Schedule a burial for a Veteran or family member 
Find out how to make burial plans for a Veteran, spouse, or dependent family member. 

How do I schedule a burial for a Veteran or other family member? 


If you have a pre-need decision letter that confirms eligibility 
To start , you may want to choose a funeral director to help you plan the burial. Then either you or the funeral director can call the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 800 - 535 - 1117 to request a burial. Keep in mind that the pre - need decision letter doesn t identify a specific cemetery or gravesite, since it s not possible to reserve these in advance. In some cases , we may review your eligibility again at your time of death, as laws and circumstances may have changed since your pre - need application. You don t need to do anything else except prepare yourself and your family for the funeral. Find out what to expect at a military funeral or memorial service 

If you don t have a pre-need decision letter 
To start , you may want to choose a funeral director to help you plan the burial. Then either you or the funeral director will need to take these 3 steps to schedule the burial. 

Gather the information and documents you ll need to identify the deceased when you call the National Cemetery Scheduling Office 
You ll need the DD214 or other discharge documents of the Veteran or service member whose military serviced will be used to determine eligibility for burial in a VA national cemetery. Their discharge from service needs to have been under conditions other than dishonorable. We may also need other documents to verify a relationship to a Veteran or the status of a dependent. These may include a death certificate, letters from your doctor, a divorce decree, a statement from the Social Security Administration, or other documents to support your claim. Find out which discharge documents we accept along with your applicationFind out how to request the Veteran s DD214 If you can t find these 

user: Hello there, I need to know if I have to contact a national cemetery directly or if I can do it through your service.

assistant: Yes, you should contact a national cemetery directly in certain cases.

assistant: Does any of the cases listed on our website apply to you?

user: No, none of them.

user: The reason I want to know is my husband was a veteran, he recently passed away, and I need to plan his burial. Can you help me by covering a part of my burial costs or how does it work?

assistant: Of course. You may be able to get financial help for burial and funeral costs, if you apply for a Veterans burial allowance.

user: Fantastic. He served in the naval forces, so I wanted him to get a burial at sea. Who can I talk to about that?

assistant: Please contact the United States Navy Mortuary Affairs office toll-free at 866-787-0081. We're here Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET.

user: Will do, thanks. Do you also have more information on very specific cases?

assistant: Yes, we do offer more information on very specific cases.

user: Do I need to do anything else or can I focus on preparing the funeral?

assistant: You don't need to do anything else except prepare yourself and your family for the funeral.