FUNERAL HONORS REQUESTS AND GUIDELINES

• Military Funeral Honors consists of two or more members of the armed service, one from the parent service, playing Taps, folding and presenting the American flag to the veteran’s family.  

• To request Funeral Honors, please complete a Funeral Honors Request Form and submit it along with a legible copy of a DD-214 or proof of honorable service to the associated office location listed below.

• Please allow 48 hours advance notice to process requests.  Contact the associated office directly if request is within 24 hours or after normal business hours. 

• Requests may be sent via e-mail, fax or by contacting the appropriate region directly using the information below.

• Burial flags must be provided by the requester.

• Visit our Helpful Links page for information on requesting veteran records and burial flags. 

• The Funeral Honors Team will arrive 45 minutes before the scheduled event time.  To ensure the team arrives as scheduled, please communicate immediately any changes to the date, time or location.

• Funeral Honors will only be rendered once per eligible veteran.
  
  

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Who is eligible for Military Funeral Honors?

• Military members who died while on active duty or in the Selected Reserve   

• Former military members who served on active duty or in the Selected Reserve and were discharged under other than dishonorable conditions   

• Former military members who completed at least one term of enlistment or period of initial obligated service in the Selected Reserve and were discharged under other than dishonorable conditions

• Further clarification on eligibility is available on the DoD Military Funeral Honors website.

  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 one 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 capital crime and whose conviction is final (other than a person whose sentence was commuted by the President)   

• Any person who has been convicted of a State capital crime and whose conviction is final (other than a person whose sentence was commuted by the Governor of a State)   

• Any person who

  • is found to have committed a Federal capital crime or a State capital crime, as set forth in section 2411(c) of title 38, but,

  • has not been convicted of such crime by reason of such person not being available for trial due to death or flight to avoid prosecution

For additional information, please visit the Eligibility tab on the DoD Military Funeral Honors website.

How do I establish veteran eligibility?

The preferred method is to provide the member's DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty. If the DD Form 214 is not available, any discharge document showing honorable service can be used. The DD Form 214 and records of service may be obtained through the National Archives at http://www.archives.gov/veterans or 314-801-0800. Burial records many also be requested by faxing the NPRC records request form to 314-801-0764.

FUNERAL HONORS HELPFUL LINKS

DD214/Discharge Documents Requests

VA Headstone, Markers and Medallions

Arlington National Cemetery

Burial at Sea

National Cemeteries

Presidential Memorial Certificate

Burial Flag Request

VA Burial Benefits

  
Military Service Coordinators