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Veteran Services
For all of us at McCully Polyniak & Collins Funeral Home, there is no greater honor than serving the family of a loved one who spent their life serving our country.
We are deeply committed to providing a service that is unique and meaningful. We are proud to provide professional assistance that includes helping you acquire and complete the necessary forms to obtain benefits specific to a deceased veteran.
When serving a veteran family, we help them understand the two most common questions.
“What benefits are available to Veterans?”
and “Does my loved one qualify?”
What are VA burial benefits and memorial items?
Burial and Funeral Services
The service for veterans will be determined by the status of the veteran. The basic Military Funeral Honors (MFH) ceremony includes the folding and presentation of the United States 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. For further information please visit: https://www.va.gov/burials-memorials/veterans-burial-allowance
Headstones for Veterans
The Department of Veteran Affairs provides a headstone for unmarked graves of an eligible deceased veteran at no charge. To request a headstone, grave marker, or niche marker fill out VA Form 10-1330 and send to:
Fax: 800-455-7143
Or mail the discharge papers and the form to:
Memorial products Service (41B)
Department of Veteran Affairs
5109 Russell Road
Quantico, VA 22134-3903
For further information visit: https://www.va.gov/burials-memorials/memorial-items/headstones-markers-medallions/
Burial Flags
You may be eligible for a burial flag if you’re the next of kin or a close friend of the Veteran or Reservist and one of the descriptions below is true for that person. Form VA form 27-2008 will need to be filled out and given to your Funeral Director, a VA Regional office, or a United States Post Office. For further information visit https://www.va.gov/burials-memorials/memorial-items/burial-flags/
Presidential Memorial Certificate
You may be eligible if you meet both of the requirements listed below.
1. The Veteran or Reservist is eligible for burial in a national cemetery
2. You’re next of kin, family member, or close friend of the Veteran or Reservist (or an authorized service representative for a family member or friend of the Veteran or Reservist)
To request more copies of PMC please download and fill out VA Form 40-0247. For further information please visit: https://www.va.gov/burials-memorials/memorial-items/presidential-memorial-certificates/
How do I receive these benefits?
The preferred method is to request a DD form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty. The DD Form 214 can be obtained by filling out a Standard Form 180 and sending it to:
National Personnel Records Center (NPRC)
9700 Page Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63132
If the DD Form 214 is unavailable, any discharge document showing other than dishonorable service can be used.
For more information please visit https://www.va.gov/burials-memorials/veterans-burial-allowance/
Who qualifies?
One of these must be true. The person qualifying for burial benefits is:
- A Veteran who didn't receive dishonorable discharge, or
- A Service member who died while on active duty, active duty for training, or inactive duty for training, or
- The spouse or minor child of a Veteran, even if the Veteran died first, or
- In some cases, the unmarried adult dependent child of a Veteran
