Burial Benefits
Veterans, spouses and dependents may be eligible for VA burial and memorial benefits including reimbursement of burial expenses, military funeral honors, VA headstones and markers, presidential memorial certificates, burial flags, burial in VA National Cemeteries or other veterans' cemeteries.
Military Funeral Honors
VA Headstones & Markers
Burial Flags
Burial in National Cemetery
Military Funeral Honors
What is it?
Upon request, the Department of Defense will provide military funeral honors consisting of folding and presentation of the US flag and the sounding of "Taps."
Who qualifies?
Veterans who:
- Served a minimum of 24 consecutive months or the full period of active duty (as in the case of reservists or National Guard members called to active duty for a limited duration. Eligibility is not established by active duty training in the Reserves or National Guard.)
How to get it?
Family members should inform their funeral directors if they want military honors.
VA Headstones & Markers
What is it?
VA furnishes, upon request, at no charge to the applicant, a Government headstone or marker for the unmarked grave of any deceased eligible veteran in any cemetery around the world, regardless of their date of death.
Who qualifies?
Veterans who:
- Served a minimum of 24 consecutive months or the full period of active duty (as in the case of reservists or National Guard members called to active duty for a limited duration. Eligibility is not established by active duty training in the Reserves or National Guard.)
How to get it?
- When burial or memorialization is in a national, military post or state veterans cemetery, cemetery staff will order a headstone or marker.
- When burial is in a private cemetery, VA form 40-1330, Application for Standard Government Headstone or Marker, must be submitted with a copy of the veteran's DD214.
Burial Flags
What is it?
A US flag is provided, at no cost, to drape the casket or accompany the urn of a deceased veteran who served honorably in the US Armed Forces. It is furnished to honor the memory of the veteran's military service to his or her country.
Who qualifies?
Veterans who:
- Served a minimum of 24 consecutive months or the full period of active duty (as in the case of reservists or National Guard members called to active duty for a limited duration. Eligibility is not established by active duty training in the Reserves or National Guard.)
- Served during wartime,
- Died on active duty after May 27, 1941,
- Served after January 31, 1955,
- Served during peacetime and was discharged or released before June 7, 1959,
- Served in the organized military forces of the Commonwealth of the Philippines while in service of the US Armed Forces and who died on or after April 25, 1951,
- OR certain former members of the Selected Reserves
How to get it?
Burial in National Cemetery
What is it?
Families are encouraged to prepare in advance by discussing cemetery options, collecting the Veteran’s military information including discharge papers, and by contacting the cemetery where burial is desired.
Gravesites in Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) national cemeteries cannot be reserved in advance; however, reservations made prior to 1962 will be honored.
Who qualifies?
- Veterans and members of armed forces,
- Members of Reserve Components & Reserve Officer Training Corps,
- Commissioned Officers,
- National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration,
- Public Health Service,
- World War II Merchant Marines,
- Philippine Armed Forces,
- Spouses and Dependents (however, burial of dependent children is limited to unmarried children under 21 years old or 23 years old if a full-time student at an approved educational institution.)
How to get it?
No special forms are required when requesting burial in a VA national cemetery. The person making burial arrangements should have their funeral home contact the national cemetery in which burial is desired at the time of need. Scheduling can be done seven days a week for interments on Mondays through Fridays. If possible, the following information concerning the deceased should be provided when the cemetery is first contacted:
- Full name and military rank;
- Branch of service;
- Social security number;
- Service number;
- VA claim number, if applicable;
- Date and place of birth;
- Date and place of death;
- Date of retirement or last separation from active duty; and,
- Copy of any military separation document, such as the Department of Defense Form 214 (DD-214). The discharge documents must specify active military duty and show that release from active duty was under other than dishonorable conditions.