Military Careers, Retirement - Air Force Times

Death Benefits

The Defense Department is responsible for providing military honors. However, the Department of Veterans Affairs, active-duty military and many veterans’ groups pool their resources to provide financial help, practical assistance and military protocol on such occasions. The civilian funeral director handling arrangements usually has forms to get VA burial benefits, plus Social Security and military entitlements.

Following are programs to honor veterans who have died.

Burial flags. VA provides an American flag to cover the casket of any veteran who was discharged under all conditions except dishonorable. This includes retired Guard and reserve members who are entitled to, or are collecting, military retirement benefits. The flag will be given to a spouse, other family member or close friend of the deceased.

Financial aid. VA will pay an allowance of up to $600 — up to $300 for burial expenses and up to $300 toward a plot — for veterans who meet eligibility criteria. VA also will pay a burial allowance of up to $2,000 for veterans who died from service-connected causes.

Eligibility also may be established when death occurs in a VA facility, VA contract nursing home or state veterans’ nursing home. VA may pay for additional costs of transportation of the remains in such cases. In nonservice-connected death cases, there is a period within which claims must be filed.

The government provides free headstones and markers for veterans buried worldwide as well as for eligible family members buried in national, military base or state veterans’ cemeteries.

Funeral honors. According to military regulations, honor guards are authorized for retirees, but they are supplied by the nearest military installation or facility as a courtesy, not as a right.

The funeral director normally handles the details of getting an honor guard. An adjutant general’s office, duty officer or commander’s office at a local installation also can provide this service. Proof of service is needed to get an honor guard.

Headstones and grave markers. VA provides, at no cost to the family, a government headstone or marker for the graves of all veterans in national cemeteries, state veterans’ cemeteries and private cemeteries worldwide. The Veterans Education and Benefits Expansion Act of 2001 includes a provision that allows the VA to furnish an appropriate headstone or marker for the graves of eligible veterans buried in private cemeteries, whose deaths occurred on or after Sept. 11, 2001, regardless of whether the grave is already marked with a non-governmental marker.

National cemeteries. Military retirees, including those from the National Guard and reserves, are eligible for burial in any of the 120 cemeteries operated by VA, with space available, and those operated by the National Park Service. Burial includes the grave site, opening and closing of the grave, grave liner, headstone or marker, and perpetual care. Also eligible are veterans who served on active duty and received discharges other than dishonorable, as well as reservists and Guard members who served for 20 creditable years or more and were eligible for retired pay.

There is no cost for a grave site, headstone or marker in a national cemetery.

Grave sites cannot be reserved in advance. They are assigned at the time of need.

A veteran generally receives only one grave site. Eligible family members normally are buried in the same site and can be interred first should they die before the retiree.

All retirees and veterans honorably discharged before Oct. 1, 1949, with disabilities rated at 30 percent or more, can be buried in Arlington National Cemetery. Also eligible for burial in Arlington are former prisoners of war and holders of the Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross, Air Force Cross, Navy Cross, Distinguished Service Medal, Silver Star and Purple Heart.

The Arlington Columbarium is available for the cremated remains of honorably discharged veterans and their eligible spouses and dependent children.

Presidential Memorial Certificate. VA provides a gold-embossed parchment certificate signed by the president, thanking the family and honoring the veteran’s service to the nation.

Many states operate veterans’ cemeteries. There are varying eligibility criteria, some of which include prior residency in the state.