"Honoring Those Who Served"
The Department of Defense (DOD) is responsible for providing military funeral honors. "Honoring Those Who Served" is the title of the DOD program for providing dignified military funeral honors to Veterans who have defended our nation.
Upon the family's request, Public Law 106-65 requires that every eligible Veteran receive a military funeral honors ceremony, to include folding and presenting the United States burial flag and the playing of Taps. The law defines a military funeral honors detail as consisting of two or more uniformed military persons, with at least one being a member of the Veteran's parent service of the armed forces. The DOD program calls for funeral home directors to request military funeral honors on behalf of the Veterans' family. However, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) National Cemetery Administration cemetery staff can also assist with arranging military funeral honors at VA national cemeteries. Veterans’ organizations may assist in providing military funeral honors. When military funeral honors at a national cemetery are desired, they are arranged prior to the committal service by the funeral home.
Military Honors Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Who Is Eligible for Military Funeral Honors?
Military members in the following categories are eligible for military funeral honors:
- Military personnel on active duty;
- Former members who served on active duty and were discharged under conditions other than dishonorable (as described below);
- Members of the Selected Reserve;
- Former members of the Selected Reserve who served at least one term of enlistment or period of initial obligated service and were discharged under conditions other than dishonorable;
- Former members of the Selected Reserve who were discharged due to a service-related disability.
Who is Ineligible for Military Funeral Honors?
- They are convicted of federal or state capital offenses and sentenced to life imprisonment without parole or receive the death penalty.
- They are also ineligible if they were discharged from the military under dishonorable conditions. These conditions include dishonorable discharge, bad conduct discharge, dismissal from the service awarded by court-martial, other than honorable conditions discharge, and for officers, resignation for the good of the service in lieu of courts-martial, which results in a discharge characterization of other than honorable conditions.
Who is responsible for verifying eligibility for Military Honors?
- Funeral directors have the responsibility to verify eligibility for Military Honors. The preferred method of verification is a DD 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty). If a DD 214 is not available a Funeral Director can assist the family in obtaining verification of the discharge status of the veteran.
- The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) is not authorized to verify a veterans eligibility for Military Honors.
Who is responsible for making the arrangements for Honors to be performed?
- Honors are not performed automatically; they must be requested. Families of eligible veterans must request funeral honors through their funeral director. The funeral director will contact the appropriate military service or veteran’s organization, e.g. VFW to arrange for the funeral honors detail.
- The VFW will not perform Military Honors unless they are requested by a funeral Director.
