How to Plan Services for Veterans at Funeral Homes

Are you going to be planning a funeral for a loved one who spent a portion of their life serving in the military? If so, you should make sure that you take the right approach to planning funeral services for a veteran at one of the funeral homes in Winooski, VT. The funeral planning process is going to be slightly different than it would be if you were planning funeral services for someone who didn't ever serve in the military. Here is how to put the proper plans into place. 

Start by finding a funeral home that can cater to a veteran.

Not every Winooski, VT funeral home is going to be able to assist you when you're planning funeral services for a veteran. Because of this, the first thing you're going to need to do is look around for a funeral home that can help you. You should be able to find a list of options by Googling something like "veteran funeral services near me." You want to have the right funeral home on your side so that the funeral planning process goes as smoothly as it possibly can from start to finish.

Provide a funeral home with the proper paperwork for a veteran. 

When you begin working with a funeral home to plan funeral services for a veteran, they're usually going to kick things off by asking you for some paperwork. Generally speaking, you should bring along any and all paperwork that you can find tied to your loved one's military service. A funeral home will want to know that your loved one was honorably discharged from the military before proceeding. They'll also need you to fill out forms like VA Form 21P-530 that is a form for veteran burial benefits.

Ask a funeral home to help you get access to military funeral honors. 

Once you've provided a funeral home with the necessary paperwork, they should be able to start to help you plan out military funeral honors. They'll work with the military to have at least a couple of military members at your loved one's funeral services. They'll also help you get your hands on an American flag that will be draped over your loved one's casket prior to their burial before being given to you.

Arrange for a loved one to be laid to rest in a cemetery for veterans. 

As a veteran, your loved one should qualify for a free burial at any cemetery for veterans. They should also be able to get a free headstone or other markers for their burial plot. They'll be able to get these things for their spouse if they have one as well. The funeral home that you choose should be able to help you find the right cemetery for veterans in your area. They should also be able to coordinate everything related to your loved one's burial with this cemetery so that you're able to focus on grieving your loved one's loss.

Are you preparing to plan Winooski, VT funeral services for a loved one who was in the military? Our funeral home can help you get the job done when you turn to us for assistance. Call us today to get more information on what to do to get started.