Veterans Burial and Memorial Benefits: A Checklist

Veterans have earned burial and memorial benefits that many families never claim: burial in a national cemetery, a government headstone or marker, a burial flag, and a Presidential Memorial Certificate among them. The reason families miss them is simple: nobody told them, and the days after a death are the worst possible time to research anything.

So here is the checklist, best worked through before it's needed. Eligibility rules apply to each benefit, and the VA is the authority on current details, so treat this as your map and the VA as your final answer.

What Burial Benefits Can Veterans Receive?

In general terms, eligible veterans may receive:

• Burial in a VA national cemetery, including the gravesite, opening and closing of the grave, a headstone or marker, and perpetual care of the site. Spouses and some dependents may also be eligible for burial alongside the veteran.
• A government headstone, marker, or medallion, available in many cases even when the veteran is buried in a private cemetery.
• A United States burial flag to drape the casket or accompany the urn, later given to the family.
• A Presidential Memorial Certificate, an engraved certificate signed by the current President, honoring an honorably discharged deceased veteran. Families can request more than one copy.
• Military funeral honors, which families can request through their funeral home.

Each benefit has its own eligibility rules and request process. Confirm specifics with the VA at VA.gov or by phone, or ask a county veterans service officer; their help is free.

The Checklist: What to Do and When

Now, while things are calm:

1. Find the DD-214 (discharge paperwork). This single document unlocks nearly everything. Make copies; store one with the veteran's other important papers.
2. Talk about wishes. National cemetery or family plot? Burial or cremation? Military honors? These conversations are easier at the kitchen table than in a funeral home office.
3. Verify eligibility with the VA. The VA can confirm burial eligibility in advance, which spares the family uncertainty later.
4. Fold this into broader planning. Our funeral planning basics article covers the non-VA side of arrangements.

When death is near or has occurred:

5. Tell the funeral home the deceased is a veteran, immediately. Funeral homes handle flag requests and military honors requests routinely, but only if they know.
6. Request the burial flag and military honors through the funeral home.
7. Apply for the headstone, marker, or medallion; the funeral home or veterans service officer can help.
8. Request the Presidential Memorial Certificate through the VA.

Why Handle This Before a Crisis?

Grief makes paperwork cruel. Families who sorted the DD-214 and made decisions early consistently tell us the same thing: it let them grieve instead of scramble. And veterans themselves often find comfort in knowing their service will be formally honored; it can open conversations about their service that families treasure. We see this especially with Vietnam veterans, for whom recognition came late or never.

If your loved one is on hospice, you have help: hospice social workers assist with exactly this kind of preparation, and it's part of the care, not an extra.

One more reason to start early: some questions take time to answer. Replacing lost discharge records, confirming cemetery eligibility, or deciding between a national cemetery and the family plot can each take weeks. Begun early, these are calm tasks. Begun after a death, they become deadlines.

What About Other VA Benefits?

Burial benefits are one piece of a larger picture. If your loved one is still living, look into VA hospice benefits and programs like Aid & Attendance that may help pay for care now. A veterans service officer can review everything at once.

How Engrace Hospice Can Help

Engrace Hospice is locally owned and based in Pendleton, serving veterans and their families across Umatilla County, Morrow County, and Eastern Oregon. Our social workers help families gather documents, connect with veterans service officers, and prepare for arrangements ahead of time, and our grief support continues for 13 months after a loss. More on how we serve veterans is on our veterans page.

If you'd like help getting a veteran's affairs in order, or hospice care for someone you love, call us at (541) 263-7494 or contact us online.

Frequently Asked Questions

What burial benefits do veterans get?

Eligible veterans may receive burial in a VA national cemetery, a government headstone or marker, a United States burial flag, and a Presidential Memorial Certificate. Eligibility rules apply, so confirm specifics with the VA before making final arrangements.

Is burial in a national cemetery free for veterans?

For eligible veterans, burial in a VA national cemetery includes the gravesite, opening and closing of the grave, a headstone or marker, and ongoing care of the gravesite. Families should verify eligibility and details directly with the VA, since rules and processes are specific.

What is a Presidential Memorial Certificate?

It is an engraved certificate signed by the current President honoring the memory of an honorably discharged deceased veteran. Eligible families can request one through the VA, and more than one copy can be requested for family members.

What documents do we need to claim veteran burial benefits?

The most important document is the veteran's discharge paperwork, usually the DD-214. Locate it early, make copies, and share one with your funeral home. If it's lost, the VA can help you request replacement records; start that process as soon as possible.