Death Benefits for Veterans

When a beloved Veteran passes, there are a few things family members will want to take care of in terms of using any applicable VA Veteran death benefits. We hope this short list will help you understand what to do and who to inform...

Get a Copy of the DD Form 214 (or NGB-22 for Guard members)

The DD Form 214 is a commonly used "proof of military service," also called a Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty. This document comes in handy throughout the process.

The National Personnel Records Center can send you a copy if you fill out a Standard Form 180, Request Pertaining to Military Records and send it to them at National Personnel Records Center, 1 Archives Drive, St. Louis, Missouri 63138.

Download and print a copy of the SF-180 in PDF format.

Or the National Cemetery may also be able to assist, at 1-800-535-1117. Lastly, many Veterans agencies like your local VFW may be able to point you in the right direction.

If the member was in the Guard, they should have a NGB-22, Report of Separation and Military Service form instead of a DD Form 214. These are kept at the branch state headquarters, not the National Personnel Records Center.

Let the Department of Defense Know

Always make this one of your first steps because whenever a Veteran passes, the date affects when payments will stop. To avoid any overpayment situation, it is better to be proactive rather than to wait. Also, any survivor benefits can only start when DOD knows about the event.

You call them at 1-800-321-1080. Just be sure to have the member's Social Security Number handy.

Let Your Funeral Director Know about the Veteran Status

The director will likely know all about the various burial entitlements and other Veteran death benefits.

How To Get an American Flag for a Deceased Veteran Service

The funeral director can order an American flag, if you'd like to have one for the casket.

A United States flag is provided, at no cost, to drape the casket or accompany the urn of a deceased Veteran who served honorably in the U. S. Armed Forces.

It is furnished to honor the memory of a Veteran’s military service to his or her country. VA will furnish a burial flag for memorialization for an other than dishonorably discharged:

1. Veteran who served during wartime

2. Veteran who died on active duty after May 27, 1941

3. Veteran who served after January 31, 1955

4. Peacetime Veteran who was discharged or released before June 27, 1950 after serving at least one enlistment, or for a disability incurred or aggravated in line of duty

5. Certain persons who served in the organized military forces of the Commonwealth of the Philippines while in service of the U.S. Armed Forces and who died on or after April 25, 1951

6. Certain former members of the Selected Reserves

Complete a VA Form 27-2008, Application for United States Flag for Burial Purposes to order a flag for a service.

U.S. Post Offices are the primary issuing point for burial flags, but not all local post offices have burial flags on hand, so you might call them ahead of time. Regional VA Offices can also help identify local issuing points.

VA Form 27-2008 provides the correct method for displaying and folding the flag. Note: the burial flag is not suitable for outside display because of its size and fabric.

Generally, the flag is given to the next-of-kin, as a keepsake, after its use during the funeral service. When there is no next-of-kin, VA will furnish the flag to a friend making request for it. For those VA national cemeteries with an Avenue of Flags, families of Veterans buried in these national cemeteries may donate the burial flags of their loved ones to be flown on patriotic holidays.

The funeral director can also help if you're interested in burial at one of the National Cemeteries, or you can contact them directed at 1-800-535-1117.

National Cemetery Administration maintains 136 national cemeteries in 40 states (plus Puerto Rico), but there isn't one in every state. There are, however, State Veterans Cemeteries.

If you'd like a free government headstone or marker, ask them to complete a VA Form 40-1330, Claim for Standard Government Headstone or Marker for you.

Let the Veterans of Foreign Wars Know

If your director isn't involved you can call the local Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion, Disabled American Vets, or Vietnam Vets of America, or call 1-877-MIL-HONR to find out about obtaining military funeral honors such as a two-or-more person uniformed guard. You can also visit the VA's page for Military Funeral Honors to learn more.

Who is Eligible for Military Honors?

• Military members who died while on active duty or in the Selected Reserve
• Former military members who served on active duty or in the Selected Reserve and were discharged under other than dishonorable conditions
• Former military members who completed at least one term of enlistment or period of initial obligated service in the Selected Reserve and were discharged under other than dishonorable conditions

Further clarification on eligibility is available on the DoD's website.

Let Veterans Affairs Know

Contact the VA at 1-800-827-1000, or go to their survivors webpage to learn about eligible benefits and discuss if the Veteran used any items on loan from the VA which might need to be returned.

The Veterans Benefits Administration offers a variety of benefits and services to spouses, children, and parents of Servicemembers and Veterans who are deceased or totally and permanently disabled by a service-connected disability.

Survivor Benefits

• Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC)
• Parents' Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC)
• Survivors' Pension
• Dependents' Educational Assistance Program (DEA)
• Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry
• Home Loans

Survivor Services

• Educational and Vocational Counseling
• Beneficiary Financial Counseling
• Civil Service Preference
• Children of Vietnam Veterans with Certain Birth Defects
• Fiduciary Services

You may also want to call the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors at 1-800-959-TAPS (8277) for free support and aid.

Let Your Insurance Agent Know

Hopefully you have the details about your insurance policy available in order to contact them to begin their process. Some Veterans use VA insurance policies, but not all have them.

Let the Social Security Office Know

Call the Social Security Office at 1-800-772-1213 (or via TTY 1-800-325-0778).

You can call them between 7 AM and 7 PM Monday through Friday, but note that usually your funeral director will do this for you. Survivors Planner helps look at survivors benefits from two sides:

how your family members are protected if you die, and

how you may qualify as a survivor on someone else's Social Security record.

Service Coordinators for Military Death Benefits

Air Force Military Funeral Honors Coordinator

1-800-531-5803

AFMAO/[email protected]

Air Force Military Funeral Honors

116 Purple Heart Drive

Dover AFB, DE 19902

Army Military Funeral Honors Team

1-800-325-4986

[email protected]

U.S. Army Human Resources Command

The Adjutant General Of the United States Army

Casualty and Mortuary Affairs Operations Center

AHRC-PDC-P

1600 Spearhead Division Avenue

Fort Knox, KY 40122-5405

Coast Guard Military Casualty Matters Coordinator

202-795-6637 (office)

202-372-8488/8323 (fax ATTN: Casualty Chief, PSC-PSD-FS)

571-266-2375 (24/7 duty cell)

Online Casualty Resource, MFH & BAS Guidance:

http://www.uscg.mil

Commander CG Personnel Service Center PSC

ATTN: Casualty Chief, PSC-PSD-FS-CASUALTY

US Coast Guard STOP 7200

2703 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. SE

Washington DC 20593-7200

Marine Corps Military Casualty Matters Coordinator

1-866-826-3628

Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps

Attn: MFPC (Funeral Honors)

2008 Elliot Road

Quantico, VA 22134

Navy Commander, Navy Installations Command

https://www.cnic.navy.mil/funeral_honors

202-433-6892

Commander, Navy Installations Command

Funeral Honors Program Manager (N00K)

716 Sicard Street, SE, Suite 101

Washington Navy Yard, DC 20374-5140