If you’ve lost a loved one serving in the US military, they may be eligible for a military funeral that honors their service and sacrifice. Because of the specifics of this type of service, however, it may be difficult to know how to plan or who to turn to when putting your veteran’s funeral together. Here are some guiding details on preparing for a veteran’s funeral.

Location and Documentation

Your first step will be to contact the National Cemetery Scheduling Office. These government officials will help you select a cemetery such as Arlington to have your loved one buried. They’ll also help you schedule the date of the burial and will be a valuable resource while preparing for a veteran’s funeral. Before you get all of that sorted, however, you’ll need to provide some documentation to prove your loved one’s service. In particular, you’ll need to provide the DD214 or other discharge documents to determine whether they are eligible for burial at a national cemetery. So long as the discharge is not dishonorable, you should have no issues proving their eligibility.

Military Funeral Benefits

When possible, the US government will provide multiple programs at no cost to you in order to properly revere the life of your loved one. These programs include 21-gun salutes, the playing of “Taps,” and the presentation of the American flag to the veteran’s next of kin.

Other burial benefits that would normally cost you may be comped by the government. These services include the opening and closing of a grave for burials, a burial flag, the headstone or marker, a presidential memorial certificate, and perhaps most importantly, the upkeep and maintenance of the grave to ensure your loved one’s memory doesn’t fade away.

Commemorating the Event

As military funerals are rich with tradition, symbolic gestures, and beautiful displays of appreciation for the deceased veteran, it’s a good idea to commemorate the event with a funeral photography service. This will allow you to look back on the event and help keep the memory of your loved alive as you move forward. However, it’s understandable if you’re hesitant to hire a photographer out of fear they would be too disruptive. Funeral photographers are a specific breed of photographer that have been trained to treat funerals with the utmost care and empathy, doing their best to stay out of the way and be as unintrusive as possible. You are in good hands with such professionals.