The 13-fold flag and the bugler's last note

The standard honors detail

A military funeral honors detail consists of, at minimum, two members of the armed forces. At least one detail member is from the deceased's branch of service. The standard ceremony includes:

1. Folding of the U.S. flag. The flag is folded thirteen times into a triangular shape, with only the blue field visible. Each fold has a meaning — the first symbolizes life; the second, the belief in eternal life. The full litany varies by service.
2. Presentation of the flag. The senior member of the detail kneels and presents the folded flag to the next of kin with the formal phrase: “On behalf of the President of the United States, the United States [branch], and a grateful nation, please accept this flag as a symbol of our appreciation for your loved one's honorable and faithful service.”
3. The playing of Taps. The 24 notes of Taps are played by a bugler when available. When no bugler can be dispatched, a recorded version is played from a ceremonial bugle with a digital insert.

Three-volley salute

When a firing detail is available, three rifle volleys are fired by an odd-numbered honor detail (typically seven members, firing three rounds each — twenty-one in total, which is sometimes mistaken for a 21-gun salute, but is technically a three-volley salute). The 21-gun salute proper is reserved for heads of state.

Branch-specific traditions

Each branch maintains traditions unique to its history:

• U.S. Army: 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.
• U.S. Navy: Eight bells rung at the conclusion of services — 'sailor of the watch is relieved.
• U.S. Marine Corps: The hymn 'Mansions of the Lord' is frequently played at Marine funerals — a 2002 composition adopted into the unofficial canon.
• U.S. Air Force: The Missing Man Formation flyover — four aircraft in a finger-four formation, with the second-from-right aircraft pulling up and away — is the Air Force's signature tribute to fallen aviators.
• U.S. Coast Guard: The 'Bell of the Fallen' — a single bell rung in remembrance — closes Coast Guard funerals.
• U.S. Space Force: Established in 2019, the Space Force is still standardizing memorial traditions.

How to request honors

The funeral home arranges the honors detail. The home contacts either the deceased's last unit or the nearest active-duty installation of the appropriate branch, submits a DD-214 to verify eligibility, and schedules the date and time.

For requests inside 72 hours of the service, families can call the Department of Defense's expedited honors line directly: 1-877-MIL-HONR (1-877-645-4667).

When the branch cannot dispatch

For services in remote locations or on short notice where active-duty details cannot be staffed, veterans service organizations (VFW, American Legion, AMVETS, Marine Corps League) frequently provide volunteer honor guards at no cost. Many of the funeral homes in our directory have standing relationships with local posts and detachments — see the home's detail page for noted affiliations.

Cost

The honors detail itself is provided at no cost to the family. The funeral home does not charge for the coordination. The only related expense the family typically encounters is the transportation of the deceased to the cemetery, which is part of standard funeral home pricing.