Griffith-Cline Funeral Homes and Cremation Services

Veterans benefits apply to veterans who have been discharged from duty in the Armed Forces of the United States with an honorable or general discharge. The information contained on this site is accurate as of the date of its posting. Only the Veterans' Administration can determine the exact level of benefit an individual veteran may receive. Information in this site comes from Veterans' Administraton literature and its website: http://www.vba.va.gov/bin/21/Milsvc/Doc/Burialeg.doc

SERVICE RELATED DEATHS
The VA will pay up to $2,000 for deaths that are service related.

SERVICE DISABLED VETERANS
The VA will pay the cost of transporting the remains of a service-disabled veteran to the National Cemetery nearest the home of the deceased that has space available. The National Cemetery will provide the gravesite, opening and closing of the grave, grave liner, and marker without cost.

Veterans who choose to be buried in a private cemetery and were service-disabled or on a service pension are generally eligible for a $300 burial expense benefit and a $300 benefit for a plot in a private cemetery.

Common Questions and Their Answers

The following questions and answers are excerpted from information provided by the Veterans' Administration. Only the Veterans' Administration can provide exact benefits.

Q:   What does the Department of Veterans' Affairs (VA) traditionally cover?
A:   In most cases, VA benefits are restricted. Contrary to popular belief, the VA does not pay for all funeral expenses incurred in the burial or cremation of an honorably or generally discharged veteran. The VA will, however, pay $2,000 towards the burial of a veteran who died in the active-duty of his or her country. In addition, for veterans who have a service related disability or are on a VA pension, the VA will pay a funeral/burial allowance of $300 and a plot allowance of $150.

Q:   As a veteran, am I entitled to burial in Arlington National Cemetery.
A:   Arlington National Cemetery is a part of the Department of the Army, not the VA. As such, burial in Arlington National Cemetery is restricted to certain classes of veteran. In short, not all veterans are eligible for burial in Arlington National Cemetery.

Q:   Can a burial flag be replaced?
A:   No. The law allows only one burial flag per veteran. The VA cannot replace flags that have been lost, stolen, destroyed, or worn out.

Q:   What documentation is required to receive Veterans' Benefits?
A:   A copy of your "Discharge Papers" is needed. This is currently form DD214.

BENEFITS FOR THE AVERAGE VETERAN
The average veteran, one who has served his or her country nobly, but is not disabled through a service-related condition, nor who has died as a reult of a duty-inflicted injury in generally eligible for the following:

Burial in a VA National Cemetery

Most veterans and some dependents can be buried in a VA national cemetery. Cremated remains are handled in the same manner as traditional earth burials. Included in the benefit is an available gravespace, opening and closing of the grave, a grave liner, and a marker. Grave spaces cannot be reserved in advance. The funeral director or others making burial arrangements need to apply for a space in the nearest VA cemetery.

Burial Flag

The VA provides an American flag to drape an eligible veteran's casket. This is also provided for a veteran who has been cremated.

Headstone and Markers

The VA will furnish free of charge a headstone or marker as appropriate to the cemetery where the veteran is interred. Shipping to a cemetery (whether in the U.S. or abroad) is paid for by the VA. The VA does not, however, pay for the installation or placement of the marker on the grave.

Niche markers are also available for use on columbaria. The same benefits apply to niche markers as to those of earth graves.

Presidential Memorial Certificate
The VA provides a Presidential Memorial Certificate. This certificate is made of parchment and bears the signature of the President of the United States. The family of the deceased veteran must apply for this certificate.