Saturday, November 20, 2010

FUNERAL SERVCES, THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION AND MILITARY HONORS. WHO IS MOST QUALIFIED?

This topic is one that I hold dear to my heart and is very personal to me. What, do you ask is the funeral homes responsibility when it comes to obtaining honors for a fallen veteran?
Answer: EVERYTHING THEY CAN!
The funeral is responsible to acquire as much honor services that the veteran has earned for service to country.
NOW! The big play it to convince you that the funeral home is going ABOVE AND BEYOND what is expected of them to do so you will think they are doing this at no cost or charge to the funeral home, or... they are doing this out of the kindness of their heart. Let there be no mistake, none what so ever, that everything this kind hearted funeral home is doing is everything that Veteran EARNED for service to country. Not because the funeral service providers are kind hearted people.
I find it deplorable when I listen to funeral service providers try and convince families that they are observing these honors ONLY because the funeral director went out of his or her way to ensure that the veteran received what otherwise the government would have forgotten completely about.
There was a time when it was an honor to handle the services of a fallen veteran, now most locations use it as a marketing tool by placing flags on their websites and selling and displaying military style memorabilia and products.
I have no problems at all considering Avenidas Funeral Chapel more than qualified to serve American Veterans. 
  • The owner is a Disabled American Veteran 
  • The owner is Retired United States Marine Corps
  • The owner is 10 years prior United States Navy
  • The owner spent 2 years on the Navy Color Guard honoring fallen veterans all over California
  • The owner spent 2 years as a Marine Corps Drill Instructor perfecting and mastering the art of "Military Honors, Drill, Presentation and display"
So what is a veteran entitled to? 
 Well if the veteran was separated from the military under honorable conditions
Benefits for veterans who die at a Veterans Administration (VA) Hospital
  • Gets $300 burial or cremation allowance
  • Gets $300 plot allowance if they don’t use a National Cemetery
  • Gets transportation from VA hospital (our charges reimbursed)
  • Gets transportation to place of interment or services (our charges reimbursed)

Benefits for ALL veterans and spouses
All Vets and their spouses with honorable discharge and with one day of active duty are entitled to free cemetery property, headstone, Opening & Closing, and perpetual care at any National Cemetery.
  • Honorably discharged veteran serving any length of time before 9/7/80.
Veterans entering service after this time must serve 24 months of continuous active duty or for the full time for which the person was called to active duty.

Military Funeral Honors
"Honoring Those Who Served"

The Department of Defense (DOD) is responsible for providing military funeral honors. "Honoring Those Who Served” is the title of the DOD program for providing dignified military funeral honors to Veterans who have defended our nation.
Upon the family's request, Public Law 106-65 requires that every eligible Veteran receive a military funeral honors ceremony, to include folding and presenting the United States burial flag and the playing of Taps. The law defines a military funeral honors detail as consisting of two or more uniformed military persons, with at least one being a member of the Veteran's parent service of the armed forces. The DOD program calls for funeral home directors to request military funeral honors on behalf of the Veterans' family. However, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) National Cemetery Administration cemetery staff can also assist with arranging military funeral honors at VA national cemeteries. Veterans organizations may assist in providing military funeral honors. When military funeral honors at a national cemetery are desired, they are arranged prior to the committal service by the funeral home.


REMEMBER! In order for the veteran to receive these honors, you MUST present the Funeral Home with the Veterans DD-214 or Discharge Certificate, in some cases the Veterans Administration can assist in obtaining documentation for proof of service, but this is ONLY if the Veteran has been seen at a VA healthcare facility.

When you sit with the funeral provider, don’t ask them if they can try to get Funeral Honors. Tell them to do it. The Veteran earned it, it is not the funeral homes services to give away. If they can not help. Please, Please move to another facility that will honor the Veterans sacrifice and service to country.

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