When a loved one passes away, you want to make their funeral the most memorable and respectable day. You want to show how much you appreciated them and how much they were loved. One way to make the funeral special is to consider military honors if your family member is eligible. Military honors are a set of honors that are provided to those as a thank you from the nation for their service. It’s a free service and it’s provided by law if your family member is eligible.
If you think your family member is eligible for this, you just need to request this type of funeral, providing as much documentation as possible for this to the military. There are dedicated veteran funeral teams who can help you through this process, or your funeral director can guide you through the process.
Criteria for eligibility include those who died while on active duty for the military, navy or air service, those who served and were let go due to honorable conditions and those who were members of the reserves. You may be hesitant due to the fact you may worry about losing those personal moments of a funeral service. But even though your deceased family member will get military funeral honors, they still can have readings and poems read out by friends and family. Also, the funeral can still be led by clergy from the faith of your choice.
So now you know if your family member is eligible, here is our guide to what are military honors at a funeral, so you know exactly what will happen if your loved one does have this type of funeral.
What to expect during military funeral honors
A lot of people don’t know what exactly happens during military funeral honors. Therefore, here is our explanation of what is done for your loved one and how it all works to make an extra special service.
The playing of “taps”
Taps is a traditional song which has been a military song since 1874. In the late 1800s, these ‘taps’ began appearing at funerals across the nation. Since 2013, it became a legal part of military honors and is played in any military honors funeral. Often referred to as the National Song of Military Remembrance, it’s a meaningful, emotional song and it’s of the greatest respect that it’s at a funeral service for a veteran. In a lot of cases, it’s played on a traditional bugler. But in some cases, a stereo player will be used for this memorable tune. This occurs at both standard and full military honors funerals and is a special part for family members grieving their loved one.
A rifle detail
A common detail in full military honor services, a rifle detail will often occur to mark the loss of a veteran. It originates back in the Roman Era when they used to fire three shots at the end of battle while removing fallen soldiers. In the case of military honors at funerals, it tends to be a three-rifle detail to mark the passing. It can be up to seven but is often three to mark duty, sacrifice and honor. This is normally firing over the grave before they conduct the flag presentation. It’s a memorable moment and a lot of families request this for their loved one, especially if they died during service.
A color guard
Another key detail of a military funeral is a color guard. This will be a guard from the military who will be carrying the flag and will be in national colors at the funeral. They are showing the greatest level of respect to the person who has died and is showing their service to the nation. They may have other roles at a funeral such as being pallbearers.
Uniformed service members who present the burial flag
As part of the military honors, the US flag is presented and folded as a mark of respect to the veterans and their families. The flag is presented by the uniformed service member and is draped on the casket. After the memorable Taps is played, the flag is then folded up in a symbolic way to mark the 13 colonies. It is then placed with the next of kin and they have this as a keepsake of their loved one. It’s a very poignant moment and very special for the family members. It’s free and a special keepsake for close family and friends. If the person has already been cremated, the flag will already be folded in a symbolic military way.
How can I pay my respects at the service?
A lot of people don’t know what they should do or how they might need to act at a military honors funeral if they have not attended one before. To pay your respects, you are welcome to bring flowers to the service and they can accompany the casket until it’s taken away or buried. You should stay seated during the service and dress respectfully for a military honors funeral. It’s a lot more formal than a traditional funeral, so formal clothing is a must. You should sit away from the front row unless you are accepting the flag as a close family member. If you are unsure of anything, you can always ask for advice from the family or the funeral director.
