“You Honored Our Great Country, Now Let Us Honor You”

As part of Boyd-Panciera’s veteran benefits memorialization, Military Funeral Honors (MFH) ceremony consist of the folding and presentation of the United States Flag to the veteran’s family and the playing of “Taps”. The ceremony is performed by a funeral honors detail consisting of at least two members of the United States Armed Forces. The type of funeral honors may be Full Military Honors, 7 Person Detail or a Standard Honors Team Detail; this is determined by the status of the veteran being honored. The Military Funeral Honor Teams may act as pallbearers if requested by the veteran/family.

Who is eligible for Military Funeral Honors?

• Military members on active duty or in the Selected Reserve
• Former military members who served on active duty and departed under conditions other than dishonorable
• Former military members who completed at least one term of enlistment or period of initial obligated services in the Selected Reserve and Departed under conditions other than dishonorable
• Former military members discharged from the Selected Reserve due to a disability incurred or aggravated in the line of duty

How do I establish veteran eligibility?

The Preferred method is the DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty. If the DD Form 214 is not available, any discharge documents showing other than dishonorable service can be used. The DD Form 214 may be obtained by filling out a Standard Form 180 and sending it to:

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

The Standard Form 180 may be obtained form the National Records Center or Via the following website:
https://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records/standard-form-180.html

Veteran Headstones

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) furnishes upon request, at no charge to the applicant, a government headstone or market for the unmarked grave if any deceased eligible veteran in any cemetery around the world. Placement of the marker in a private cemetery are at private expense.

Veteran Burial Flags

A United States flag is provided, at no cost, to drape the casket or accompany the urn of a deceased veteran who served honorably in the U. S. Armed Forces.  It is furnished to honor the memory of a veteran’s military service to his or her country. VA will furnish a burial flag for memorialization for:

• A veteran who served during wartime
• A veteran who died on active duty after May 27, 1941
• A veteran who served after January 31, 1955
• A peacetime veteran who was discharged or released before June 27, 1950
• Certain persons who served in the organized military forces of the Commonwealth of the Philippines while in service of the U.S. Armed Forces and who died on or after April 25, 1951
• Certain former members of the Selected Reserves

Who is eligible to receive the burial flag?

Generally, the flag is given to the next-of-kin, as a keepsake, after its use during the funeral service. When there is no next-of-kin, VA will furnish the flag to a friend making request for it. For those VA national cemeteries with an Avenue of Flags, families of veterans buried in these national cemeteries may donate the burial flags of their loved ones to be flown on patriotic holidays.

How can you apply?

You may apply for the flag by completing VA Form 27-2008, Application for United States Flag for Burial Purposes. You may get a flag at any VA regional office or U.S. Post Office. Ask our funeral directors for additional assistance.