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This ceremonial paying of respect is the final demonstration
a grateful nation can provide to a veteran's family.
The rendering of Military Funeral Honors for an eligible veteran, free
of charge, is mandated by law. An Honor Guard Detail for the burial of an
eligible veteran shall consist of not less than two members of the Armed
Forces. One member of the detail shall be a representative of the parent
military branch of service of the deceased veteran. The honor detail will, at a minimum,
perform a ceremony that includes the folding and presenting of the American
flag to the next of kin and the playing of Taps.
Funeral Honors Eligibility
- Military members on active duty or in the Selected Reserve.
- Former military members who served on active duty and departed under
conditions other than dishonorable.
- Former military members who completed at least one term of enlistment
or period of initial obligated service in the Selected Reserve and
departed under conditions other than dishonorable.
- Former military members discharged from the Selected Reserve due to a
disability incurred or aggravated in the line of duty.
Events of a military Funeral While
this can change slightly from service-to-service, and -- based on
preferences of family members, below is the standard sequence of events for
a military funeral:
- The caisson or hearse arrives at grave site, everyone
presents arms.
- Casket team secures the casket, NCOIC, OIC and
chaplain salute.
- Chaplain leads the way to grave site, followed by
casket team.
- Casket team sets down the casket and secures the flag.
- The NCOIC ensures the flag is stretched out and level,
and centered over the casket.
- NCOIC backs away and the chaplain performs the service.
- Chaplain concludes his service and backs away, NCOIC
steps up to the casket.
- The NCOIC presents arms to initiate the rifle volley.
- Rifle volley complete, bugler plays "Taps."
- Casket-team leader starts to fold the flag.
- Flag fold complete, and the flag is passed to the
NCOIC, OIC.
- Casket team leaves grave site.
- NCOIC, OIC either presents the flag to the next of
kin, or if there is a military chaplain on site he will present the flag
to the chaplain, and then the chaplain will present to the next of kin.
Due to the number of veteran's funerals and other
events requiring an Honor Guard and/or Color Guard, where such Honor
and/or Color Guard have been difficult to schedule or unavailable, the Old Guard Riders has
initiated its own Honor Guard and Color Guard.
For information about joining the Old Guard Riders'
Honor Guard and/or Color Guard or to schedule the Honor and/or Color
Guard for services, contact call or email Old Guard Riders Inc. or
contact your state or chapter officer. (State and chapter officers names
and contact information is available in the OGR Groups Nationwide
section.)
Services are provided at no charge to the family.
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