The most important thing for a veteran to remember is that no burial benefits to include the flag and the military funeral honors can be provided without a copy of your military discharge. Please make sure you have your discharge and that someone in your family knows where it is kept!

Burial in a National Cemetery

The Dayton National Cemetery and the Ohio Western Reserve National Cemetery in Rittman, Ohio are the two National Cemeteries in Ohio. Burial benefits available for spouses and dependents buried in a national cemetery include burial with the Veteran, perpetual care, and the spouse or dependents name and date of birth and death will be inscribed on the Veteran's headstone, at no cost to the family. Eligible spouses and dependents may be buried, even if they predecease the Veteran.

Gravesites in Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) national cemeteries cannot be reserved in advance. Arlington National Cemetery has very restricted eligibility requirements which should be reviewed before deciding to be buried there. Local funeral directors are able to arrange those burials, but if any additional assistance is necessary please contact our office.

Burial Allowance

A burial allowance is available from the Department of Veterans Affairs if you have paid for the veteran’s funeral and have not been reimbursed by a government agency or some other source and at least one of the following exist:

• Veteran died because of a service-related disability
• Veteran died on or after October 9, 1996, while a patient at a VA-approved state nursing home
• Veteran died while hospitalized by VA, or while receiving care under VA contract at a non-VA facility
• Veteran died while traveling under proper authorization and at VA expense to or from a specified place for the purpose of examination, treatment, or care
• Veteran had an original or reopened claim pending at the time of death and has been found entitled to compensation or pension from a date prior to the date or death
• Veteran was entitled to receive VA pension or compensation, but decided not to reduce his/her military retirement or disability pay
• Veteran was receiving VA pension or compensation at the time of death

Amount of Burial Allowance

Non-service-Related Death

The VA will pay up to $700.00 toward burial and funeral expenses for deaths that occurred on or after October 1, 2011 if hospitalized by the VA at the time of death. The VA will pay $300.00 toward the burial and funeral expenses and $700.00 plot-interment allowance (if not buried in a national cemetery) for deaths that occurred on or after October 1, 2011. If the death happened while the Veteran was in a VA hospital or under VA contracted nursing home care, some or all of the costs for transporting the Veteran’s remains may be reimbursed.

Service Connected Deaths

VA will pay up to $2,000 toward burial expenses for deaths on or after September 11, 2001 that have been determined to be service connected.

Military Funeral Honors

Funeral Directors in Williams County will arrange for Military Funerals Honors to be held at the grave side services if so desired. This would include the rifle volley and presentation of the flag to the next of kin. VFW and American Legion members around the county provide these services at no charge to the family.

Indigent Veterans Burial Program

The ORC Title 59 provides for each Veterans Service Commission in the State of Ohio to have an Indigent Veteran Burial Program. In Williams County we are generally contacted by the funeral director and we schedule an appointment with the person who is arranging the funeral. The maximum provided for the funeral if the veteran is deemed indigent by the WCVSC is $500. The rest of the cost of the funeral is the responsibility of the person arranging the funeral.