Veterans’ Cemetery And Funeral Services In Mesa, AZ
A Proud History Of Military Service
Guide
Are Military Funerals Free? Learn About Benefits for Honorably Discharged Members
- A United States flag
- Military honors
- A taps and flag presentation by your branch of service
- Burial at the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona
- A plot at a vet cemetery
- Opening and closing of the grave space
- A standard government liner
- A bronze grave marker
- Use of the shelter for 30-minute services
The closest veterans’ memorial cemetery is the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona, located at 23029 Cave Creek Road, Phoenix, AZ, 85024. The cemetery is open Monday-Friday.
If interred at a private cemetery, you are still entitled to a military grave marker.
Requirements For Veteran Funeral And Burial Benefits
While almost all honorably discharged members of the military qualify for the above benefits, it is important that your family has the proper documentation to prove that you qualify. To ensure that all of your paperwork is in order and your benefits are secure, we highly recommend meeting with one of our veteran advance planning specialists. Fill out the form below to meet with one of our veteran advance planning specialists completely free of charge. We can help advise you on how to get benefits to cover a military funeral and on how to get funeral benefits for a veteran’s spouse.
*On September 27, 1920, the poppy became the official flower of The American Legion family to memorialize the soldiers who fought and died during the war.
– the American Legion family
Components of a Military Funeral
While many individuals have attended a military funeral, other people may not be familiar with a military funeral service’s key component. Each component serves as part of a respected tradition for honoring men and women who have served our country.
Military funeral services can vary, and services often differ depending on the person’s rank and military status when they died. Nonetheless, military funerals typically include the following:
An Honor Guard Detail
Honor guards are two members of the armed forces that attend the veteran’s funeral. One or both attending members must be from the veteran’s same branch. Honor guards carry out each step of the military funeral, and they ensure that each component is completed correctly.
A Flag Draping
A key part of a military funeral is a draped burial flag over the veteran’s casket or urn. It is a symbolic reminder of the veteran’s service to the country and our flag. When there is a closed casket, the flag lays with the blue field over the deceased’s left shoulder.
A Sounding of Taps
“Taps” is the name for the bugle call or trumpet sounding that honors the veteran at a military funeral. The family can have a live bugler at the burial or play a recording.
A Three-Volley Salute
Some military funerals feature a “three-volley salute,” consisting of three shots in the air from a rifle. Most three-volley salutes use a traditional M1 or M14 rifle, and service members fire the shots over the casket. The three shots symbolize duty, honor, and sacrifice.
A Flag Folding Ceremony
At the end of the military funeral, the honor guards will fold the flag that was draped on the veteran’s casket. The honor guards fold the flag with a precise 13-fold process. After the folding ceremony, the honor guards give the flag to the veteran’s family members as a memorial item.
Members of the armed forces make a tremendous sacrifice to protect our country and our freedoms. With traditional military funerals, we can pay respect to their lives and service.
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Military Funerals with Bunker Funerals & Cremation
Military funerals take significant planning. A veteran’s family will need to request a military funeral and a plot at a national cemetery for their loved one. The process may be confusing or overwhelming, and you may not know where to start.
At Bunker Hill Funerals & Cremation, we can help families organize a meaningful military funeral. In addition to planning and logistics for the service itself, our funeral home can also help families navigate the forms and requirements for receiving a veteran’s burial and funeral benefits. As detailed above, eligible veterans and their spouses may receive up to $7,000 in burial benefits.
Bunker Family Funerals & Cremation has been serving families of Mesa, Arizona and the surrounding area for over a century. For more information on veteran funeral services, veterans cremation services, or veterans benefits, please call (480) 964-8686 to schedule an appointment.
Request A Free Veterans Pre-Planning Guide
Our pre-planning guide can help veterans and their families arrange military services ahead of time, easing the burden during a time of grief. Fill out the form to request your guide today.