U.S. Army funerals — full honors protocol, traditions, and benefits

The standard honors detail

The federal authority for these honors is 10 U.S.C. § 1491, which directs the Department of Defense to provide funeral honors at the request of the family for any deceased member of the armed forces. U.S. Army discharges this obligation through the deceased's last unit, the nearest active-duty installation, or — for short-notice requests — through the DoD's expedited line.

• 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.

Beyond the signature element, U.S. Army services often incorporate personal elements at family request: a favorite hymn, a reading from the deceased's letters home, the placement of branch-specific items (cover, dog tags, deployment patches) in the casket prior to closing.

Music played at services

The Army Goes Rolling Along, played at the close of services.

Specific musical selections are arranged with the funeral home and family in advance. The honors detail does not select the music. Common additions include "Amazing Grace," "How Great Thou Art," "Going Home" (the spiritual), or branch-specific marching pieces. If the family requests a live bugler for Taps, the funeral home contacts Bugles Across America (a volunteer organization) when DoD cannot dispatch one.

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."

If multiple flags are presented (for example, when both the U.S. flag and a branch service flag are folded), the U.S. flag is presented first, with the senior detail member kneeling. The recipient is not expected to speak. A small nod is the conventional acknowledgment.

U.S. Army cemetery affinity

Arlington National Cemetery (Section 60 for OEF/OIF) is the cemetery 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. Spouses and dependent children may also be eligible.

U.S. Army families are not obligated to bury at this cemetery. Any of the 155 VA national cemeteries, 110+ state veteran cemeteries, and tribal veteran cemeteries are equally available. Many U.S. Army families choose private cemeteries for proximity to other family members already interred.

How to request honors

1. The funeral home contacts the deceased's last unit (or the nearest active-duty U.S. Army installation) at least 48 hours before the service.
2. The home submits the DD-214 to verify eligibility for full military honors.
3. The honors detail is dispatched at no cost to the family; the family selects the date and time.
4. For requests inside 72 hours, families can call 1-877-MIL-HONR (1-877-645-4667) directly to expedite scheduling.
5. If the active-duty detail cannot be staffed (rural locations, short notice), the funeral home arranges a volunteer detail through the local VFW post, American Legion chapter, or branch-specific veteran service organization.

Benefits beyond honors

See the VA burial benefits guide for current dollar amounts and eligibility specifics. Most veteran-friendly funeral homes file the burial allowance claim on Form 21P-530EZ at no extra charge.

• Burial at any of the 155 VA national cemeteries, free for the veteran, spouse, and dependent children.
• VA burial allowance: $948 base for non-service-connected death, up to $2,000 for service-connected.
• Plot allowance: $948 when buried in a non-VA cemetery.
• Government-furnished headstone or marker at any cemetery, public or private (VA Form 40-1330).
• Presidential Memorial Certificate signed by the sitting President (VA Form 40-0247).
• U.S. burial flag, presented to the next of kin at no cost (VA Form 27-2008).

Timeline expectations

Same-day — burial scheduling at a VA national cemetery once documentation is in place. The National Cemetery Scheduling Office can issue a burial date within 30–60 minutes of a complete file.

24–72 hours — typical VA national cemetery burial date once scheduled.

60–90 days — burial allowance claim payment after a complete VA Form 21P-530EZ submission.

90–120 days — government headstone or marker shipment after VA Form 40-1330 approval.

6–8 weeks — Presidential Memorial Certificate processing after VA Form 40-0247 submission.

4–6 weeks — DD-214 replacement from the National Personnel Records Center during normal demand. Peak demand (around Memorial Day, Veterans Day) can push this to 8–10 weeks.

Where to get help

VA Burial Benefits help line: 1-800-827-1000 — 8am–9pm Eastern, weekdays. Operators can pre-screen eligibility and answer specific questions.

National Cemetery Scheduling Office: 1-800-535-1117 — 24/7, for active funeral arrangements only. Not for general questions.

DoD Honors Coordination: 1-877-MIL-HONR (1-877-645-4667) — for honors requests inside 72 hours of service time.

Veterans Service Officers (VSO) at VFW, American Legion, AMVETS, DAV, or county Veterans Affairs offices — file claims and appeals at no charge.

VA.gov — official documentation, downloadable forms, claim status tracking.