All About Military Funeral Honors

Military Funeral MemorialServing the United States of America is among the noblest and most honorable career paths available in this country. To put one’s life on the line to defend our nation’s freedom is worthy of the highest praise, both in service and after death. On Memorial Day, we take this opportunity to celebrate these brave heroes who have fought for our freedom and for those that have lost their lives.

In honor of this selfless commitment made by our service members, a proper burial is the most fitting and respectful tribute to those that are no longer with us. Available to those who have died in the line of duty as well as to eligible veterans who passed away after completing their service, military funerals are a right that all service members receive.

Laws and Practices of Military Burials

Under United States law, all of our eligible veterans are entitled to a military service free of charge. Consisting of an honor guard of no less than two service members, this is to thank the veteran for their service while laying them to rest in the most respectful way possible.

All veterans are entitled to a military burial, which includes an honor guard who will fold and present the veteran’s family with our flag and the playing of Taps. Certain additional honors, like a color guard, a gun salute, and casket bearers may also be available, depending on the deceased’s level of service at the time of death. All arrangements must be requested through a funeral home at least 48 hours in advance to ensure that the proper arrangements are made in time for the ceremony. This ceremonial process is among the most significant aspects of a burial for our service members, and a highly desired and deserved experience for the families dealing with their recent loss.

Military Burial Eligibility

Memorial FlagMilitary burial eligibility depends on several key factors related to the service member’s participation in the armed forces. All servicemen and women who served on active duty or in the Selected Reserve are eligible to receive military burial benefits. In order to be considered an eligible veteran who served on active duty, a service member must have successfully completed a tour of duty, and departed under conditions other than dishonorable. The same is true of Selected Reserve members; those who finished their minimum required period of service and departed under conditions other than dishonorable may receive a military burial. A DD Form 214  is required to establish eligibility. If this form is not available, any other documentation representative of honorable discharge is an acceptable substitution. Click Here For DD Form 214 is available online through the National Archives. Click Here for Flag Application. Click Here For Cemetery Marker Application.

Burial Service Variations

Monument in CemeteryWhile all military service completed honorably is worthy of the highest possible praise, there are different forms of burial services depending on the duration and the type of service.

 

 

Veteran honors are available to anyone who served in the military but did not retire, which includes soldiers across the different branches, and those who were drafted to serve in past times of war. These services include the presentation of our flag by an honor guard and the playing of Taps.

Retiree honors are available for those who served for twenty years or more and retired from service, as well as those who were forced to retire due to health or disability reasons. These services are more involved than veteran honors and include a seven to ten person honor guard team including a chaplain, firing parties, pall bearers, the folding and presentation of our flag, and the playing of Taps.

Full honors are provided for those who passed away during active duty, Medal of Honor recipients, and General Officers. This is the most intricate of all burial honors, and includes a full honor guard of 21 service members, including a chaplain, firing squad, and pall bearers, as well as the folding and presentation of our flag and the playing of Taps.

While there are notable differences in each burial honor, all options are touching tributes, a final farewell for the members and former members of the armed forces as a thank you for the demands and sacrifices required of their military service.

The Military Burial Proceedings

Military burial proceedings are extremely sentimental, providing a thoughtful goodbye for all of our departed service members.

Burial proceedings take place at the cemetery, after the conclusion of a funeral mass or wake, and begin with the arrival of the casket or urn as transported by the funeral home. If a chaplain is present, he will lead the way to the proper plot, where the pall bearers will place the casket or urn on the ground appropriately.

Once at the gravesite, the officer in charge ensures that the flag is level over the casket or urn, and the family takes their seats, or may stand in a semi-circle. When the flag is positioned properly, the chaplain or other officiant will begin the ceremony.

When the service is complete, family members will rise if not already standing, and the officer in charge will give the command to initiate the rifle volley. Taps will play, and the rifle volley will follow. Then the folding of our flag will begin. Once the flag folding is complete, the flag will be passed to the officer in charge, who will present it to the next of kin, generally a spouse, parent, or child. The chaplain will remain to offer his condolences, and the ceremony will conclude.

The Folding of our Flag


The folding of our flag is among the most important parts of a military burial honor. As defenders of this country, the flag of the United States of America holds great symbolism for our armed forces members and their families, so the proper treatment is paramount. The flag should not touch the ground or be otherwise treated with disrespect under any circumstances, by both military members and civilians.

The folding process begins with four service members holding our flag horizontally and level at waist height, and two members holding the top and bottom edges. First, the bottom edge of the stripe section is folded lengthwise over the field of stars, corner to corner, with all borders and corners matching up neatly. This action is repeated again, creating a narrow rectangular shape with the field of stars visible at the top. Throughout this process, the flag should remain parallel to the ground.

While the other members hold the flag taut, the member at the foot of the flag will begin to make triangular folds, starting at the left corner. The newly created corner is then folded in a triangular shape to the right, and then to the left once more, and so on, until nearly the entire flag is folded. Folds should be made slowly and deliberately, to ensure clean lines and neat edges, and edges and corners should be pinched throughout the folding process to create the tightest possible fold.

When the end of the flag is reached, the member holding the top corner of the field of stars should create a small 45 degree fold, and tuck the remaining fabric into the pocket created by the triangular folds. Only the blue field and white stars should be visible; all of the red stripes should be hidden within the folds. Once the flag is neatly prepared, it will be presented to the next of kin.

When the funeral service is complete, the family may do with the flag as they wish, including flying it, or preserving it in a memorial case. Memorial cases can be made at home, or purchased through a specialty vendor. There is nothing wrong with using and flying the military funeral flag, provided the family is comfortable with doing so, and it does not have to remain folded after the completion of the ceremony.

Whether you plan to celebrate Memorial Day with your loved ones or will be participating in a special tribute to those that you have lost, take a moment to truly reflect on what this day means in the hearts of all Americans. Honoring death is never easy, but for those who served, your respect and devotion to them on this special day is greatly appreciated. The heroes of our armed forces are why we have our freedom, so raise a glass, and be sure to say thank you to the men and women in your life who have made the ultimate commitment and sacrificed their life for our great country.

THANK YOU...
THANK YOU…

25 thoughts on “All About Military Funeral Honors”

  1. As a member of the Wytheville American Legion, it is a great honor to be part of the team that provides these services to our deceased veterans and their survivors. Thank you for the informative share. Cheers! Ron.

  2. Everything is correct except that Taps follows the Firing Party, not the other way around. Also other aspects of the ceremony will be different depending on the type of honors and the amount of personnel.

  3. Thanks for sharing! Question does a retired service member get the same honors described above if he/she elects cremation. Thanks

  4. If i am the only living child no other family can this be done at the funeral home..father wants a cremation only.. not plot.. want to be at home in a urn at my home..he was infantry and nation guard.. looking for all to help me on this i still have his dress uniform for when he passes away.. he was forced retired can anyone help me in this we live in Mesquite nv .. 702-289-5928 my cell .. just looking out for my daddy who served and protected us during his time he served.. he deserves to have full honors i think.. not sure…

  5. Is there an appropriate gift for the honor guard at a military funeral? I was thinking….a challenge coin????

  6. Question, at my dads funeral while handed the flag I almost returned the salute by instinct, as a veteran myself would it been ok in civilian clothes?

    1. In 2008, President Bush signed a bill authorizing members of the Armed Forces who are out of uniform and veterans to salute for the first time. This is proper during the Anthem and the passing of the Flag. I’m sure it is also proper to share a salute along with the Honor Guard.

    2. As a former member of a Honor Guard team, the salute was/is not directed toward the next of kin, it is directed at the fallen member and the flag the was just handed over

  7. My father passed away on June 17, 2017. I was wondering if we are still eligible to get a flag for him or not. I’m not really sure how it works. My father was cremated and we didn’t have a service for him because there was no money to do so, but if it is possible I would love to still get a flag for him. He served in the United States Marine Corps. I would appreciate if someone would please let me know if I can still get a flag for him or not. thank you so much in advance. My father’s Name is James L. Galbraith .

    1. Forms for the flags are available online through http://www.va.gov Once there, search “burial flag” and you’ll see what the qualifications are required to receive a flag, and if you choose to do so, how to apply for one. My husband was a Gulf War Veteran and he was cremated as his wish is for a sea burial, so no funeral. I went back to the funeral home that handled his cremation and requested a burial flag from them. They filled out the paperwork for the VA and presented me with the flag. All I had to do was sign the form. So, that’s two ways you can get a burial flag.

    2. You are not only eligible for a flag, but also a “Veteran’s Honors” service, at no cost, which I would highly recommend. I attended one at my father-in-law’s gravesite, and a second one for a veteran friend which was held in a city park. They can be held anywhere that’s appropriate – the one at the city park was very nice, held under a large tree. I’ll try to attach a couple of pictures from a short video on Facebook – might not work, but if you send me a private message with your e-mail address, I can e-mail a link to the video.

      It’s a very moving tribute, and ends with the recitation of the following by the senior member of the Honor Guard as they present the flag to you or your designee….

      “On behalf of the President of the United States, the United States Marine Corps, and a grateful nation, please accept this flag as a symbol
      of our appreciation for your loved one’s honorable and faithful service.”

      You can contact the organizations shown in the link below to move the process forward. There may be some red tape involved if you don’t have your dad’s Form DD214, which is the discharge form we all got when we separated from our chosen branch of the Armed Forces. But I’m thinking your dad, as a Marine, probably kept his military “stuff” neatly filed away. And if not, the resources listed in the link can help you get what you need.

      https://va.org/arranging-military-funerals/

      Rather than just a flag, I strongly urge you to hold the Vererans Honors service your dad is entitled to, at a time and place that’s convenient for you, your family and your dad’s friends. It will stay with each of you the rest of your lives.

      Semper Fi!

  8. When my grandpa passed away, we received a flag, but I didn’t know why. Thank you for describing the different honors that can be given for military burial services. I didn’t know that there even was a difference. I think it’s great that it does go up in prestige though from veterans to retirees and then the highest for those who have passed during active duty.

  9. After the honor guard folded the flag at my father’s graveside, they presented the folded flag to me, the eldest son, rather than my mother, who is my father’s surviving widow. Anyone know why they didn’t present the flag to my mother?

  10. I have recently taken over our honor guard at grave site internments. The question is where should the ameican flag be located in relation to other v.f.w. flags and american legion flags? {As viewed from the casket site looking at us} In our legion hall, at our meetings , as we face our officers, the american flag is positioned on the left and our legion flag is always to the right.

  11. My husband served 25 years in the Army and was retired 30 years. When he died, he was cremated, there was no service. The funeral home provided the military folded flag to me when I picked up his ashes. I was surprised, but greatful to have it.

    1. You can hold a memorial service and have military honors done at that time. My grandfather has been cremated and I am organizing the service for my family and his friends. He will have full honors plus an honor guard by the Patriot Riders in my state. Contact the National Guard for the branch he served and they will give you a form to fill out.

  12. Thanks for your assistance, do most funeral homes help out in getting the family a flag. I Will be cremated but would like color guard to present my flag is this possible.

  13. Our father has recently passed away. He was a Marine that served in Viet Nam. He will be cremated with a local service then we are working on arrangements for his ashes to rest in Arlington. My question is, what is the proper attire as the funeral home is mandated an outfit to be cremated in. Should he be in his dresses blues with medals?

    Thank you,
    DD

  14. I am trying to plan my Korean War veteran father’s memorial service (at our church). Because covid all but depleted the local color guard, I can still have 2 service members stand guard by the flag/fold/present….my question is: What is a proper way to display the cremation urn and flag together? Or should the flag be at the side on a separate table? I want to be respectful in how this is properly done.

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