U.S. Coast Guard 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. Coast Guard 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.

• Coast Guard pall bearers in service dress
• Folding and presentation of the U.S. flag
• Playing of Taps
• Bell of the fallen — final ringing for the deceased
• Three-volley salute when firing detail available

Signature U.S. Coast Guard tradition

The 'Bell of the Fallen' — a single bell rung in remembrance — closes Coast Guard funerals. The tradition borrows from Navy shipboard custom but is uniquely associated with Coast Guard memorial services.

Beyond the signature element, U.S. Coast Guard 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

Semper Paratus and Eternal Father, Strong to Save.

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

Standard 13-fold with presentation: "On behalf of the President of the United States, the United States Coast Guard, and a grateful nation..." Burial at sea is available to eligible coasties.

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. Coast Guard cemetery affinity

Arlington; Coast Guard Cemetery, Cape May NJ is the cemetery most closely associated with U.S. Coast Guard 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. Coast Guard 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. Coast Guard 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. Coast Guard 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.