Funerals for Military Veterans

For funerals for military veterans at funeral homes in Greenbelt, MD, there are benefits available through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The most basic of these benefits includes free burial in a national cemetery, a gravestone or grave marker (in both national and private cemeteries), a burial flag, and a Presidential Memorial Certificate.

For burials in national cemeteries, there is no charge for opening and closing the grave or for a grave liner or vault. The grave marker or gravestone will be placed after the funeral at no charge, as well.

Spouses and dependent or disabled children of honorably-discharged military veterans or current military members can also be buried, at no cost, in national cemeteries with a gravestone or grave marker, even if the military veteran is not buried there.

Spouses who lost a military member while on active duty, and then later marry a non-military veteran can claim burial benefits from the previous marriage. Spouses whose marriages to military members or military veterans ended in divorce are not eligible for funeral benefits.

People who are not eligible for veteran funeral benefits include adult children (unless they’re disabled), parents or siblings (even if they’re dependents of the military member or military veteran), any military veteran with a dishonorable discharge, and military members or military veterans who’ve been convicted of capital crimes or subversive activities.

If a military member dies while on active duty, the military will cover the cost of all funeral expenses, including embalming, casket, transportation to the cemetery, burial (if it’s in a national cemetery), and a grave marker or gravestone. Whoever is designated as the next-of-kin is also entitled to a $100,000 death gratuity.

If a military veteran died as a result of a service-related injury, the burial allowance is $2000 if burial is in a national cemetery. If burial is in a private cemetery, the burial allotment is $300.

Military gravestones and grave markers come in several different styles, but if the military member or military veteran is being buried in a national cemetery, then the style of gravestone or grave marker must be consistent with other grave makers and gravestones in the cemetery. The average time for a gravestone or grave marker to be delivered is about three months.

The inscription on the grave marker or gravestone must include – in this order – the name, branch of service, year of birth, and year of death of the military member or military veteran.

Funeral arrangements for burial in a national cemetery can be made only at the time of death, not in advance of death. If military honors are requested, they will be provided by personnel from nearby military installations or by a local veterans’ group of volunteers. Fly-overs are done only for military members who were on active duty when they died.

If a military veteran dies in a VA facility and has no next-of-kin or insufficient assets to pay for a funeral, the VA will pay for all burial costs. If a military member or military veteran is buried in another country (if they died fighting during a war, for instance), the family can get passports at no charge to visit the grave or memorial.

To obtain funeral benefits for a military veteran, give the funeral director a copy of copy of their military separation order (DD-214). If a spouse is claiming military funeral benefits, a copy of the DD-214 and a copy of the marriage certificate should be given to the funeral director.

If you’d like to know more about military veteran funerals at funeral homes in Greenbelt, MD, you can talk with our knowledgeable team at Donald V. Borgwardt Funeral Home, P.A. You can visit our funeral home at 4400 Powder Mill Rd., Beltsville, MD, 20705, or you can call us today at (301) 937-1707.