Burial in National Cemeteries
VA Cemeteries
Burial
benefits in a VA national cemetery include the gravesite,
a headstone or marker, opening and closing of the
grave, and perpetual care. Many national cemeteries
have columbaria or gravesites for cremated remains.
Veterans
and service members are eligible for burial in a VA
national cemetery, An eligible veteran must have been
discharged or separated from active duty under conditions
other than dishonorable and have completed the required
period of service, Persons entitled to retired pay
as a result of 20 years creditable service with a
reserve component are eligible. A U.S. citizen who
served in the armed forces of a government allied
with the United States in a war also may be eligible
A 1997 law bars persons convicted of federal or state
capital crimes from being buried or memorialized in
one of the VA national cemeteries or in Arlington
National Cemetery.
Spouses
and minor children of eligible veterans and of service
members also may be buried in a national cemetery.
Adult children incapable of self-support due to physical
or mental disability are eligible for burial. If a
surviving spouse of an eligible veteran marries a
nonveteran, and remarriage was terminated by divorce
or death of the nonveteran, the spouse is eligible
for burial in a national cemetery.
Gravesites in national cemeteries cannot be reserved. Funeral directors
or others making burial arrangements must apply at
the time of death, Reservations made under previous
programs are honored. Cemeteries do not provide military
honors but may make referrals to military units or
volunteer groups. The National Cemetery Administration
normally does not conduct burials on weekends, A weekend
caller, however, will be directed to one of three
VA cemetery offices that remain open during weekends
to schedule burials at the cemetery of the caller's
choice during the following week.
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Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery is under the jurisdiction of the Army.
Eligibility for burials is more limited than at other
national cemeteries. For information on Arlington
burials, write to Superintendent, ArlingtonNational
Cemetery, Arlington, VA 22211 or call 703-695-3250.
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Interior Department, State
Veteran Cemeteries
The
two active national cemeteries administered by the
Department of the Interior are AndersonvilleNational
Cemetery in Georgia and Andrew Johnson National Cemetery
in Tennessee, Eligibility for burial is similar to
VA cemetery eligibility. Cemeteries for veterans also
are operated by many states. For burials in these
cemeteries, contact the cemetery or the applicable
state.
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Headstones and Markers
VA
provides headstones and markers for the unmarked graves
of veterans anywhere in the world and of eligible
dependents of veterans buried in national, state veteran
or military post cemeteries, Flat bronze, flat granite,
flat marble, upright granite and upright marble types
are available to mark the grave in a style consistent
with the cemetery, Niche markers also are available
for identifying cremated remains in columbaria. Headstones
and markers are inscribed with the name of the deceased,
branch of service, and the years of birth and death.
Optional items that may be inscribed are military
grade, rank or rate; war service such as "World War
11"; months and days of birth and death; an emblem
reflecting one's religion, and text indicating valor
awards. When burial is in a national, state veteran
or military post cemetery, the headstone or marker
is offered through the cemetery, which will place
it on the grave, Information on style, inscription
and shipping can be obtained from the cemetery, When
burial occurs in a cemetery other than a national,
military post or state veterans' cemetery, the headstone
or marker must be applied for from VA. It is shipped
at government expense. VA, however, does not pay the
cost of placing the headstone or marker To apply,
complete VA Form 40-1330 and forward it to Director,
Memorial Programs Service (403A), Department of Veterans
Affairs, 810 Vermont Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20420.
Forms and assistance are available at VA regional
offices, For information regarding the status of an
application, write to the Director, Memorial Programs
Service (4MA), or call 1-800-697-6947, VA cannot issue
a headstone or marker for a spouse or child buried
in a private cemetery- Twenty-year reservists generally
are eligible for a headstone or grave marker.
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Headstones or Markers
for Memorial Plots
To
memorialize an eligible veteran whose remains are
not available for burial, VA will provide a memorial
headstone or marker, The headstone or marker is the
same as that used to identify a grave except that
the phrase "In Memory of" precedes the inscription.
The headstone or marker is available to memorialize
eligible veterans or deceased service members whose
remains were not recovered or identified, were buried
at sea, donated to science, or cremated and scattered.
The memorial marker also may be provided for placement
in a cemetery other than a national cemetery, In such
cases, VA supplies the marker and pays the cost of
shipping, but does not pay for the plot or the placement
of the marker.
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Presidential Memorial
Certificates
Presidential Memorial Certificates express the nation's recognition
of veterans' service. Certificates bearing the signature
of the President are issued honoring deceased veterans
with honorable discharges. Eligible recipients include
next of kin and other loved ones. The award of a certificate
to one eligible recipient does not preclude certificates
to other eligible recipients- The veteran may have
died at any time in the past. Requests for a certificate
must be accompanied by a copy of a document such as
a discharge to establish honorable service. VA regional
offices can assist in applying for certificates.
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Burial Flags
VA
provides an American flag to drape the casket of a
veteran or a reservist entitled to retired military
pay. After the funeral service, the flag may be given
to the next of kin or a close associate. Flags are
issued at VA regional offices and national cemeteries,
and post offices.
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Reimbursement of Burial
Expenses
VA
will pay a burial allowance up to $1,500 if the veteran's
death is service-connected. In some instances, VA
also will pay the cost of transporting the remains
of a service disabled veteran to the national cemetery
nearest the home of the deceased that has available
gravesites. In such cases, the person who bore the
veteran's burial expenses may claim reimbursement
from VA. VA will pay a $300 burial and funeral expense
allowance for veterans who, at time of death, were
entitled to receive pension or compensation or would
have been entitled to compensation but for receipt
of military retirement pay. Eligibility also may be
established when death occurs in a VA facility, a
nursing home under VA contract or a state nursing
home. Additional costs of transportation of the remains
may be paid, There is no time limit for filing reimbursement
claims of service-connected deaths. In other deaths,
claims must be filed within two years after permanent
burial or cremation. VA will pay a $160 plot allowance
when a veteran is not buried in a cemetery that is
under US. government jurisdiction under the following
circumstances: the veteran was discharged from active
duty because of disability incurred or aggravated
in the line of duty-, the veteran was in receipt of
compensation or pension or would have been except
for receiving military retired pay; or the veteran
died in a VA facility. The $150 plot allowance may
be paid to the state if a veteran is buried without
charge for the cost of a plot or interment in a state-owned
cemetery reserved solely for veteran burials- Burial
expenses paid by the deceased's employer or a state
agency will not be reimbursed, For information on
monetary benefits, call 1-800-827-1000.
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Contacting the Veteran
Affairs Office
Depending on their circumstances, military veterans and their dependents
are entitled to a variety of benefits beyond these
burial benefits. Contact should be made to the Veterans
Affairs Office to determine what benefits can be claimed
and then gather the information required.
The
National Toll-free Number for the Veterans Affairs
Office is 800-827-1000.
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What is new about Military
Funeral Honors?
Military
Funeral Honors have always been provided whenever
possible. However, the low now mandates the rendering
of Military Funeral Honors for an eligible veteran
if requested by the family. As provided by low, an
honor guard detail for the burial of on eligible veteran
shall consist of not less than two members of the
Armed Forces. One member of the detail shall be a
representative of the parent Service of the deceased
veteran. The honor detail will, at a minimum, perform
a ceremony that includes the folding and presenting
of the American flag to the next of kin and the playing
of Tops, Tops will be played by a bugler, if available,
at by electronic recording. Today, there are so few
buglers available that the Military Services often
cannot provide one.
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Who is eligible for Military
Funeral Honors?
-
Military members on active duty or in the Selected Reserve
-
Former military members who served on active duty and departed
under conditions other than dishonorable.
-
Former military members who completed at least one term of enlistment
or period of initial obligated service in the
Selected Reserve and departed under conditions
other than dishonorable
-
Former military members discharged from the Selected Reserve due
to a disability incurred or aggravated in the
line of duty.
Further
clarification on eligibility is available in United
States Code.
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Who is not eligible for
Military Funeral Honors?
-
Any
person separated from the Armed Forces under dishonorable
conditions or whose character of service results
in a bar to veteran's benefits.
-
Any
person who was ordered to report to an induction
station, but was not actually inducted into military
service.
-
Any
person discharged from the Selected Reserve prior
to completing vile term of enlistment or period
of initial obligated service for reasons other
than a disability incurred or aggravated in the
line of duty
-
Any
person convicted of a Federal or State capital
crime sentenced to death or life imprisonment
or in flight to avoid prosecution.
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How much does a Military
Funeral Honors detail cost?
Military
Funeral Honors are provided by the Department of Defense
at no cost to the family.
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What can the family of
an eligible veteran expect?
The
rare elements of the funeral honors ceremony, which
will be conducted on request, include;
- Flag
folding
- Playing of Taps
- Flag
presentation
The
veteran's parent Service representative will present
the flag.
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Who is eligible for a
burial flag?
The
Veterans Administration establishes eligibility. Funeral
directors can assist families in obtaining a flag,
More information is available at:
http://www.cem.va.gov/pmc.htm
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How does a family request
a grave marker?
For
questions about grave markers, family members can
write to the VA at:
Memorial
Programs Service (403)
Department of Veterans Affairs
810 Vermont Ave , NW
Washington, DC 2042Q
More
information available at:
http://www.cem.va.gov/hmorder.htm
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How much notice should
be provided for the honors request?
The
Services requests at least 48 hours in order to organize
the funeral honors detail.
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To whom can the family
write to express comments or concerns about the Military
Funeral Honors program?
You
may write to,
Military
Funeral Honors
9504 IM-35 North, Suite 320
Son Antonio, TX 78233-6635
