Veterans, service members, and some family members may be eligible for burial in a VA national cemetery. Find out if you, or a person you’re planning a burial for, can get this benefit.
Who's eligible for burial in a VA national cemetery?
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Veterans, service members, spouses, and dependents may be eligible for burial in a VA national cemetery, as well as other benefits, if they meet one of the requirements listed below.
One of these must be true. The person qualifying for burial benefits is:
- A Veteran who didn’t receive a dishonorable discharge, or
- A service member who died while on active duty, active duty for training, or inactive duty for training, or
- The spouse or minor child of a Veteran, even if the Veteran died first, or
- In some cases, the unmarried adult dependent child of a Veteran
A U.S. citizen who served in the armed forces of a U.S. ally during wartime may be eligible if they meet both of the requirements listed below.
Both of these must be true. The service member:
- Ended their last active service honorably by death or otherwise, and
- Was a U.S. citizen at the time they entered their last active service and at the time of their death
National Guard and Reserve members
A National Guard or Reserve member may be eligible if they meet any of the requirements listed below.
At least one of these must be true. The National Guard or Reserve member:
- Met their legal minimum active-duty service requirements, was called up to active duty and served their full term of service, and didn’t receive a dishonorable discharge, or
- Was entitled to retirement pay at their time of death, or would have been entitled to retirement pay if they weren’t under 60 years of age at the time of death, or
- Died while hospitalized or getting treatment at the expense of the U.S. for an injury or illness that occurred while they were performing active-duty services for training or inactive-duty training under honorable conditions, or
- Became disabled or died from a disease or injury caused—or made worse—by their active-duty service during a period of active duty for training, or
- Became disabled or died from an injury or certain cardiovascular disorders caused—or made worse—by their active-duty service during a period of inactive-duty training
Members of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps of the Army, Navy, or Air Force
A member of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps may be eligible if they meet any of the requirements listed below.
One of these must be true. The officer died under honorable conditions while:
- Attending an authorized training camp or on an authorized cruise, or
- Performing authorized travel to or from a training camp or cruise, or
- Hospitalized or getting treatment at the expense of the United States for an injury or illness that occurred while they were attending or traveling to a training camp or cruise under honorable conditions
A commissioned officer of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration may be eligible if they meet any of the requirements listed below.
At least one of these must be true. The officer:
- Served on full-time duty on or after July 29, 1945, or
- Served before July 29, 1945, and was assigned to an area of immediate military hazard (as determined by the secretary of defense while in time of war or by a national emergency as declared by the president), or
- Served in the Philippine Islands on December 7, 1941, and continued to serve there until their death
A commissioned officer of the Public Health Service may be eligible if they meet at least one of the requirements listed below.
One of these must be true:
The officer served on full-time duty on or after July 29, 1945. If their service was considered active duty for training, they must have become disabled or died from a disease or injury caused or made worse by their service.
The officer performed full-time duty prior to July 29, 1945:
- In time of war, or
- On detail for duty with the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard, or
- While a part of the military forces of the United States by executive order of the president
The officer served on inactive-duty training, and their death resulted from an injury caused or made worse by their service.
A WWII Merchant Mariner may be eligible if they meet at least one of the requirements listed below.
One of these must be true. The Merchant Mariner:
- Had oceangoing service during the period of armed conflict from December 7, 1941, to December 31, 1945, or
- Had oceangoing service during the period of armed conflict from December 7, 1941, to December 31, 1946, and died after November 11, 1998, or
- Served on blockships in support of Operation Mulberry during World War II
To get a DD214 documenting this service, mail an application to:
Commandant (G-MVP-6)
United States Coast Guard
2100 2nd Street, SW
Washington, DC 20593A Philippine Armed Forces Veteran may be eligible if they meet the requirements listed below.
Both of these must be true. The Philippine Veteran was:
- A citizen of the United States or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the United States at the time of their death, and
- Residing in the United States at the time of their death
And one of these must be true. The Philippine Veteran:
- Served before July 1, 1946, in the Philippine military (including recognized guerrilla forces), while these forces were in the service of the Armed Forces of the United States, and died on or after November 1, 2000, or
- Enlisted between October 6, 1945, and June 30, 1947, with the Armed Forces of the United States with the consent of the Philippine government, and died on or after December 16, 2003
A Hmong Veteran may be eligible if they meet all of the requirements listed below.
All of these must be true. The Hmong Veteran:
- Died on or after March 23, 2018, and
- Resided in the U.S. at the time of death, and
- Was naturalized under Section 2(1) of the Hmong Veterans’ Naturalization Act of 2000 (also called the 2000 Act)
What burial benefits do Hmong Veterans qualify for?
Hmong Veterans are eligible for burial in a national or private cemetery. They’re also eligible for a headstone or marker, but not for other memorial items (like a burial flag or Presidential Memorial Certificate) or for military funeral honors (like the playing of “Taps”).
Spouses and surviving spouses of Hmong Veterans aren’t eligible for interment or any other burial benefits, even if they were naturalized under the 2000 Act.
What’s Public Law 115-141?
Public Law 115-141 allows eligible Hmong Veterans to be buried in a national cemetery. Be sure to refer to it when requesting burial benefits.
When you call the National Cemetery Scheduling Office in your time of need, tell the scheduler you’re requesting interment under PL115-141.
When you’re filling out a VA Form 40-10007 Application for Pre-need Determination of Eligibility for Burial in a VA National Cemetery, write “PL115-141” in Block 5. Write the Certification of Naturalization Registration “A” number in Block 6, and select Other in Block 13.
When requesting a headstone or markerfor burial in a private cemetery using VA Form 40-1330,write “PL115-141” and the Certification of Naturalization Registration “A” number in Block 33.
Certain family members
These family members aren’t eligible:
- A former spouse who isn’t 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 of the United States)
- Other family members who don’t meet the eligibility requirements
Individuals who were drafted but then discharged before entering military service
Individuals aren’t eligible if they were ordered to report to an induction station, but were discharged at that point and never actually entered military service.
Veterans with a certain character of discharge
Veterans aren’t eligible if they:
- 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 type of discharge other than honorable, or
- Multiple discharges of varying character
Veterans found guilty of a capital crime
Veterans aren’t eligible if:
- They’ve 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, but they couldn’t have a trial due to flight to avoid prosecution or death
These Veterans also don’t qualify for a Presidential Memorial Certificate, burial flag, headstone, or marker.
Veterans convicted of certain sex offenses
Veterans aren’t 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 don’t qualify for a Presidential Memorial Certificate, burial flag, headstone, or marker.
Veterans convicted of subversive activities
Veterans aren’t eligible if they were convicted of subversive activities after September 1, 1959, unless they’ve received a pardon from the President of the United States.
More about VA burial benefits and planning
Can I be buried in Arlington National Cemetery?
- Addie Bundren, the wife of Anse Bundren and the matriarch of a poor southern family, is very ill, and is expected to die soon. Her oldest son, Cash, puts all of his carpentry skills into preparing her coffin, which he builds right in front of Addie’s bedroom window. Although Addie’s health is.
- A Louisiana widow says she was stunned when a cemetery denied a burial plot for her husband, a black sheriff’s deputy — claiming it was for “whites only.”. Karla Semien said she tried to.
- Original music created for 'Richard III', by William Shakespeare, presented by Great River Shakespeare Festival (Winona, MN), summer 2017. Directed by Doug S.
We can’t determine eligibility for burial in Arlington National Cemetery because the United States Army maintains this cemetery. Please work with a funeral home director to contact Arlington National Cemetery at 877-907-8585 for their eligibility information.
What does burial in a VA national cemetery include?
When a Veteran, service member, or family member qualifies for burial in a VA national cemetery, they receive certain burial benefits at no cost to their family.
These burial benefits include:
- A gravesite in any of our 138 national cemeteries with available space
- Opening and closing of the grave
- A burial liner provided by the government
- Perpetual (ongoing) care of the gravesite
At the time of need, the person planning the burial can also request other VA memorial items as well as military funeral honors provided by the Department of Defense. These items and honors have other eligibility requirements.
Learn about scheduling a burial
Download our National Cemetery Administration brochure (PDF)
Can I plan ahead for my burial in a VA national cemetery?
Yes. You can plan ahead to make the process of applying for a burial in a VA national cemetery easier for your family members in the event of your death. To do this, you’ll need to apply for a pre-need eligibility determination.
Please note: The pre-need eligibility determination is only for VA national cemeteries. If you want to be buried in a state or tribal Veterans cemetery, check the site you want ahead of time, since some state Veterans cemeteries require that you live in that state or have other rules around eligibility.
How can I make sure my family members have all the information and documents they need to plan for the future?
The Planning Your Legacy: VA Survivors and Burial Benefits Kit can guide you and your family members through the planning process so they have what they need to prepare for the future and get the benefits they’re entitled to. This kit includes:
- Information about survivors’ benefits
- Sample forms you and your family members may need to fill out
- A section where you can record the personal information your family members will need and the location of important documents, like your birth certificate or will
Note: If you decide not to use this kit, make sure your family knows your final wishes for burial and memorial honors and the location of your discharge papers to establish eligibility.
What should I do if I received an other than honorable, bad conduct, or dishonorable discharge?
If you’ve received one of these discharge statuses, you may not be eligible for VA benefits.
There are 2 ways you can try to qualify:
Find out how to apply for a discharge upgrade
Learn about the VA Character of Discharge review process
Other VA benefits for survivors
VA dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC)
Learn about getting VA disability benefits for a surviving spouse or a dependent child or parent.
How to apply for a Veterans burial allowance
Learn how to apply for a burial allowance to help pay for a Veteran's funeral services, burial, and transportation costs.
VA Survivors Pension
Find out if you’re eligible and how to apply for VA pension benefits as a surviving spouse or child of a deceased Veteran with wartime service.
Health care for spouses, dependents, and family caregivers
See if you qualify for VA medical benefits as a spouse, surviving spouse, dependent child, or caregiver.
VA education benefits for survivors and dependents
Find out if you're eligible for Veteran dependent or survivor education benefits through a GI Bill program.
VA home loan programs for surviving spouses
Find out if you're eligible and how to apply for a VA home loan COE as the surviving spouse of a Veteran or the spouse of a Veteran who's missing in action or being held as a prisoner of war.
Geraldo Rivera:
Al Capone was never convicted of murder, he went down on tax evasion.
OJ Simpson got away with double murder only to end up in jail for a two bit Las Vegas robbery.
Will it be something similar for wikileaker Julian Assange? Will he skate on the espionage allegations, only to fall to rape charges in Sweden? And how does assistant secretary of state, PJ Crowley, feel about that? Welcome Mr. Secretary. How do you feel about the fact that the criminal case against this bum is probably the one with legs as opposed to the more damaging, at least in a societal sense, leaking of the state secrets?
Crowley:
Well, Julian Assange has done damage to the United States and our national interests. He’s harmed our ability to do diplomacy around the world, and that diplomacy benefits the American people and others around the world. I’ll leave it to the Justice dept. to determine if he’s culpable- [cut off by Fox editing]
GR:
Before I get into some of specifics on that, I’m holding in my hands a set of documents from the state dept. in response to an FOIA, a freedom of information request obtained by the ACLU. The documents are heavily redacted. Isn’t it a fact that the state dept. has been traditionally extremely reluctant to release its secrets, and is this why a wikileaks exists in the first place?
Crowley:
Every organization, whether it’s a government or if it’s a company, has secrets. [another cutoff edit by Fox]
GR:
When the first leaks came out, I spoke to military officials, many of them dear friends of mine, in Afghanistan or Iraq who told me they feared that deaths, either of American GIs or our allies, or indeed Afghan nationals who are working with us or who are double agents, uh you know, who are pretending to be members of the Taliban and are spying on the Taliban for us, if their lives would be at risk. Can you point to any documented case where someone indeed has lost their lives as a result of these leaks?
Crowley:
I cannot say that that has happened yet, but remember we’re in the early stages of this and this will take some time to play out, but there’s no question that there are people inside of governments, people in civil society, that give us perspective, and country by country these people can in fact be at risk of being jailed or worse because of their names being revealed by this broad based revelation of classified information.
GR:
But generally speaking, hasn’t the vibe been pretty positive about how our diplomats are portrayed? The United States does not come off as venal, as self-serving, as deviants or manipulative?
Crowley:
Look, any time we’re talking about the release of 250,000 classified documents, there’s no good news here. People that were candid with us before may not be for at least the foreseeable future. [edit splice]Our diplomacy has been harmed by this. This is going to be difficult for a fair time to continue to conduct that diplomacy which serves our national interests.
GR:
Going back to Julian Assange, if he goes down on rape, will you be, uh you know, in some way mollified by this great transgression, will that be enough for the state dept.?
Crowley:
Look, Julian Assange has done damage to the United States. He’s undermined the international system where you cooperate, you collaborate, you work together to solve problems, but it’s going to take us time to rebuild the trust that has been lost here. Meanwhile we are investigating this fully as a government. I’ll leave it to the justice dept. to decide who’s ultimately responsible.
GR:
We got to get away from some of these redactions though Mr. Secretary. Be a little more open, perhaps, but be that as it may, Julian Assange, as you suggest – a very bad man who deserves some really terrible… [interruption]
Crowley:
Well Geraldo, let me just say on that point, this is about criminality, this is not having too many secrets. We need secrets, and we think we’re the most transparent country on Earth. But every government, every private company does have and properly keeps information, protected information, secret. That should not change.
GR:
Well we’ll have a beer and share a couple of secrets. Thanks a lot PJ. Appreciate it.
…
With a Swedish arrest warrant for rape pending against Assange and Interpol putting him on the equivalent of its most wanted list, various reports put him hiding in plain sight in England. With British authorities apparently are set to be fully aware of where Assange is staying. Why then haven’t they busted him and extradited him to Sweden for trial on the rape charges? Bringing in again our Kimberly Guilfoyl. What do you think?
KG:
Yeah, this is interesting. Last night we were getting news updates and reports that in fact the authorities in the UK knew exactly the location of Julian Assange, so we were anticipating an arrest, perhaps sometime even overnight. It hasn’t happened yet. I do believe it’s imminent and they want to make a case against him. I think they have a good one. I personally believe that you can’t just settle for the sexual assault case which should be prosecuted that will put him behind bars and then diplomatically be able to decide, uh you know, from the United States point of view, whether or not he should be charged under the espionage act, and I do believe he should.
GR:
You do? But I’m not sure it would apply in his case. Why would it apply? Because if you have this specialist Manning, the GI, who’s guilty of treason – he steals the, uh, disc. He disseminates it to 30 computer guys and they give it to their pals, this nerd, and that guy, and this expert and that guy — at what point does the criminality end in that chain?
KG:
Well you look at the specific intent of Julian Assange — that he received the information, he knows what he had and he deliberately disseminated it.
GR:
But why not the New York Times?
KG:
Well the New York Times is the press. Julian Assange is not the press. He is an anarchist and so he is deliberately acting against the interests of the United States and trying to cause us harm diplomatically and internationally.
GR:
Uh, the fact that he is an anarchist, uh on that I totally agree.
But with the president just back from his surprise trip to the troops in Afghanistan, many over there in Afghanistan and over here worry whether the revelations are a danger or just an embarrassment. Joining us our next and honored expert and newest Fox News contributor, retired four star general Jack Keane think of all this? General, welcome to the family, nice to see you. Welcome aboard. What do you think? How dangerous is this freak? How deadly to US interests? What do you hope happens to him?
Jack:
Well certainly it’s outrageous, you know, what they’ve done and I agree with the commanders. There’s no doubt about the fact that it presents a danger to them in terms of getting into how they do operations, to their informants. The good news, as secretary Gates has said, at best he can tell, there’s not any evidence that any informant has been arrested or killed or maimed or any operation has been affected by this. That’s good news. As the secretary said, we’re only into this thing, and it takes a lot of time to get through this. The Taliban are computer literate at the top of that organization, so I’m sure that they’re pouring through some of this to gain some leverage over us in terms of how we do business, how we conduct operations. So no doubt about the fact– common sense tells you that this is an outrageous, despicable act that we should not stand for.
GR:
How about this general: the cable that suggests that former vice president of Afghanistan was caught in one of the Persian Gulf countries carrying fifty two million dollars in cash that had to be US taxpayer dollars, uh you know, isn’t that the kind of fact that you’d like to know as a US citizen to determine whether or not you support US policy visa vie Afghanistan?
Jack:
Yeah, there’s no doubt there’s some information in there, certainly that you’d think the American people have a right to know. The fact of the matter is there’s corruption in Afghanistan, Geraldo, you’ve been there many times as I have been and we both know that. General Petraeus and his people are working very hard to deal with this thing. They have a task force that’s following US dollars to make certain it doesn’t line the pockets of the Karzai government, [that] it does not get into the hands of the Taliban. Has some of that money gone in that direction? You betcha it has, unfortunately.
Plots Have I Laid
GR:
Plots Have I Laid Inductions Dangerous
What would you like to see happen to Assange?
Jack:
Tried and convicted and wind up in jail.
GR:
Would it be enough for you that he went down on the rape charge in Sweden?
Jack:
Well that’s another matter. If he’s involved in a despicable offense like that, my God, he certainly deserves, you know, full measure of the law. But I would also like to see him tried and convicted for what he has done in terms of releasing national security secrets and endangering people’s lives.
GR:
Well, well said General and again I welcome you on board. We look forward to having you on as a regular on At Large and uh, really respect you for your honored service and now you’re beginning in this whole new career as a pundit. I think this will be scarier than the other job you had General. Thanks a lot for being with us.