Veteran Services

Veteran Services

At Robarts Family Funeral Home, we consider it a privilege to serve those who have served our country. We recognize the sacrifices made by our veterans and their families, and we are committed to honoring their service with dignity, respect, and gratitude.

Our staff is here to assist families in arranging meaningful military funeral honors, understanding available veterans' burial benefits, and completing the necessary paperwork. We take pride in helping families create a fitting tribute to their loved one's life and service.

A woman is holding an american flag and a rose at a funeral.

What are VA burial benefits and memorial items?

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs offers burial and memorial benefits to eligible veterans, service members, and certain family members. Depending on eligibility, these may include burial in a VA national cemetery, financial assistance toward qualifying funeral or burial expenses, and memorial items such as burial flags, headstones, and markers. Some benefits may also be available when burial takes place in a private cemetery.

Who may qualify for burial in a VA cemetery?

Eligibility for burial in a VA national cemetery depends on military service and other requirements. Those who may qualify include:


  • A veteran who didn’t receive a dishonorable discharge
  • A service member who died while on active duty, active duty for training, or inactive duty for training
  • The spouse or minor child of a veteran, even if the veteran died first
  • In some cases, the unmarried adult dependent child of a veteran

What are military funeral honors and a committal service?

Military funeral honors may be included as part of a committal service, a ceremony held at the place of interment. For eligible veterans, these honors include the playing of Taps and a detail of at least two uniformed service members who fold and present the United States flag to the family. Additional honors, such as a rifle detail or color guard, may also be included depending on eligibility and availability. The burial flag is generally presented to the veteran's next of kin or, in certain circumstances, a close friend. A veteran or reservist may qualify for a burial flag under the following service criteria:


  • Served in wartime
  • Died while serving on active duty after May 27, 1941
  • Served after January 31, 1955
  • Served in peacetime and left military service before June 27, 1950, after serving at least one enlistment or because of a disability that was caused - or made worse - by their active military service
  • Served in the Selected Reserves, or served in the military forces of the Philippines while in service of the United States and died on or after April 25, 1951.

What are burial benefits and how do I apply?

VA burial allowances may help eligible claimants with some of the costs of a veteran's funeral or burial, including when burial takes place in a private cemetery. Depending on the circumstances, additional assistance may be available for a burial plot, interment, or transportation. Each benefit has its own eligibility requirements.


Claims for non-service-connected burial allowances generally must be filed within two years after the veteran's burial or cremation. However, there is no filing deadline when a veteran dies while receiving VA or VA-contracted care, or when the claim is solely for a plot or interment allowance or transportation costs. Claims for service-connected burial or transportation allowances also have no filing deadline. If a veteran's discharge status is upgraded from dishonorable after death, a claim must be filed within two years of that change.


You can apply online at VA's burial benefits application (Form 21P-530EZ) or complete the same form to apply by mail.


Eligible Veterans and service members may qualify for memorial items provided by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, including headstones, markers, burial flags, and certificates. You can review available memorial items and eligibility through the VA's memorial items page.


The VA may provide a government headstone or marker at no charge for an eligible veteran, including for qualifying burials in private cemeteries. Private cemeteries may charge separate fees for placing or installing the marker. To request a headstone, grave marker, or niche marker, complete VA Form 40-1330 and send it to:
Department of Veterans Affairs
NCA FP Evidence Intake Center

P.O. Box 5237

Janesville, WI 53547


For additional information about burial and memorial benefits, visit the VA's burial benefits overview or contact the VA at 1-800-827-1000.