By Larry Dandridge
Editor’s note: This article is the third in a series of four.
Article 1 of four in this series can be read at https://bit.ly/4413oAD. It summarizes the VA benefits designed to aid veterans and their families in planning for the veteran’s death and the benefits available to the veteran’s survivors. It encourages veterans and their families to read the “VA Planning Your Legacy (VA Survivors and Burial Benefits) Kit/Pamphlet”, which can be downloaded and read online at https://bit.ly/4n3qiA2.
The first article also encourages veterans and their families to use a VA-accredited Veterans Service Officer (VSO) to help them understand:
- Their veterans’ state and federal benefits, and how to plan their legacy, apply in advance for an eligibility determination, find the eligibility requirements for burial in a VA National Cemetery, make burial plans, schedule a burial for a veteran or family member, and find answers to frequently asked questions.
- How to find a VA Cemetery, how to find the eligibility requirements for burial at Arlington National Cemetery, what happens at a military funeral at Arlington National Cemetery, how to request a copy of a veteran’s military service records, how to get bereavement counseling, how to get readjustment counseling, how to learn about the Veterans Legacy Program, and how to download the 2025 Federal Benefits for Veterans, Dependents, and Survivors Handbook.
Article 2 in this series can be read online at https://bit.ly/4kdQTbj. It covers the eligibility requirements for burial in a VA national cemetery.
This third article covers specific groups not eligible for burial in a VA national cemetery, what is included in a VA national cemetery burial, and VA burial allowance and transportation benefits.
These veterans’ family members are not eligible:
- A former spouse who is not also a veteran, whose marriage to an eligible veteran or service member ended by annulment or divorce.
- Family members of a veteran convicted of subversive activities (unless the veteran receives a pardon from the President).
- Other family members who do not meet the eligibility requirements.
People who were drafted but never entered military service
People are not eligible if they were ordered to report to an induction station but were discharged at that point and never entered military service.
Veterans with a particular character of discharge
Veterans are not eligible if they were separated from the Armed Forces under dishonorable conditions or have a character of service that disqualifies them.
A VA regional office determines eligibility in cases where the Veteran has:
- An undesirable, bad conduct, and any other discharge other than honorable; or
- Multiple discharges of varying character.
Veterans found guilty of a capital crime
Veterans are not eligible if:
- They have been convicted of a federal or state capital crime and may receive a sentence of imprisonment for life or the death penalty, and the conviction is final; or
- Clear and convincing evidence shows that they’ve committed a federal or state capital crime (punishable by death), but they couldn’t have a trial due to flight to avoid prosecution or death. These veterans also do not qualify for a Presidential Memorial Certificate, burial flag, headstone, or marker.
Veterans convicted of certain sex crimes
Veterans are not eligible if they were convicted of a Tier III sex offense and sentenced to a minimum of life imprisonment, and the conviction is final. These veterans also do not qualify for a Presidential Memorial Certificate, burial flag, headstone, or marker.
Veterans convicted of subversive activities
Veterans convicted of subversive activities after September 1, 1959, are not eligible unless they’ve received a pardon from the President of the United States.
What does burial in a VA national cemetery include?
If you’re a Veteran, service member, Reservist, or family member who qualifies for burial in a VA national cemetery, you’ll receive certain burial benefits at no cost to your family.
Burial in a VA national cemetery includes these burial benefits:
- A gravesite in any of our national cemeteries with available space. Veterans and family members can find a VA national cemetery at the VA’s NCA “Find a Cemetery” webpage https://www.cem.va.gov/find-cemetary/. The map on the VA’s “Find a Cemetery” page provides interactive customer service options to find a location, contact a cemetery, get directions, look up the schedule for a burial, and find your Veterans memorial page to post tributes and photos to honor our nation’s Veterans.
- Perpetual (ongoing) care of the gravesite.
- Opening and closing of the grave.
- A burial liner provided by the government.
- A headstone or marker provided by the government. Learn more at the VA’s “Veterans Headstones, Markers, Medallions, Plaques, and Urns” webpage https://bit.ly/3SW1j40.
Veterans, service members, and Reservists also qualify for these benefits:
- A burial flag. The VA webpage “Burial Flags to Honor Veterans and Reservists” https://bit.ly/446THks covers eligibility a burial flag. To get a burial flag, fill out the Application for United States Flag for Burial Purposes (VA Form 27-2008), which can be downloaded at https://bit.ly/3SS6zpn, and bring the application to A funeral director, a VA regional office, or a U.S. Post Office.Call ahead to make sure your local post office has burial flags. If they don’t, they can direct you to one that does.
- A Presidential Memorial Certificate (PMC). A PMC is an engraved paper certificate signed by the current president. Find out how to request a certificate at the VA’s PMC web page https://bit.ly/45uDqYU.
- The Department of Defense provides military funeral honors. These honors include the playing of “Taps” and two uniformed service members who present the burial flag. Learn more at https://bit.ly/3ZBFMkP. Arrange for military funeral honors through your funeral director or get help from a Veterans Service Organization, a Veterans Service Officer (VSO), or VA national cemetery staff.
Veterans’ burial allowance and transportation benefits. If you are eligible, you may receive these benefits:
- VA burial allowance for burial and funeral costs
- VA plot or interment allowance for the cost of the plot (gravesite) or interment
- VA transportation reimbursement for the cost of transporting the Veteran’s remains to the final resting place
The VA provides burial benefits for all legal burial types, including cremation and burial at sea. The VA also provides burial benefits for donating the remains to a medical school. Find out how to get veterans’ burial allowances to help cover burial, funeral, and transportation costs. Learn the details at https://bit.ly/4kKnqGK and in next week’s article.
Continued next week.
Larry Dandridge is a Vietnam War wounded warrior, a combat and service-connected 100% disabled veteran, an ex-Enlisted Infantryman, an ex-Warrant Officer Pilot, and a retired Lt. Colonel. His over 250 articles on veterans’ benefits, leadership, logistics, hospice, law enforcement, and aeronautics have been published in over 20 magazines and newspapers in the USA, Germany, and England. Larry is a former Veterans Service Officer, a Patient Adviser at his local VA Hospital, a Fisher House Charleston Goodwill Ambassador, and the past Vice President for Veteran Affairs for his local Association of the US Army (AUSA) and Military Officers Association (MOAA) Chapters. He is currently the VFW Post 7378 Service Officer, the author of the award-winning and popular (over 250 five-star reviews) Blades of Thunder (Book One), and a contributing freelance writer with The Island News. Contact him at LDandridge@earthlink.net or 843-276-7164.
