What military honors are provided to veterans?
The law requires the DOD (Department of Defense) to fold the U.S. flag, and present the flag to the next of kin and play taps. However, other honors, such as honor guard pallbearers and a rifle volley, may be offered, depending on the resources available to the honor guard unit and desires of the family.
Here are the specifics of what’s involved:
1. The deceased veterans casket is covered with the American Flag and is removed for the vehicle and placed at the grave site. If manpower is available, family members can request that members of the honor guard act as pallbearers, in addition to providing other funeral honors.
2. Flag folding: The U.S. flag is carefully removed from the casket and solemnly folded by members of the honor guard team. When completely folded, the flag forms a triangle, which is representative of the tri-cornered hats worn by colonial soldiers during the Revolutionary War.
3. The procedure involves 13 folds, representing the original colonies. When all the folds have been made, no red or white stripes are visible, leaving only the honor field of blue and stars. There is an ceremonial prayer read, and a flag presentation: The folded flag is given to an honor guard team leader
4. The service team leader marches slowly to the next of kin and presents the flag with the words, “As a representative of the United States Army (Air Force/Navy/Marine Corps/Coast Guard), it is my high privilege to present you this flag. Let it be a symbol of the grateful appreciation this nation feels for the distinguished service rendered to our country and our flag by your loved one.” If there is no next of kin, the flag may be presented to a friend of the deceased. The team leader renders a hand salute and the Honor Guard Firing Line is called to Attention.
5. Rifle volley: At military funerals, you often see (*) three rifle volleys of shots fired in honor of the deceased veteran. This tradition is performed by honor guard teams-firing line, based on family desires and again on available resources (the rifle volley is often mistaken by nonmilitary folks as a 21-gun salute, although it’s entirely different. In the military, a gun is a large-caliber weapon. The three volleys are fired from rifles, not guns. Therefore, the three volleys aren’t any kind of gun salute at all). The firing team can consist of any number, but it’s usually made up of seven or eight members. Whether the team consists of three, eight, or ten, each member fires three times (three volleys). The three volleys come from an old battlefield custom. The warring sides would cease hostilities to remove their dead from the battlefield, and the firing of three volleys meant that the dead had been properly cared for and the side was ready to resume the battle.
6. Taps is the customary bugle call played at military funerals. The law requires taps to be played by a bugler, if available, but very few buglers are in the military these days, so it’s usually played by electronic means. During the playing of taps, the honor guard presents a final salute to the deceased veteran. After the completion of Taps, the Honor Guard will fall out. This Completes the ceremony.
(*) The Juniata Veterans Council Honor Guard team leader will present three shell-casings to the family. Either at the time the folded flag is presented to next of kin, or at the end of the ceremony. Each casing represents one volley fired.
Here are the specifics of what’s involved:
1. The deceased veterans casket is covered with the American Flag and is removed for the vehicle and placed at the grave site. If manpower is available, family members can request that members of the honor guard act as pallbearers, in addition to providing other funeral honors.
2. Flag folding: The U.S. flag is carefully removed from the casket and solemnly folded by members of the honor guard team. When completely folded, the flag forms a triangle, which is representative of the tri-cornered hats worn by colonial soldiers during the Revolutionary War.
3. The procedure involves 13 folds, representing the original colonies. When all the folds have been made, no red or white stripes are visible, leaving only the honor field of blue and stars. There is an ceremonial prayer read, and a flag presentation: The folded flag is given to an honor guard team leader
4. The service team leader marches slowly to the next of kin and presents the flag with the words, “As a representative of the United States Army (Air Force/Navy/Marine Corps/Coast Guard), it is my high privilege to present you this flag. Let it be a symbol of the grateful appreciation this nation feels for the distinguished service rendered to our country and our flag by your loved one.” If there is no next of kin, the flag may be presented to a friend of the deceased. The team leader renders a hand salute and the Honor Guard Firing Line is called to Attention.
5. Rifle volley: At military funerals, you often see (*) three rifle volleys of shots fired in honor of the deceased veteran. This tradition is performed by honor guard teams-firing line, based on family desires and again on available resources (the rifle volley is often mistaken by nonmilitary folks as a 21-gun salute, although it’s entirely different. In the military, a gun is a large-caliber weapon. The three volleys are fired from rifles, not guns. Therefore, the three volleys aren’t any kind of gun salute at all). The firing team can consist of any number, but it’s usually made up of seven or eight members. Whether the team consists of three, eight, or ten, each member fires three times (three volleys). The three volleys come from an old battlefield custom. The warring sides would cease hostilities to remove their dead from the battlefield, and the firing of three volleys meant that the dead had been properly cared for and the side was ready to resume the battle.
6. Taps is the customary bugle call played at military funerals. The law requires taps to be played by a bugler, if available, but very few buglers are in the military these days, so it’s usually played by electronic means. During the playing of taps, the honor guard presents a final salute to the deceased veteran. After the completion of Taps, the Honor Guard will fall out. This Completes the ceremony.
(*) The Juniata Veterans Council Honor Guard team leader will present three shell-casings to the family. Either at the time the folded flag is presented to next of kin, or at the end of the ceremony. Each casing represents one volley fired.