- Question: What is my eligibility for burial at a VA national cemetery? How do I apply and what costs are involved?
- Question: Can I be buried at Arlington National Cemetery?
- Question: What are the burial and plot allowances the VA will pay for private burials?
- Question: What else will the VA provide?
- Question: What does the state provide for veterans?
- Question: How do I (my funeral director) arrange military funeral honors? What is available?
- Question: How do I (my funeral director) arrange burial at sea?
- Question: In Pennsylvania, who is eligible for public assistance for a burial or cremation?
- Question: How do I arrange a dignified burial for an "unclaimed" veteran?
- More VA Information:
While not the most pleasant topic, properly arranging one’s funeral is part of life’s journey and can lessen unnecessary stress on loved ones. We list here some of the most asked questions. To obtain and arrange these benefits, use your funeral director to assist you in making the arrangements (only an incompetent one would not know how to handle these arrangements.) — and, as much as possible, make your wishes known ahead of time to both the funeral home and your loved ones.
Question: What is my eligibility for burial at a VA national cemetery? How do I apply and what costs are involved? #
Answer: Click here.
Question: Can I be buried at Arlington National Cemetery? #
Answer: Click here.
(This cemetery is under Department of Defense control. Restrictions apply. The process can be complex and lengthy.)
Question: What are the burial and plot allowances the VA will pay for private burials? #
Answer: Click here.
Question: What else will the VA provide? #
Answer:
A headstone, marker or medallion
A casket flag
A presidential memorial certificate
Question: What does the state provide for veterans? #
Answer: This responsibility is laid on the counties, which in our area provide a burial allowance of $100 (to include for the surviving widow), $100 towards the headstone or its lettering, a bronze, period of war/conflict specific marker on a stanchion and an American flag to go with it (generally routinely replaced by volunteer organizations working with the County Director of Veterans Affairs.).
Lehigh County (See section links on the left.)
Northampton County
Question: How do I (my funeral director) arrange military funeral honors? What is available? #
Answer:
State Guidance
Federal Guidance (Department of VA)
Federal Guidance (Department of Defense)
(The military services can sometimes offer more than just the two-person detail mandated by law.)
Question: How do I (my funeral director) arrange burial at sea? #
Answer: Click here.
Question: In Pennsylvania, who is eligible for public assistance for a burial or cremation? #
Answer: Click here.
Question: How do I arrange a dignified burial for an “unclaimed” veteran? #
Answer: Click here.
More VA Information: #
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Last Updated: 22 July 2022 (link updates)
