Types Of Military Funerals At Arlington National Cemetary
Modified or Simple Honors
Standard graveside honors can be provided enlisted service members by the appropriate branch of service at Arlington National Cemetery
These Honors Include
A Casket Team
A Firing Party
A Bugler
Additionally, service members who reach the top NCO grade (command sergeant major, master chief petty officer, chief master sergeant, master gunnery sergeant) are entitled to a caisson for funerals at Arlington National Cemetery
The cemetery staff will make arrangements for military honors when requested by the next of kin or representative
A military chaplain may also be requested
Full-Honors Funerals
In addition to the standard military honors, commissioned and warrant officers may receive
An Escort Platoon
The Size Varies According To The Rank Of The Deceased
A Military Band
A Casket Team
A Firing Party
A Bugler
Burial flags are provided by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs at no cost
Most veterans are entitled to burial flags
Reservists entitled to retired pare are also eligible
Only one burial may be provided per veteran
They may be obtained from any VA regional office and most U.S. Post Offices by completing VA Form 2008, Application for United States Flag for Burial Purposes, and submitting it with a copy of the veteran's discharge papers at any of these locations
Additionally, officers buried in Arlington Cemetery are entitled to use of the horse-drawn caisson
Officers in the rank of colonel and above in the Army and the Marine Corps are entitled to a caparisoned (riderless) horse
General officers are also entitled to a cannon salute (17 guns for a four-star general, 15 for a three-star, 13 for a two-star, 11 for a one-star)
Each service has variations to these funeral honors.
The president of the United States is entitled to a 21-gun salute, while all others falling into this category receive 19 guns
Armed Forces Honors
The entitlements are the same as a full-honors funeral, except that escort platoons from each of the services participate
These funerals are reserved for the president of the United States (as commander-in-chief), secretary of defense, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff or officers granted multiple-service command
A joint-service casket team folds the commemorative U.S. flag that covered the casket of a person about to be buried in Arlington National Cemetery
Current or former member of the Armed Forces is buried at Arlington, the military service in which the primary party served will provide a casket team and a chaplain
No other military honors will be rendered unless the spouse served in the military
Sequence of Events for an Army Honors Funeral At Arlington National Cemetery
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, military or civilian, will perform the service
At conclusion of interment service and before benediction, a gun salute is fired for those eligible ( i.e. general officers)
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
Arlington Lady presents card of condolences to the next of kin
The only person remaining at grave site is one soldier, the vigil
His mission is to watch over the body until it is interred into the ground
