Veteran Funeral Traditions
This article is a part of our religious traditions series. Below we will help you understand the timeline of the services that take place for this religion and clarify any unfamiliar terms. Please note that our timelines start when the deceased is picked up by the funeral home and brought into their care. For information on what happens before a loved one is taken into the funeral home's care, read our article on what to do when someone dies.
Before you continue, we wanted to let you know that After Goodbye works with local funeral homes to list their services on our website. Funeral homes bundle commonly purchased services into packages for your convenience. You can see these packages, compare them across other funeral homes and personalize your arrangements from the comfort of your couch. Our services are completely free, find funeral homes near you now.
What are the funeral benefits veterans are entitled to?
The veteran funeral benefits you will receive depend on whether the death was a service-connected death and whether they are buried in a private or VA national cemetery. Veterans that are eligible for military funeral honors can receive these honors at a VA national or private cemetery. Below are the burial allowances:
Service-connected death:
Buried in a VA national Cemetery:
Cost of cemetery plot is covered 100%.
Cost of transportation of the deceased to the cemetery may be covered partially or completely.
Cost of funeral services is not covered. However, being buried in a VA national cemetery includes a committal service before the deceased is buried.
Buried in a Private Cemetery:
Cost of cemetery plot, transportation and funeral services up to $2,000.
Non-service-connected death AND the veteran was hospitalized by VA at the time of their death:
Buried in a VA national Cemetery:
Cost of cemetery plot is covered 100%.
Cost of transportation and funeral services, up to $300.
Buried in a Private Cemetery:
Cost of cemetery plot, up to $828.
Cost of transportation and funeral services, up to $300
Non-service-connected death AND the veteran was not hospitalized by VA at the time of their death:
Buried in a VA national Cemetery:
Cost of cemetery plot is covered 100%.
Cost of transportation and funeral services, up to $828.
Buried in a Private Cemetery:
Cost of cemetery plot, up to $828.
Cost of transportation and funeral services, up to $828
Note - You will need to pay for theses costs first before you can receive the allowance.
Eligibility Criteria to be receive Veteran Funeral Benefits
You may be eligible for Veterans burial allowances if you’re paying for the burial and funeral costs and you won’t be reimbursed by any other organization, like another government agency or the Veteran’s employer. You must also meet all of these requirements.
One of these relationships or professional roles describes your connection to the Veteran:
You’re the Veteran’s surviving spouse (Note: We recognize same-sex marriages.), or
You’re the surviving partner from a legal union (a relationship made formal in a document issued by the state recognizing the union), or
You’re a surviving child of the Veteran, or
You’re a parent of the Veteran, or
You’re the executor or administrator of the Veteran’s estate (someone who officially represents the Veteran)
The Veteran must not have received a dishonorable discharge, and one of these circumstances must be true:
The Veteran died as a result of a service-connected disability (a disability related to service), or
The Veteran died while getting VA care, either at a VA facility or at a facility contracted by VA, or
The Veteran died while traveling with proper authorization, and at VA's expense, either to or from a facility for an examination, or to receive treatment or care, or
The Veteran died with an original or reopened claim for VA compensation or pension pending at the time of death, if they would’ve been entitled to benefits before the time of death, or
The Veteran died while receiving a VA pension or compensation, or
The Veteran died while eligible for a VA pension or compensation at time of death, but instead received full military retirement or disability pay
Or:
The Veteran had been getting a VA pension or compensation when they died, or
The Veteran had chosen to get military retired pay instead of compensation
You can’t get burial allowances for certain individuals
We don’t provide burial allowances if the individual died:
On active duty, or
While serving as a member of Congress, or
While serving a federal prison sentence
Eligibility Criteria to be buried in a VA National Cemetery
Veterans, service members, spouses, and dependents may be eligible for burial in a VA national cemetery, as well as other benefits, if they meet one of these requirements:
The person qualifying for burial benefits is a Veteran who didn’t receive a dishonorable discharge, or
The person qualifying for burial benefits is a service member who died while on active duty, active duty for training, or inactive duty for training, or
The person qualifying for burial benefits is the spouse or minor child of a Veteran, even if the Veteran died first, or
The person qualifying for burial benefits is in some cases, the unmarried adult dependent child of a Veteran
To see eligibility criteria for other special groups, see this article.
What are military funeral honors?
There are 3 elements to military funeral honors:
Playing of Taps.
The folding of the flag.
Presentation of the flag to the deceased's next of kin. To see the exact family order that is eligible to receive the flag, see this link.
When military funeral honors are performed, there will be a minimum of a two-person military service personnel to perform the services. Other military funeral honors that are reserved for special ranks or by approval include:
A rifle detail.
A color guard.
Eligibility Criteria for a Military Funeral Honors
Military members who died while on active duty.
Veterans who served in the active military, naval, or air service and were discharged or released from that service by means of an “honorable” or “under honorable conditions” discharge.
Members or former members of the Selected Reserves and were discharged or released from service by means of an “honorable” or “under honorable conditions” discharge.
Members of the Commissioned Officers Corps of the Public Health Service and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Certain civilian or contractual groups who have been given active-duty determinations may also be eligible for funeral honors, as they may have been named active-duty designees for the military, Navy or Air Force services.
What memorial items am I eligible to receive?
Burial Flag
Presidential Memorial Certificate
Headstone or Medallion
There are two types of Medallions - Bronze and Medal of Honor. Check below for the bronze medallion eligibility, however only Medal of Honor recipients may also receive the Medal of Honor medallion.
Eligibility Criteria for a Medallion
A Veteran who didn’t receive a dishonorable discharge or a service member who died while on active duty may be eligible for a medallion if they meet these requirements specific to when they served:
Officers who served before October 16, 1981, and enlisted personnel who served before September 7, 1980, both of these must be true:
The Veteran or service member served for at least 1 day of active duty on or after April 6, 1917, and
The Veteran or service member is buried in a private cemetery marked with a privately purchased headstone or marker
Officers who served after October 16, 1981, and enlisted personnel who served after September 7, 1980, both of these must be true:
The Veteran or service member served for a minimum of 24 months of continuous active duty, and
The Veteran or service member is buried in a private cemetery marked with a privately purchased headstone or marker
Additional Notes:
Any service member who died while serving on active duty is eligible, regardless of when they served.
Veterans that have received a Medal of Honor, they may also be eligible for a Medal of Honor medallion.
Eligibility Criteria for a Headstone
A Veteran who didn’t receive a dishonorable discharge or a service member who died while on active duty may be eligible for a headstone or marker if they meet these requirements specific to when they served:
Enlisted personnel who served before September 7, 1980, and officers who served before October 16, 1981, at least one of these must be true:
The Veteran or service member died on or after November 1, 1990, and their grave is currently marked with a privately purchased headstone, or
The Veteran or service member was buried in an unmarked grave, anywhere in the world
Note: If the Veteran or service member served before World War I, we require detailed documents, like muster rolls, extracts from state files, or the military or state organization where they served.
Enlisted personnel who served after September 7, 1980, and officers who served after October 16, 1981, at least one of these must be true:
The Veteran or service member died on or after November 1, 1990, and their grave is currently marked with a privately purchased headstone, or
The Veteran or service member was buried in an unmarked grave, anywhere in the world
And at least one of these must also be true:
The Veteran or service member served for a minimum of 24 months of continuous active duty, or
The Veteran or service member died while serving on active duty
Note: Hmong individuals who were living in the U.S. when they died are eligible if they were naturalized under the Hmong Veterans Naturalization Act of 2000 and died on or after March 23, 2018.
Eligibility Criteria for a Presidential Memorial Certificate
You may be eligible for a Presidential Memorial Certificate if you meet both of these requirements.
The Veteran or Reservist is eligible for burial in a national cemetery, and
You’re the next of kin, family member, or close friend of the Veteran or Reservist (or an authorized service representative for a family member or friend of the Veteran or Reservist)
Eligibility Criteria for a Burial Flag
You may be eligible for a burial flag if you’re the next of kin or a close friend of the Veteran or Reservist and one of these descriptions are true for that Veteran or Reservist:
They served in wartime, or
They died while serving on active duty after May 27, 1941, or
They served after January 31, 1955, or
They served in peacetime and left military service before June 27, 1950, after serving at least 1 enlistment, or because of a disability that was caused—or made worse—by their active military service, or
They served in the Selected Reserves (in certain cases), or served in the military forces of the Philippines while in service of the United States and died on or after April 25, 1951. For more information on either of these situations, call 800-827-1000, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. ET.
Common FAQs regarding veteran funerals
Does my religion approve of cremation?
As a veteran, you can certainly choose to be cremated and have your ashes buried or scattered in a veteran cemetery. If you are religious and want to align with religious guidance toward cremation or burial, click one of the links below:
What is a DD-214?
The DD-214 form is the form you will need to fill out to request discharge papers and separation documents. Information on this form may include:
Date and place of entry into active duty
Home address at time of entry
Date and place of release from active duty
Home address after separation
Last duty assignment and rank
Military job specialty
Military education
Decorations, medals, badges, citations and campaign awards received
Total creditable service
Foreign service credited
Separation information (date and type of separation, character of service, authority and reason for separation and separation and reenlistment eligibility codes)
Burial Funeral Timeline at a VA National Cemetery
Below is a general timeline of the funeral services you can expect when burial will take place in a national cemetery. These timelines depend greatly on the type of funeral services you may have planned with a funeral home.
To see the general funeral services timeline, see this article.
To see a specific religion's funeral service timeline, select your religion below:
Day of Burial
The deceased is transported from the funeral home to the cemetery.
The Committal service (if desired) will be held in a committal shelter. Note, this is typically called a graveside service, however in a VA national cemetery, the committal service must be held in a committal shelter. In this service, family and friends can gather together to honor the deceased with eulogies, prayers and any religious services desired by the family.
Military honors are performed.
6 weeks after burial
If the family requested a Presidential Memorial Certificate, it should arrive within 6 weeks of the order date.
60 days after burial
If the family requested a headstone or medallion, it will be delivered within 60 days of the order date.
If you're looking for more information about funeral costs or planning a funeral, check out our funeral planning page for more articles and answers to your questions.
