Veterans/Family: VA Burial Benefits
Veterans discharged from active duty under conditions other than dishonorable; Service members who die while on active duty, active duty for training, or inactive duty training; and spouses and dependent children of Veterans and active duty service members, may be eligible for VA burial and memorial benefits. (For the purposes of the term “Veteran” includes eligible persons who die during active duty service.) The Veteran does not have to die before a spouse or dependent child can be eligible for burial or memorial benefits.
Burial in VA National Cemeteries
Burial in a VA national cemetery is available for eligible Veterans, spouses and dependents at no cost and includes the grave-site, grave-liner, opening and closing of the grave, a headstone or marker, and perpetual care as part of a national shrine. For Veterans, ben- efits may also include a burial flag (with case for active duty), and military funeral honors.
With certain exceptions, active duty service beginning after Sept. 7, 1980, as an enlisted person, and after Oct. 16, 1981, as an officer, must be for 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). Active duty for training, by itself, while serving in the reserves or National Guard, is not sufficient to confer eligibility. Reservists and National Guard members, as well as their spouses and dependent children, are eligible if they were entitled to retired pay at the time of death, or would have been upon reaching requisite age.For more information: Contact VA Info. telephone assistance service 1-800-827- 1000 .
Certain otherwise eligible individuals found to have committed fed- eral or state capital crimes are barred from burial or memorialization in a VA national cemetery, and from receipt of Government-furnished headstones, markers, medallions, burial flags, and Presidential Memorial Certificates. Veterans and other claimants for VA burial benefits have the right to appeal decisions made by VA regarding eligibility for national cemetery burial or other memorial benefits. For more info: 1-800-827-1000 .
Note: For help with your funeral preparation;Please scroll web pages titles listings: See and Click on: Veterans Funeral Homes/Mortuary Services:listed on this Vetsguide.net home page .
Special Note: For National and States Veterans Cemetery listings;see menu listing Click on: USA VA Directory of Facilities; Scroll to your State and then scroll to your state locations .
Veterans/Family VA Burial Benefits.
The next of kin or authorized representative (e.g., funeral director) makes interment arrangements at time of need by contacting the National Cemetery Scheduling Office (see information available at http://www.cem.va.gov/bbene/need.asp) or, in some cases, the national cemetery in which burial is desired. VA normally does not conduct burials on weekends. Grave sites cannot be reserved; however, VA will honor reservations made before 1973 by the Department of the Army.
VA’S National Cemetery Scheduling Office or local national cemetery directors verify eligibility for burial. A copy of the Veteran’s discharge document that specifies the period(s) of active duty and character of service is usually sufficient to determine eligibility. A copy of the deceased’s death certificate and proof of relationship to the Veteran (for eligible family members) may be required.
VA operates 131 national cemeteries, of which 72 are currently open for both new casket and cremation interments and 18 may accept new interment of cremated remains only. Burial options are limited to those available at a specific cemetery and may include in- or visit our website at http://www.cem.va.gov to determine if a particular cemetery is open for new burials, and what other options are available.
Headstones, Markers and Medallions
Veterans, active duty service members, retired– Reservists and National Guard service members, are eligible for an inscribed headstone or marker for their unmarked grave at any cemetery, national, state veterans, tribal or private. VA will deliver a headstone or marker at no cost, any where in the world.
For eligible Veterans or service members buried in a private cemetery whose deaths occurred on or after Nov. 1, 1990, VA may furnish a government headstone or marker (even if the grave is already marked with a private one); or VA may furnish medallion to affix to an already existing privately-purchased headstone or marker.
Spouses and dependent children are eligible for a government head-stone or marker only if they are buried in a national or State Veterans cemetery. Flat markers are available in bronze, granite or marble. Upright headstones come in granite or marble. The style provided will be consistent with existing monuments at the place of burial.
Niche markers are available to mark Columbaria used for internment of cremated remains. Medallions are made of bronze and are available in three sizes: 5-inch, 3-inch, and 1 -inches. Headstones, markers and medallions previously furnished by the government may be replaced at the government’s expense if badly deteriorated, illegible, vandalized or stolen.
Headstones or markers for VA national cemeteries will be ordered by the cemetery director using information provided by the next of kin or authorized representative.
Headstones or Markers for Private Cemeteries,and other Memorials call 1-800-697-6947 Email mps.headstone@va.gov.
Veterans/family VA Burial Benefits.
Burial Flags: Generally, VA will furnish a U. S. burial flag to memorialize Veterans who received an other than dishonorable discharge. this includes certain persons who served in the organized military forces of the commonwealth of the Philippines while in service of the U. S. armed forces and who died on or after April 25, 1951. Also eligible for a burial flag are Veterans who were entitled to retired pay for service in the Reserve or National Guard, or would have been entitled if over 60; and members or former members of the Selected Reserve who served their initial obligation, or were discharged for a disability incurred or aggravted in the line of duty, or died while a member of the Selected Reserve. the next of kin may apply for the flag at any VA regional office or U. S. Post Office by completing VA Form 21-2008, Application for United States Flag for Burial Purposes (available at http://www.va.gov/vaforms/). In most cases, a funeral director will help the family obtain the flag.
Reimbursement of Burial Expenses:
Va will pay a burial allowance up to $2,000 if the Veteran’s death is service -connected. In such cases, the person who bore the Veteran’s burial expenses may claim reimbursement from VA. In some cases,VA will pay the cost of transporting the remains of a Veteran whose death was service connected to the nearest national cemetery with available grave-sites. there is no time limit for filing reimbursement claims in service-connected death cases.
Veterans/Family Burial Benefits:
Burial Allowance: VA will pay a burial and funeral allowance of up to$2,000 for Veterans who die from service-connected causes. VA will pay a burial and funeral allowance of up to $300 for Veterans who, at the time of death from non service-connected causes, were entitled to
receive pension or compensation or would have been entitled if they were not receiving military retirement pay. VA will pay a burial and funeral allowance of up to $722 when the Veteran’s death occurs in a VA facility, a VA-contracted nursing home or a state Veterans nursing home. 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: VA will pay a plot allowance of up to $722 when a veteran is buried in a cemetery not under U.S. government jurisdiction if; the Veteran was discharged from active duty because of disability incurred or aggravated in the line of duty; 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 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.
Military Funeral Honors: Upon request, DoD will provide military funeral honors consisting of folding and the presenting 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.
Family members should inform their funeral director if they want military funeral honors. DoD maintains a toll-free number (1-877-MIL-HONR) for use by funeral directors only to request honors.VA can help arrange honors for burials at VA national cemeteries.
Veterans service organizations or volunteer groups may help provide honors. For more information: visit www.militaryfuneralhonors.osd.mil/.
Or you may choose to select a Specializing Veteran Funeral Director,for burial options featured on vetsguide.net website Click on the Menu Button: Veterans Funeral Homes/Mortuary Services.
Special note:vetsguide.net features a special web section menu button: Veterans Obituary local/national Please check this site out, to find out about the features and benefits, through placing your, deceased, veteran love one, family member, relative, friend or any other reason you may have to place the deceased on the site.
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