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A Veteran's Burial

 

If your loved one was in the military they may qualify for a burial with Military Funeral Honors or (MFH). This Veterans benefit includes an Honor Guard detail of not less than two Armed Services members at the burial or memorial, burial in a Government cemetery, and a grave marker.

 

veteran-funeral-services

 

Eligibility is as follows:

  • Past military members who were on active duty and left under honorable conditions
  • Past military members who finished at least one full period of the initial obligation made in the Selected Reserve or at least one term of enlistment and left under honorable conditions
  • Past military members discharged due to a disability sustained or exacerbated in the line of duty
  • Military members on active duty or in Selected Reserve.

 

Ineligibility is as follows:

  • Any person separated from the military under dishonorable discharge or whose character of service results in a bar to veteran’s benefits
  • Any person who was discharged prior to completing one term of enlistment or period of initial obligated service for reasons other than a disability incurred or aggravated in the line of duty
  • Any person ordered to report to the induction station but was never actually inducted in the military services
  • Any person convicted of a Federal or State capital crime sentenced to death or life imprisonment

 

How to Establish Eligibility:

The easiest way to show proof of honorable discharge is the Certificate of Release of Discharge from active duty from the deceased. This Certificate is called Form 214, if that is unavailable any document showing honorable discharge can be used. You may receive this Form by mail when you fill out a Form 180 and mail it to;

 

National Personnel Records Center (NPRC)
9700 Page Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63132

 

You may download Form 180 from the National Records Center or via the following address:
https://www.archives.gov/research/order/standard-form-180.pdf

 

Also Eligible:

 

Members of the Commissioned Officer Corps of the Public Health Service and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), as members of a Uniformed Service.

 

How to Establish Eligibility

 

For PHS personnel you will need a PHS Form 187 Statement of Service. You can obtain a copy if you do not have one by calling (301) 594-3064 or writing:

 

Division of Commissioned Personnel/HRS/PSC
Attention: Privacy Act Coordinator
5600 Fishers Lane
4-36
Rockville, Maryland 20857

 

For NOAA members you need Form 56-16 the Report of Transfer or Discharge. If you do not have this form it can be obtained by contacting the Chief Officer Services Division, NOAA Commissioned Personnel Center at (301) 713-3453 extension 102 or by writing:

 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Commissioned Personnel Center
Chief, Officer Services Division (CPC1)
1315 East-West Highway, Room 12100
Silver Spring, Maryland 20910

 

How to Request Funeral Honors

 

One of the nicest things about dealing with Heritage Cremation Providers is that all you need to do is tell us that your loved one was honorably discharged from any of these military services and we do all of the work.

 

As you can see the process seems fairly time consuming, that is why we want to take that burden from you by taking care of all of the paperwork for you. Filing for Veterans benefits is just part of the services we include in our cremation prices. We at Heritage want to be able to reduce your stress as much as possible at this difficult time in your life.