Standard military funeral honors
All veterans discharged under conditions other than dishonorable are entitled to military funeral honors at no cost to the family (10 U.S.C. § 1491). The Department of Defense funeral honors program guarantees the following at every U.S. Army veteran funeral:
- Two-person honor guard detail
- Folding and presentation of the U.S. flag
- Playing of Taps (live bugler when available, recorded otherwise)
- Three-volley salute by uniformed firing detail when requested
Signature U.S. Army tradition
A riderless horse with reversed boots in the stirrups follows the caisson at Army general officer funerals — a tradition dating to Genghis Khan and observed by every U.S. military funeral of a fallen general since 1813.
Music played at services
The Army Goes Rolling Along, played at the close of services
The flag fold and presentation
The Army flag fold is the standard 13-fold triangle, presented to the next of kin with the words: "On behalf of the President of the United States, the United States Army, and a grateful nation, please accept this flag as a symbol of our appreciation for your loved one's honorable and faithful service."
Notable cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery (Section 60 for OEF/OIF) is among the cemeteries most closely associated with U.S. Army interments. Eligibility is the same as for all VA national cemeteries: qualifying veterans receive plot, opening and closing, perpetual care, and a government headstone or marker at no cost.
How to request honors
The funeral home coordinates the honors detail. The home contacts the deceased's last unit (or the nearest active-duty U.S. Army installation) and submits a DD-214 to confirm eligibility. The honors detail is provided at no cost; the family selects the date and time, and the detail arrives ahead of the service.
For requests less than 72 hours from service time, the family can call 1-877-MIL-HONR (1-877-645-4667) directly to expedite scheduling.
Benefits beyond honors
Military funeral honors are one component of veteran burial benefits. Eligible U.S. Army veterans may also qualify for:
- Burial at a VA national cemetery (free, including spouse and dependents)
- VA burial allowance (currently $948 base for non-service-connected death)
- Plot allowance and interment allowance for non-VA cemeteries
- Government-furnished headstone or marker (any cemetery)
- Presidential Memorial Certificate signed by the sitting President
See the VA benefits guide for current dollar amounts and full eligibility criteria.