The rendering of Military Funeral Honors for an eligible veteran is free of charge. 

An honor guard detail for the burial of an eligible veteran consists of not less than two members of the Armed Forces, specifically the branch in which the deceased served. 

The honor detail will, at a minimum, perform a ceremony that includes the playing of taps and the folding and presenting of the American flag to the next of kin. 

Funeral Honors Eligibility

• Military members on active duty or in the selected reserve.
  
• Former military members who served on active duty and departed under conditions other than dishonorable.
  
• Former military members who completed at least one term of enlistment or period of initial obligated service in the reserves and departed under conditions other than dishonorable.
  

Verifying Eligibility

The preferred method for verifying eligibility is the DD 214. If the DD Form 214 is not available, any discharge document showing other than dishonorable service can be used. Such documentation must be given to your funeral director if you want honors or burial at a national cemetery. In some case, your loved one may be in the database if he or she ever received treatment form a VA facility. 

Requesting Military Funeral Honors

Families of eligible veterans request funeral honors through their funeral director. The funeral director will contact the appropriate military service to arrange for the funeral honors detail. You simply need to provide the documentation of service to your funeral director.