Military Funerals

By Eddie Tobey

In the US, a military funeral is given by the armed forces for a war veteran, a soldier who died in battle or a prominent military figure. The Department of Defense, or DOD, is usually responsible for providing military funeral honors or the title “Honoring Those Who Served” to the deceased.




Section 578 of Public Law 106-65 of the National Defense Authorization Act mandates that the U.S. military must provide the rendering of U.S. military funeral honors for an eligible veteran upon a family’s request. Those who are eligible for a U.S. military funeral include military members on active duty or in the Selected Reserve, former military members who served on active duty, former military members who completed at least one term of enlistment or a period of initial obligated service in the Selected Reserve, and former military members discharged from the Selected Reserve due to a disability incurred or aggravated in the line of duty.

A military funeral usually includes all or some of the following features, depending on the status or the deceased. The coffin of the deceased is traditionally draped in a U.S. flag, and at the time of burial the flag is folded and presented to the next of kin as a keepsake. The flag is provided by the U.S. Veterans Benefits Administration without any cost, and is draped around the casket or accompany the urn of a deceased soldier. During the funeral procession, a horse-drawn caisson sometimes transports the coffin. Usually, cannon fires or gun salutes accompany a military funeral for high-ranking officials. A military bugler play taps at a distance of 30 to 50 yards from the gravesite, and sometimes a fly-by by military jets is performed for flyers and General Officers of the USAF.

A military funeral honors a war veteran, soldier who died in battle or a prominent military figure, and fills the hearts of their immediate family member with pride for the deceased.

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