What U.S. Army funeral honors include
Veterans discharged under conditions other than dishonorable can have military funeral honors at no cost to the family (10 U.S.C. § 1491). The law guarantees an honor guard of at least two uniformed service members who fold and present the U.S. flag and play Taps. Anything beyond that depends on who is available. What the law requires. A U.S. Army detail can include:
- An honor guard of at least two uniformed service members
- Folding and presentation of the U.S. flag
- Taps, by a live bugler when one is available or a recording otherwise
- A rifle volley, when a firing party is available
U.S. Army funeral traditions
At funerals for some senior Army officers, a riderless horse with boots reversed in the stirrups follows the horse-drawn caisson.
Music played at services
The Army Song, "The Army Goes Rolling Along"
Folding and presenting the flag
The flag is folded into the standard 13-fold triangle and handed to the next of kin with these 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."
Where U.S. Army veterans are buried
Many U.S. Army veterans are buried at Arlington National Cemetery, including Section 60, where many service members killed in Iraq and Afghanistan are buried, but any VA national cemetery with space is open to them on the same terms. An eligible veteran gets the gravesite, opening and closing of the grave, perpetual care and a government headstone or marker at no cost. Find a VA cemetery.
How do you request U.S. Army funeral honors?
Ask the funeral director. They request the honors detail from the U.S. Army for you and send the veteran's DD214 to confirm eligibility. You set the date and time of the service; the detail costs nothing.
VA suggests contacting the service branch at least 48 to 72 hours before the service. More on how to request military funeral honors.
U.S. Army burial benefits
Burial benefits come from VA, not the branch, and are the same for every branch. An eligible U.S. Army veteran may also qualify for:
- Burial in a VA national cemetery at no cost, for the veteran and an eligible spouse and dependent children
- VA burial allowance (currently $1,032 for a non-service-connected death on or after October 1, 2026)
- Plot allowance and interment allowance for non-VA cemeteries
- Government-furnished headstone or marker (any cemetery)
- A Presidential Memorial Certificate signed by the current President
The VA burial benefits guide has the current amounts, who qualifies and how to claim.