Understanding Cremation and Burial Services for Military Veterans

Veterans sacrificed a lot throughout their time in the service, all in the effort to protect our country and our freedom. When it comes to the final goodbye, you must do everything right to ensure your loved one’s final wishes are honored, whether they made plans themselves or left specific instructions for you to carry out upon their death. For instance, you have to decide between a traditional burial or cremation, which greatly depends on the veteran’s personal or religious beliefs and other factors.

It’s important to look ahead, but talking about cremation, burial services and funeral plans in Lake City, FL with your loved ones can be difficult. Here’s some preplanning information for veterans and their families.

Choose the right cremation, burial or funeral service

If cremation is what the veteran or family wants, be sure to ask important questions before choosing a cremation firm, such as: Do you offer traditional and non-traditional cremation services? What are your urn options? Will an on-site viewing be possible? Reach out to a few select funeral homes but don’t focus so much on price.

Many veterans want to preplan

Veterans who decide to preplan their funerals know what a valuable gift they’re giving their families. It removes the guesswork, helping their families feel better knowing their loved one is being laid to rest exactly as they wanted. The veteran’s wishes are honored, and families are not left with a huge financial burden. However, it’s extremely important that all the proper documents are filled out and put somewhere where they can be accessed soon after death. Another option for veterans is to give official documents to a trusted member of their family or their attorney.

Veterans and their families need to obtain the correct documentation before death—this is critical. It’s best to have all the proper paperwork prepared in a file so the family can give it to the funeral director, as he or she can assist with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) documents and scheduling. You shouldn’t have to both grieve a major loss and struggle to locate their military discharge form at the same time.

The DD214 form

This important form is needed to obtain benefits associated with military service—including the financial aspects of the funeral, burial or cremation process. Both veterans and their families should get familiar with the DD214 form either through research or sitting down and talking to a military representative.

What is the DD214 form? The U.S. Department of Defense issues these forms to veterans upon their discharge from military service, and they are needed for a range of actions relating to the veteran’s military history. This form shows that the veteran was officially discharged from service, and records how the discharge occurred. (Keep in mind that a dishonorable discharge is a disqualification for VA burial benefits.)

Here at ICS Cremation & Funeral Home, we understand the importance of compassion and planning. We are always here to discuss funeral plans in Lake City, FL with veterans and their families.

Categorised in: Funeral Plans

This post was written by Writer