Military funeral

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A caisson bearing a coffin, with military escort.
A caisson bearing a coffin, with military escort.

A military funeral is a funeral given by a country's military for a veteran, a soldier who died in battle, or another prominent military figure. When Heads of State die, they often receive military funerals.

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[edit] Features of a military funeral in the United States

In the United States, the Department of Defense (DOD) is responsible for providing military funeral honors. "Honoring Those Who Served" is the title of the DOD program for providing dignified military funeral honors to veterans.

As of January 1, 2000, Section 578 of Public Law 106-65 of the National Defense Authorization Act mandates that the U.S. military must provide the rendering of U.S. military funeral honors for an eligible veteran if requested by the family. As provided by law, an honor guard detail for the burial of an eligible veteran shall consist of not less than two members of the armed forces. One member of the detail shall be a representative of the parent armed service of the deceased veteran. The honor detail will, at a minimum, perform a ceremony that includes the folding and presenting of the American flag to the next of kin and the playing of "Taps". "Taps" will be played by a bugler, if available, or by electronic recording. Today, there are so few buglers available that the U.S. military services often cannot provide one. The law allows Reserve and National Guard units to help with funeral honors duty.

Those who are eligible for U.S. military funeral honors:

  • Former U.S. Presidents
  • Military members on active duty or in the Selected Reserve.
  • 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.

U.S. military funerals include all or some of the following depending on status of deceased (active, retired, veteran, rank/occupation)

  • The coffin is sometimes transported by way of a horse-drawn caisson. For funerals of former presidents and officers of O-6 rank and above, a riderless horse, symbolizing a fallen leader, usually accompanied the caisson. But for many military funerals the casket is simply brought in a hearse. The coffin is usually draped in a U.S. flag as a pall.
  • A 3-volley salute is fired for most branches of the military. For the Navy, a cannon will be fired, a practice which originated in the British Royal Navy. When a cannon was fired, it partially disarmed the ship, therefore firing the cannon represents trust and respect. A gun salute is given to those eligible (e.g., general officers, presidents, other high-ranking officials.)
  • "Taps" is played on the bugle or trumpet, at a distance (30-50 yards) from the grave site. During this time the “Final Salute” is given. (A shortage of qualified buglers has led to the use of prerecoded versions of the song being used. The group [[Bugles Across America[1] is attempting to combat this practice.)
  • The flag is folded and has generally three rifle shells put inside and is then presented to next of kin, "on behalf of a grateful nation." (Generally, the flag is given to the next-of-kin as a keepsake after its use during the funeral service. When there is no next-of-kin, the flag is presented to a friend making a request for it).

( The flag for someone who dies during active duty is provided by that individual's branch of service. The U.S. Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) provides a U.S. flag at no cost, to drape the casket or accompany the urn of a deceased veteran who served honorably in the U.S. armed forces.)

[edit] Other uses of military funerals

Military funerals are also used by paramilitaries, usually following a similar, or traditional procedure. The Provisional Irish Republican Army would usually follow a procedure similar to that of the United States, whereby a Guard of Honour would be formed by volunteers of the fallen's Battalion or ASU. The consistency of this approach would vary depending on the presence on the British Army or the Royal Ulster Constabulary/Police Service of Northern Ireland. During the funeral of Bobby Sands, the Volunteers who fired the volley of shots over his coffin were said to have 'emerged' from amongst the people, and then to disappear via the same route. Coffins would traditionally be drapped in the Irish Tricolour, as well as the Starry Plough (although the latter was more common within the Irish National Liberation Army). On top of the flag(s) would be a pair of gloves and a beret, all of which would be presented to the next of kin.

[edit] Military funerals in other parts of the world

  • The British army wears arms upside down on military funerals

[edit] Images and sounds

[edit] External links

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