Military Funeral Honors for Veterans

[Moderator]

The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2000, Section 578 for FY 2000 and as amended by Sections 561 and 564 for FY 2002 and Section 571 for FY 2003 describes what is now required of the Department of Defense in the rendering of military funeral honors for veterans and is codified in U.S. Code, Title 10, Chapter 75, Section 1491 ...

AVAILABILILTY OF FUNERAL HONORS DETAIL ENSURED:
The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that, upon request, a funeral honors detail is provided for the funeral of any veteran.

COMPOSITION OF FUNERAL HONORS DETAILS:
(1) The Secretary of each military department shall ensure that a funeral honors detail for the funeral of a veteran consists of two or more persons.
(2) At least two members of the funeral honors detail for a veteran's funeral shall be members of the armed forces (other than members in a retired status), at least one of whom shall be a member of the armed force of which the veteran was a member. The remainder of the detail may consist of members of the armed forces (including members in a retired status) or members of veterans organizations or other organizations approved for purposes of this section under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense. Each member of the armed forces in the detail shall wear the uniform of the member's armed force while serving in the detail.

CEREMONY:
A funeral honors detail shall, at a minimum, perform at the funeral a ceremony that includes the folding of a United States flag and presentation of the flag to the veteran's family and the playing of Taps. Unless a bugler is a member of the detail, the funeral honors detail shall play a recorded version of Taps using audio equipment which the detail shall provide if adequate audio equipment is not otherwise available for use at the funeral.

SUPPORT:
(Provides for expenses, transportation and compensation for members of the funeral honors detail.)

WAIVER AUTHORITY:
(Provides for a waiver to meet the requirements of war, national emergency, etc.)

REGULATIONS:
The Secretary of Defense shall prescribe regulations to carry out this section. Those regulations shall include the following:
(1) A system for selection of units of the armed forces and other organizations to provide funeral honors details.
(2) Procedures for responding and coordinating responses to requests for funeral honors details.
(3) Procedures for establishing standards and protocol.
(4) Procedures for providing training and ensuring quality of performance.

ANNUAL REPORT:
(Provides for reporting data, costs, etc.)

VETERAN DEFINED:
In this section, the term "veteran" means a decedent who:
(1) served in the active military, naval, or air service (as defined in section 101.24 of Title 38) and who was discharged or released therefrom under conditions other than dishonorable; or,
(2) was a member or former member of the Selected Reserve described in section 2301(f) of Title 38.

[Moderator]

The following represents DOD guidance on the rendering of Military Funeral Honors. By law, the Military Funeral Honors detail will consist of at least two uniformed members of the military, with the detail leader from the parent service of the deceased. When requested by the next of kin, the ceremonial paying of respect and gratitude to those who have faithfully defended our Nation MUST include the following:

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Ceremonial folding and presentation of the American flag. The flag is always presented by the detail leader.[/ul]
The detail leader will coordinate all arrangements with the funeral director, other member(s) of the military honors detail, and with Authorized Providers.

He or she will ensure the funeral director explains military honors to the family, and that they understand the honors to be performed. It is especially important the family know about the firing of three volleys, if a firing party is present. Additional Military Funeral Honors elements should be in accordance with the family's wishes.

Once the detail leader has completed initial coordination, his or her final pre-interment responsibility is to train and rehearse the detail.

It is important for all involved to remember the detail leader bears the responsibility for all aspects of the Military Funeral Honors Ceremony, whether active duty service members or Authorized Providers perform those elements of the honors.

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Positioning / Timing Protocol

The detail leader is responsible for ensuring each step in the ceremony is executed properly, from the arrival of the funeral cortege to its departure.

The bugler and color guard should be placed at the gravesite so they are in view of the family, approximately 30-40 yards from the grave.

The firing party should also be in view of the family, but 45-75 yards from the grave, positioned to fire over the grave. The firing party may include three to eight riflebearers, reflecting the American military custom of firing "three volleys of musketry" over the graves of fallen comrades.

The Military Honors detail should be positioned near where the hearse will stop. After the funeral procession has arrived, the funeral director will open the rear of the hearse and the pallbearers should move into position so they can move easily to the back of the hearse when needed.

When the family is ready to proceed, the funeral director will signal the pallbearers to withdraw the casket from the hearse and carry it to the grave. The bugler, firing party and color guard are already in their gravesite positions.

All detail participants (except for the pallbearers) will come to "Attention" and "Present Arms" as the casket is carried to the grave. All detail participants will "Order Arms" after the casket has been placed on the lowering device. Pallbearers may be instructed to hold the flag over the casket, or move off as a group and stand in formation for the service.

During the committal or religious service, all the detail participants may go to "Parade Rest".

When the committal or religious service is completed, the service representative and assistant will assume the clergy representative's position at the head of the grave and all detail participants will come to the position of "Attention". Then, the funeral director will ask the mourners to stand for the rendering of honors.

The order of the ceremony is ...

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3. The folding of the flag

4. The presentation of the flag to the family[/ul]
Once the mourners have risen, the detail leader and all elements will execute "Present Arms", volleys will be fired, and Taps sounded. Upon completion of Taps, all will "Order Arms" and the funeral director will request the mourners to be seated.

Next the flag is folded. The two person military detail, the pallbearers, or a combination of the two can do this. Once the flag is folded, it MUST end up in the hands of the detail assistant, who will pass it to the detail leader.

The detail leader will present the flag to the next of kin. The wording accompanying the presentation should be in accordance with each Military Service's tradition of expressing the thanks of a grateful Nation.

Following the flag presentation, the detail leader will offer condolences to the remainder of the immediate family and other mourners seated in the front row. It is appropriate and encouraged for a representative of the Authorized Provider to offer condolences after the detail leader.

Once condolences have been offered, the detail leader and assistant will return to the cortege arrival point and await the departure of the cortege. The bugler, firing party and color guard are released when the detail leader departs the gravesite. They may choose to remain in place until the family departs, or can return quietly to their own vehicles.

[Moderator]

Please Note ...

The information presented in this thread is intended for Military Funeral Honors for VETERANS.

The protocol information presented in this thread may or may not represent Funeral Honors for Active Duty Servicemembers or Funeral Honors provided by a detail composed entirely of Active Duty Servicemembers at the funeral of a Veteran.

Each branch of the Military uses its own protocol for Military funerals. Each branch has one or more protocol manuals posted online that can be viewed or downloaded. Different commands within a given branch might use the same protocol as the other commands within the same branch ... or they might not.

For the funeral of a Veteran, the VFW (for instance) might use a different protocol than the American Legion uses. In addition, VFW Post "10" might use a different protocol than VFW Post "11" uses.

The differences may include the sequence of events, the specific person who presents the Flag to the PNOK, the positioning of members of the Honor Guard and/or Color Guard during the graveside ceremony, etc.

Having attended far too many Military funerals for Veterans over the years, I can honestly say that I cannot remember any two being conducted exactly the same. If they were, I'm quite certain it was due to coincidence rather than by design.

Obviously, the goal of every Honor Guard and/or Color Guard detail should be to present a dignified ceremony with the precision and honor the ceremony deserves. All of those present at a Military funeral for a Veteran, especially the family, will remember the Honor Guard and/or the Color Guard long after they have forgotten many of the other details.

When done correctly (according to the protocol your unit has practiced, whatever that protocol might be), you will leave the family with a memory they can cherish forever. In addition, you will have presented your brother or sister Veteran the dignified ceremony he or she has earned because of his or her faithful and honorable service to America.

[Moderator]

What to do when a Veteran Dies ...

Contact the Funeral Director of your choice to arrange for interment. If the burial is at a National Cemetery, request a Military Funeral and Honor Guard from the National Cemetery or local VFW, DAV, VVA or American Legion group. You may also contact the military recruiter in your area and they may be able to assist you in locating people to assist.

Contact your church to arrange for the services if you desire. Bring to the Funeral Director a copy of the Veteran's discharge (Form DD-214), VA Claim Number, and the Veteran's Social Security Number. If the Veteran was a member of any military group or unit association they will also assist you at this time.

The Funeral Director will apply for burial entitlements from the Department of Veterans Affairs toward burial expenses and also the allowance from Social Security for burial. The Funeral Director will also apply for the flag to drape the casket.

If the Veteran had G.I. Insurance contact the County Veterans Service Officer for assistance in completing the forms. If it is commercial insurance contact an agent of the company that insured the Veteran. The spouse should contact the Social Security Office to file for benefits that may be available for self and for the children.

The Social Security Administration has a toll-free number that operates from 7AM to 7PM - Monday to Friday: 1-800-772-1213.

The County Veterans Service Officer can assist or you can call the Veterans Administration at: 1-800-827-1000. They will assist the spouse and children in obtaining any benefits to which they may be entitled to such as, survivors death benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs and headstone if burial is in a private cemetery.

Bring to the County Veterans Service Officer the following information when applying for benefits: