The basic Military Funeral Honors ceremony consists of the folding and presentation of the United States flag to the veterans’ family, a twenty-one-gun salute, and the playing of Taps. The ceremony is performed by your local volunteer Honor Guard.

Your funeral director will contact and coordinate with your local honor guard to ensure that your veteran is buried with proper military rites. Taps may be played by a bugler or, if a bugler is not available, by using a recorded version.

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 service 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.

Any person separated from the Armed Forces under dishonorable conditions or whose character of service results in a bar to veteran’s benefits.

Any person who was ordered to report to an induction station but was not actually inducted into military service.

Any person discharged from the Selected Reserve prior to completing at least 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 convicted of a Federal or State capital crime sentenced to death or life imprisonment.

The preferred method is the DD Form 214 (discharge certificate), Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty.  If the DD Form 214 is not available, any discharge document 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 from the National Records Center or via the following web site: http://www.archives.gov/research/order/standard-form-180.pdf

Yes. Members of the Commissioned Officer Corps of the Public Health Service (PHS) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), as members of a Uniformed Service, are also eligible to receive funeral honors.

Eligibility is established using NOAA Form 56-16, Report of Transfer or Discharge. If the family does not have a copy of the NOAA Form 56-16, it may be obtained by contacting the Chief Officer Services Division, NOAA Commissioned Personnel Center at (301) 713-7715. or by writing to:

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Commissioned Personnel Center

Chief, Officer Services Division (CPC1)

1315 East-West Highway, Room 12100

Silver Spring, Maryland 20910

Funeral honors eligibility is established using PHS Form 1867, Statement of Service (equivalent to the DD Form 214).  If the family does not have a copy of the Statement of Service, it may be obtained by contacting the Privacy Coordinator for the Commissioned Corps at (240) 453-6041 or writing to:

Division of Commissioned Personnel/HRS/PSC

Attention: Privacy Act Coordinator

5600 Fishers Lane

4-36

Rockville, Maryland 20857