Veterans Funeral Services

Veterans Funeral Services

At VanderPlaat Vermeulen, we consider it an honor to assist families with veterans funeral services. Veterans make many sacrifices in order for the rest of us to enjoy the freedoms we do. The heroism and bravery they demonstrate day in and day out is something we feel should be honored at their funeral service. Our extensive experience in serving veterans has made us familiar with the military traditions and regulations that make a veteran’s funeral unique.

Each family is unique and thus the way that we honor may differ from one family to the next. Whether you would like a full military service or an intimate family gathering, we would be honored to help you say goodbye. You can rely on us to make sure all of the necessary paperwork is completed so you are able to obtain the veterans benefits that are available. 

Planning A Military Funeral

It is crucial that family members notify one of our funeral directors that their loved one was a member of the military. We can then contact the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the appropriate armed forces branch (Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard) to see if your loved one is eligible to receive military death benefits. Below we have outlined some circumstances where your loved one would be eligible to receive military death benefits: 
  • Your loved one was a military member on active duty or was in the Selected Reserve.
  • Your loved one was a former military member who served on active duty and left the military under honorable conditions.
  • Your loved one completed at least one term of enlistment or a period of initial obligated service in the Selected Reserve and left under honorable conditions.
  • Your loved one was a former military member from the Selected Reserve that was discharged due to a disability incurred or aggravated in the line of duty.
Providing our funeral directors with your loved one’s DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, would be most helpful and would help expedite the application process. There is no concern if you do not have this form, our funeral directors can request it on your behalf. If you are interested in obtaining the form, you can request it online from the National Archives. 

Gaining eligibility for military death benefits can be a bit complex, but that is what our funeral directors and staff are there for. We will take care of the entire process, and will explain to you the benefits that your loved one is entitled to. 

Veterans Funeral Services

Vander Plaat-Vermeulen Memorial Home believes the story of every veteran's life deserves to be shared. We are deeply committed to providing families with exceptional veteran funeral services and can assist you in securing military funeral benefits. When it comes time for you to make arrangements for the veteran in your life, know that our staff is both qualified and committed to providing them with the military honors they deserve.
military funeral services in Franklin Lakes

The Veteran

When arranging for veterans funeral services, you can rely on us to complete all the necessary paperwork involved in obtaining the military death and burial benefits that are available. These can include:
  • Burial Flag
  • Headstone or Marker
  • Burial in a National or State Veterans Administration Cemetery
  • Presidential Memorial Certificate
Call us at 201-891-4770 to learn how we can work together to pay tribute to your veteran through one of our specialty veterans funeral services.

What Does a Military Funeral Consist of?

On January 1, 2000, Section 578 of Public Law 106-65 of the National Defense Authorization Act was enacted. It became law that the United States Armed Forces must provide all eligible veterans with military funeral honors if requested by his or her family. There will be an honor guard detail of at least two members of the Armed Forces present for all military funerals. One member will be a representative of the branch of armed forces that the deceased veteran was a part of. At a minimum the honor guard detail will perform a ceremony that includes the folding and presenting of the American flag to the next of kin and the playing of Taps. 

Military Death Benefits

Below are a few of the common features that military death benefits provide and cover. The veteran may or may not be eligible for these benefits depending on his or her status and situation. 
  • A gravesite at any of the 136 Veteran Affairs’ National Cemeteries 
  • As an alternative to the National cemeteries operated by the Veteran Affairs, many states have established state veteran cemeteries. Eligibility is quite similar to the ones outlined by the Department of Veterans Affairs, but may include residency requirements. 
  • Most veterans are eligible to receive a headstone, marker, or medallion at no cost. The flat markers are available in granite, marble, and bronze. The headstones are available in granite and marble. 
  • Presidential Memorial Certificate
  • As already mentioned an American flag is provided, at no cost, to drape over the casket or accompany the urn of the deceased veteran. 
  • Burial Allowances refer to the flat monetary sum that is paid to cover the Veteran’s funeral costs. 
  • The casket may transported via a horse-drawn limbers and caissons
  • Fighter jets may perform an aerial flyover
  • A gun salute. The number of shots fired depends on the veterans rank. 
  • For funerals of commanding officers, a riderless horse that represents a fallen leader will usually follow the horse-drawn hearse

Create a Memorable Veteran Funeral Service

Need help honoring your veteran? Reach out to us so we can ensure your loved one receives the military death benefits and funeral honors that he/she deserves.
Pay Tribute to Your Veteran
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Sources
Military.com. (2018). Military funeral honors. Retrieved from: https://www.military.com/benefits/burial-and-memorial/military-funeral-honors.html
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. (2018). Burial Benefits. Retrieved from: https://www.cem.va.gov/cem/burial_benefits/index.asp
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. (2018). Military funeral honors. Retrieved from: https://www.cem.va.gov/military_funeral_honors.asp 
Wikipedia. (2018). Military funerals in the United States. Retrieved from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_funerals_in_the_United_States 

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