Burial Benefits

Burial in National Cemeteries

Veterans, Service members and dependents are eligible for burial in one of the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) 114 national cemeteries. An eligible veteran must have been discharged or separated from active duty under conditions other than dishonorable and have completed the required period of service. Persons entitled to retired pay as a result of 20 years of service with a reserve component are eligible.

A United States citizen who served in the armed forces of a government allied with the United States in a war also may be eligible. Spouses and minor children of eligible veterans and of Service members also may be buried in a national cemetery. If a surviving spouse of an eligible veteran marries a non-veteran, and remarriage was terminated by death or divorce of the non-veteran, the spouse is eligible for burial in a national cemetery. Arlington National Cemetery and state veteran cemeteries have a few different eligibility requirements.

For information on these, contact your County Service Officer at 402-441-7361.

Headstones & Markers

VA provides headstones and markers for the unmarked graves of veterans anywhere in the world and for eligible dependents of veterans buried in national, state veteran, or military post cemeteries.

Burial Flags

VA provides an American flag to drape the casket of a veteran or reservist entitled to retired military pay. After the funeral service, the flag may be given to the next of kin or a close associate. VA also will issue a flag on behalf of a service member who was missing in action and later presumed dead. Flags are issued at VA regional offices and national cemeteries, and post offices.