We’re proud to do our part in honoring our country’s veterans. Your arrangement counselor will assist you in making arrangements for a veteran. The nearest national cemetery is San Joaquin Valley National Cemetery in Santa Nella, CA, run by the Dept. U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs (VA). As a service to you we provide transportation to/from this cemetery free of charge. See their details at HTTPS://WWW.CEM.VA.GOV/CEMS/NCHP/SANJOAQUINVALLEY.ASP.
Most members of the U.S. Armed Forces and Veterans whose discharge from military service was honorable are eligible for burial in national cemeteries. Your arrangement counselor can assist in establishing veteran eligibility. They will need the DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty.
A burial in a national cemetery includes the gravesite, opening and closing of the grave, a grave box, and perpetual care.
The basic Military Funeral Honors (MFH) ceremony consists of the folding and presentation of the U.S. flag to the veterans’ family and the playing of Taps. The ceremony is performed by a funeral honors detail consisting of at least two members of the Armed Forces, at least one of which will normally be from the Armed Force in which the deceased veteran served. Taps may be played by a bugler or, if bugler is not available, by using a recorded version. Honors may sometimes include a three-volley rifle salute to represent duty, honor and country, and a final salute at the gravesite. Please ask your arranger for more information.
A U.S. flag is provided, at no cost, to drape the casket or accompany the urn of a deceased veteran. It is furnished to honor the memory of a veteran’s military service to his or her country. The flag is generally given to the next-of-kin, as a keepsake, after its use during the funeral service. Your arrangement counselor can apply for and obtain the flag by competing VA Form 27-2080, Application for U.S. Flag for Burial Purposes.
In addition to coordinating honors related to the service itself, we can help you communicate with the VA to arrange for:
- Presidential Memorial Certificate
- Headstones or markers
- Memorial plots
