union) is at the head and over the deceased’s left shoulder. This tradition dates to the Napoleonic Wars, when flags covered battlefield fallen. For cremated remains, the flag is typically folded into a triangle and carried beside the urn.

The 13 Folds: The flag is ceremonially folded 13 times into a crisp triangle emblematic of tricorn hats worn by American Revolution soldiers. When fully folded, only the blue star field is visible, representing a nation where the sun has set. While popular tradition attributes specific meanings to each fold (the first symbolizing life, the second eternal life belief), these meanings are patriotic custom, not official U.S. law or military regulation. Families may request these meanings be recited during folding.

Presentation Words: After folding, the flag is presented to next of kin. To ensure consistency and dignity, the Defense Department standardized presentation wording in 2012. A uniformed representative from the veteran’s service branch leans toward the recipient, holds the flag waist-high, and solemnly states:

“On behalf of the President of the United States, the United States [Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, or Coast Guard], and a grateful nation, please accept this flag as a symbol of our appreciation for your loved one’s honorable and faithful service.”

The Three-Rifle Volley

Origin and Meaning: The three-volley salute dates to European dynastic wars. During battles, fighting temporarily ceased so both sides could clear dead and wounded from the field. Three shots fired into the air signaled that the dead had been properly attended to and battle could resume. It declares the fallen have been cared for.

Execution: The salute is performed by a rifle party of three to seven members who fire three rounds of blank cartridges in unison into the air.

Understanding the Difference: Three-Volley Salute vs. 21-Gun Salute

Many people confuse these two honors:

Three-Volley Salute:

• Uses rifles
• Part of funeral for eligible veterans
• Originates from battlefield truce custom

21-Gun Salute:

• Uses artillery cannons
• Formal honor for living heads of state, national flags, or holidays
• Originates from naval tradition of firing cannons to show peaceful intent
• The number 21 evolved from naval ships firing seven-gun salutes while land forts fired three shots for every ship shot (3 x 7 = 21)
• Veteran funerals don’t include 21-gun salutes unless the veteran was also a former president

VA Burial and Memorial Benefits

The nation’s commitment to honoring veterans extends far beyond funeral ceremonies. The Department of Veterans Affairs provides comprehensive burial and memorial benefits ensuring lasting tribute while easing family burdens.

Burial in VA National Cemeteries

Eligible veterans and family members have the right to burial in one of 155 VA national cemeteries nationwide.

Benefits Provided at No Cost:

• The gravesite
• Opening and closing of the grave
• Concrete grave liner protecting the casket
• Government-furnished headstone or marker
• Perpetual care of the gravesite

Eligibility: Generally includes any veteran with other-than-dishonorable discharge, their spouse (even if remarrying after the veteran’s death), and dependent children. Detailed eligibility criteria are available at the VA cemetery website.

Pre-Need Eligibility: The VA’s Pre-Need Determination Program allows veterans and spouses to apply in advance for formal decision letters confirming burial eligibility. This provides peace of mind and simplifies arrangements at death. Use VA Form 40-10007 “Application for Pre-Need Determination of Eligibility for Burial in a VA National Cemetery.”

Government Headstones, Markers, and Medallions

The VA ensures no veteran’s grave remains unmarked.

For Any Cemetery: The VA provides free government headstones or markers for unmarked graves of eligible veterans in any cemetery worldwide, not just VA cemeteries.

For Already-Marked Graves: For veterans who died on or after November 1, 1990, the VA can provide government markers even if graves already have privately purchased ones.

Types Available: Families choose from upright headstones in granite or marble, or flat markers in granite, marble, or bronze. The choice must comply with private cemetery rules.

Medallion Alternative: For families choosing private burial with custom family headstones, the VA offers bronze medallions to affix to private headstones. The medallion is inscribed “VETERAN” with the service branch. Families receive either a government headstone/marker OR medallion, not both.

Applications: Use VA Form 40-1330 for headstones or markers, VA Form 40-1330M for medallions.

The U.S. Burial Flag

Provision: The VA provides one burial flag at no cost to drape caskets or accompany urns of eligible veterans. After funerals, this flag is given to next of kin as a keepsake.

Eligibility: Generally granted for veterans who served during wartime or after January 31, 1955, and received other-than-dishonorable discharge.

Application: Funeral directors typically handle requests by submitting VA Form 27-2008 “Application for United States Flag for Burial Purposes.” Flags are available from most U.S. Post Offices and VA regional offices.

Presidential Memorial Certificates

Description: Presidential Memorial Certificates are high-quality, engraved paper certificates bearing the current president’s signature, expressing the country’s grateful recognition of honorable service.

Eligibility and Requests: Available for any veteran eligible for national cemetery burial. The VA provides multiple copies upon request for family members and close friends.

Application: Veterans buried in VA national cemeteries often receive certificates automatically at interment. For other cases, request using VA Form 40-0247 “Presidential Memorial Certificate Request Form.” Include copies of discharge papers and death certificates to expedite processing.

Essential Contacts and Resources

Navigating various agencies involved in arranging military funeral honors and burial benefits can be challenging. This directory consolidates key contacts into a single resource.

Key Contact Information

What Families Need to Know

Military funeral honors represent more than ceremony – they’re a nation’s promise to never forget those who served. Understanding these benefits and how to access them helps ensure every veteran receives the recognition they’ve earned.

The system is designed to support families during difficult times, with professionals ready to guide you through the process. While paperwork and coordination may seem overwhelming, remember that funeral directors, VA representatives, and military coordinators are experienced in these arrangements and committed to honoring your loved one appropriately.

Start early when possible, keep important documents accessible, and don’t hesitate to ask questions. These benefits exist because a grateful nation recognizes that service members and their families have already given enough – the final tribute should be the country’s gift to them.

Whether your veteran served in wartime or peace, for four years or thirty, these honors acknowledge that they answered their nation’s call when it mattered. The folded flag, the sound of “Taps,” and the final salute aren’t just traditions – they’re promises kept to those who kept their promises to America.

Our articles make government information more accessible. Please consult a qualified professional for financial, legal, or health advice specific to your circumstances.