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Military Funeral Honors

Military Honors allows a grateful nation to pay tribute to veterans who stood firm in defense of the United States of America in times of war and peace. Military Honors is a free entitlement for all honorably discharged veterans.

Upon the family’s request, Public Law 106-65 requires that every eligible Veteran receive a military funeral honors ceremony, including folding and presenting the U.S. flag and the playing of Taps. The law defines a military funeral honors detail as consisting of two or more uniformed military persons, with at least one being a member of the Veteran’s parent service of the armed forces.

Basic Military Honors

Detail includes two servicemembers (one of whom must be a member of the deceased’s parent service of the armed forces) who plays Taps, folds the U.S. flag and presents the flag to the deceased next of kin.

Full Military Honors

Reserved for certain ranks, those killed by their injuries in combat, and Medal of Honor recipients. Full military honors require 7-9 personnel to act as pallbearers, fire a rifle volley salute and perform the requisite Basic military honors duties.

Points of Contacts for Hawaiʻi

Army (Hawaiʻi) Casualty Assistance Office Schofield Barracks: (808) 655-5124

Coast Guard (Hawaiʻi) Email- [email protected]

Air Force (Hawaiʻi) (808) 448-0108

Navy (Hawaiʻi) Honors and Ceremonies: (808) 590-8383 

Marines (Hawaiʻi) (808) 257-7712

Hawaiʻi National Guard Office phone: (808) 672-1223, Work cell: (808) 838-9512

Eligibility

  • Military members on active duty or in the selected reserve (National Guard or Reserves).
  • Former military members who served on active duty and departed under conditions other than dishonorable.
  • Former military members who completed at least one term of enlistment or period of initial obligated service in the selected reserve and departed under conditions other than dishonorable.
  • Former military members discharged from the selected reserve due to a disability incurred or aggravated in the line of duty.

Also, Veterans who have served at least 20 years, retired, KIA and /or received the Medal of Honor are entitled to Full Military Honors, consisting of a Firing Party volley, the playing of Taps, and the folding and presentation of the U.S. flag.

  • Any person separated from the Armed Forces under dishonorable conditions or whose character of service results in a bar to Veteran’s benefits  
  • Any person who was ordered to report to an induction station, but was not actually inducted into military service  
  • Any person discharged from the Selected Reserve prior to completing one term of enlistment or period of initial obligated service for reasons other than a disability incurred or aggravated in the line of duty
  • Any person who has been convicted of a state capital crime and whose conviction is final (other than a person whose sentence was commuted by the Governor of a State)  
  • Any person who is found to have committed a Federal capital crime or a State capital crime, as set forth in section 2411(c) of Title 38 U.S. Code, but has not been convicted of such crime by reason of such person not being available for trial due to death or flight to avoid prosecution
  • DD Form 214 (for active duty or reserve component Veterans)
  • NGB Form 22 (for National Guard Veterans)
  • Certificate of Honorable Discharge
  • Further clarification on eligibility is available on the DoD Military Funeral Honors website, coordinated by Military OneSource
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Requesting Military Honors

A family member or authorized representative is encouraged to notify the funeral home director or service coordinator of their desire to have Military Funeral Honors rendered at the internment of their loved one. The funeral director then contacts the appropriate branch of service that the Veteran served in.

Helpful Links

Acquire a DD Form 214

Most Veterans and their next of kin can obtain free copies of their DD Form 214, Certificate of Uniformed Service (separation document) and the military service records. To do so, click the button below and scroll down to Start Request Online On the next page, select Make a new request to start the process.

DD Form 214

Funeral Director’s and Planner’s Resources

Resources

National Guard Military Funeral Honors

National Guard Military Funeral Honors

Hawaiʻi Army National Guard Military Funeral Honors

The Hawaii National Guard Military Funeral Honors program conducts final military honors for Veterans across the state. We believe every Veteran deserves the proper tribute and our team provides the highest level of professionalism, military bearing, and execution at every military funeral we have the honor of presenting.

Mission: The Army National Guard provides professional Military Honors in accordance with service tradition to all eligible Veterans when requested by an authorized representative.  Soldiers in the ARNG MFH program are selected and trained using the standards of Arlington National Cemetery.