Veterans

Eligibility:

Veterans discharged from active duty under conditions other than dishonorable and service members who died while on active duty, active duty for training, or inactive duty training, as well as spouses and dependent children of Veterans and active duty service members, may be eligible for VA burial and memorial benefits. The Veteran does not have to die before a spouse or dependent child for them to be eligible.

State Veterans Cemeteries:

Seventy-four State Veterans cemeteries offer burial options for Veterans and their families. These cemeteries have similar eligibility requirements but many require state residency. Some services, particularly for family members, may require a fee. Contact the State cemetery or State Veterans affairs office for information. To locate a State Veterans cemetery, visit www.cem.va.gov/cem/scg/lsvc.asp.

Burial in VA National Cemeteries:

VA operates 131 national cemeteries, of which 71 are open for new casketed interments and 19 are open to accept only cremated remains. Burial options are limited to those available at a specific cemetery but may include in-ground casket, or interment of cremated remains in a columbarium, in-ground or in a scatter garden.

Veterans Cemeteries Administered by Other Agencies:

Arlington National Cemetery: Administered by the Department of the Army. Eligibility is more restrictive than at VA national cemeteries. For information, call (703) 607-8000, write Superintendent, Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA 22211, or visit www.arlingtoncemetery.org/.

Military Funeral Honors:

Upon request, and upon military service proof (DD-214), DoD will provide military funeral honors consisting of folding and presentation of the United States flag and the playing of “Taps.” A funeral honors detail consists of two or more uniformed members of the armed forces, with at least one member from the deceased’s branch of service.

Burial Flags:

VA will furnish a U.S. burial flag to memorialize:

1. Veterans who served during wartime or after Jan. 31, 1955;
2. Veterans who were entitled to retired pay for service in the Reserve or National Guard, or would have been entitled if over age 60;
3. Members or former members of the Selected Reserve who served their initial obligation, or were discharged for a disability incurred or aggravated in the line of duty, or died while a member of the Selected Reserve.

Headstone and Markers:

Veterans, active duty service members, and retired Reservists and National Guard service members, are eligible for an inscribed headstone or marker for their grave at any cemetery – national, State Veterans, or private. A copy of the Veteran’s military discharge document (DD-214) must be provided.

Reimbursement of Burial Expenses:

1. VA will pay a burial allowance up to $2,000 if the Veteran’s death is service connected.
2. VA will pay a $300 burial and funeral allowance for Veterans who, at time of death, were entitled to receive pension or compensation or would have been entitled if they were not receiving military retirement pay. In cases in which the Veteran’s death was not service-connected, claims must be filed within two years after burial or cremation.

Plot Allowance:

1. VA will pay a $300 plot allowance when a Veterans is buried in a cemetery not under U.S. government jurisdiction if:
2. The Veteran was discharged from active duty because of disability incurred or aggravated in the line of duty;
3. The Veteran was receiving compensation or pension or would have been if the Veteran was not receiving military retired pay; or the Veteran died in a VA facility.

The $300 plot allowance may be paid to the state for the cost of a plot or interment in a state-owned cemetery reserved solely for Veteran burials if the Veteran is buried without charge. Burial expenses paid by the deceased’s employer or a state agency will not be reimbursed.

Detailed information regarding Burial and Memorial Benefits may be reviewed and obtained on the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs website: www.cem.va.gov, or call toll free to VA Benefits at 1-800-827-1000