Military Honors Provided by the Government
A military funeral in the United States is a memorial or burial rite conducted by the Unites States Armed Forces for a Soldier, Marine, Sailor, Coast Guardsman or Airman who died in battle, a veteran, or other prominent military figures or a president. A military funeral may feature guards of honor, the firing of volley shots as a salute, drumming and other military elements, with a flag draping over the casket.
As of January 1, 2000, the National Defense Authorization Act mandates that the U.S. Armed Forces shall provide the rendering of honors in a military funeral for any eligible veteran if requested by his or her family. As mandated by federal law, an honor guard detail for the burial of an eligible veteran shall consist of no fewer than two members of the Armed Forces. One member of the detail shall be a representative of the parent armed service of the deceased veteran. The honor guard detail will, at minimum, perform a ceremony that includes the folding and presenting of the flag of the United States to the next of kin and the sounding of Taps which will be played by a lone bugler, if available, or by audio recording. (Congress designated Taps as the nation's official "Song of Remembrance" in 2013 Defense Authorization Act. A bugler plays Taps very evening at Arlington National Cemetery to signify the end of the day, and as a tribute to those who've died for their country. Whenever a service member is buried with military honors anywhere in the United States, the ceremony concludes with the sounding of Taps on a trumpet or bugle.)
To know why the American flag is folded 13 times when it's presented to you, please click here.
Who is Eligible for Military 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 service in the selected Reserve and departed under honorable conditions
- 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
How do I establish veteran eligibility?
- The preferred method is the DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty. Please keep your DD 214 form is a safe place and let your family know where it is. These papers are very important in establishing your eligibility. If the DD Form 214 is not available, any discharge document showing honorable discharge can be used.
- If you do not have The DD Form 214, it may be obtained by filling out a Standard Form 180 (we have these at the funeral home) and sending it to: National Personnel Records Center (NPRC)9700 Page Blvd.St. Louis, MO 63132. This takes a while to get, so please allocate time to send the form and then to get a response.
Benefits for Veterans
Along with scheduling funeral services with military honors, we will:
- Register the veteran to receive a Presidential Memorial Certificate - this certificate expresses our country's recognition of the veteran's service. It is inscribed with the veteran's name and bears the signature of the President of the United States. When received at the funeral home, we will mail it to your loved one.
- Register all World War II veterans at the World War II Memorial in Washington D.C.
- Process the application for the headstone or marker provided by the Government
- Apply for benefits if you qualify, for reimbursement of burial expenses, this applies if a veteran passes away in a V.A. facility, hospital, nursing home, or a facility that is affiliated with the Veterans Administration
- If you so choose, make arrangements to request for burial at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery.
Burial benefits available for Veterans buried in a private cemetery may include: Government headstone, marker or medallion, a burial flag
For more information on Illinois Veterans' Benefits click here
Veteran Benefits for Burial in a Private Cemetery
Burial benefits available for Veteran buried in a private cemetery may include Government headstone, marker or medallion, a burial flag, and a Presidential Memorial Certificate, at no cost to the family.
Some Veterans may also be eligible for Burial Allowances.
* The Catholic Cemeteries in the Chicago land Archdiocese offer a discount on the cost of the grave for all Veterans.
Veteran Benefits for Burial in a National Cemetery
Burial benefits for eligible Veterans include (at no cost to the family):
- The gravesite
- Opening and closing of the grave
- Perpetual care
- A Government headstone or marker
- A burial flag
- A Presidential Memorial Certificate
Burial benefits available for spouses and dependents buried in a national cemetery include (at no cost to the family):
- Burial with the Veteran
- Perpetual care
- The spouse and dependents name and date of birth and death will be inscribed on the Veteran's headstone
Pre-Determination of eligibility may be made by contacting the NCA scheduling office: 1-800-535-1117
To learn more about how we can serve you, give us a call at 708-458-0208. We will be honored to speak with you.
Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery (ALNC)
If you have not had the opportunity to visit Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery, we have complied some general and historical information along with some pictures for you to view.
On October 3, 1999 Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery was dedicated as the 117th national cemetery within the Department of Veteran Affairs National Cemetery Administration. When fully developed, this 982 acre cemetery will provide 400,000 burial spaces.
The cemetery lies in the northwestern area of the former Joliet Army Ammunition Plant, approximately 50 miles south of Chicago, located at 20953 Hoff Road, in Elwood Illinois 60421 . ALNC is named after the 16th President of the U.S. and founder of the National Cemeteries. In the midst of the Civil War, on July 17, 1982, President Lincoln's signature enacted the law authorizing the establishment of national cemeteries "for the soldiers who die in the service of the country". During the Civil War there were 14 national cemeteries opened pursuant of this legislation. There are currently 134 National Cemeteries.
The cemetery is open 7 days a week from 7am until 6:30 pm. Interment services are scheduled Monday through Friday between the hours of 9:30 AM to 2:30 PM. The cemetery accommodates two interments every half hour in the shelters and allocates 20 minutes for a service. The cemetery provides a volunteer Ritual Team from a local V.F.W. Post that plays Taps and fires volley shots as a salute. Currently about 300 interments are completed a month. There is a memorial walkway lined with a variety of 15 memorials that honor America's Veterans from various organizations. Along with burial plots and niches (for cremains) there is a scattering garden located along side the memorial park.
