MILITARY HONORS

On January 1, 2000, Military Funeral Honors became a statutory benefit to all veterans with the signing of the National Defense Authorization Act. The law requires that, upon the family's request, every eligible veteran is entitled to receive a military funeral honors ceremony to include folding, presentation of the United States burial flag and the sounding of taps, at no cost to the family.
Depending on availability, the following honors may be rendered for a deceased veteran:
Rifle Volleys, Sounding of Taps, Folding and Presentation of the U.S. Flag.

The minimum number of personnel who will respond to a request for honors will be two uniformed service representatives. Section 578 of Public Law 106-65 entitles eligible veterans to have a detail consisting of two or more uniformed military personnel present for military funeral honors. At least one of these representatives will be from the branch of service of the deceased. These two representatives will sound Taps, fold and present the U.S. flag to the next of kin.
If requested and available, the Military or Veterans of Foreign Wars will arrange for a firing detail. It is appropriate to have multiple organizations present at the same service to render honors.
If requested and available, a bugler will be provided.

Funeral directors are requested to ask the question to the family if they would like military representation and/or Veterans of Foreign Wars support for honors to be provided.

Veterans are eligible for military honors at their funeral if they meet one of the following requirements:
Died while serving on active duty, National Guard or in the Selected Reserve.
Discharged from active duty under conditions "other than dishonorable."
Completed at least one term of enlistment or period of initial obligated service.
Discharged due to a disability incurred or aggravated in the line of duty.

Coordination Process Family members of the deceased veteran should first notify their funeral director of their desire to have military funeral honors rendered. (There is no cost to the veteran's family to have military funeral honors provided.) The family should provide the funeral director with the following information, if available:
Name of deceased, date of birth, Social Security number, form DD-214 (discharge), or any other proof of veteran status or eligibility for burial honors.
Branch of service and type of service (active, reserve, National Guard, retired). The funeral director or family member, if not using a funeral director, should then contact:
Tim McBride, John Ogburn III Post VSO - 208-452-4653
Military Funeral Honors
Idaho National Guard Honor Guard

Funeral Director contact:
Army, 800-350-7746
Navy, 877-478-3988
Air Force, 618-256-4586
Marines, 866-826-3628
Coast Guard, 216-902-6269

TAPS


Of all the military bugle calls, none is so easily recognized or more apt to render emotion than Taps.
Up to the Civil War, the traditional call at day's end was a tune, borrowed from the French, called Lights Out. In July of 1862, in the aftermath of the bloody Seven Days battles, hard on the loss of 600 men and wounded himself, Union General Daniel Adams Butterfield called the brigade bugler to his tent. He thought "Lights Out" was too formal and he wished to honor his men. Oliver Wilcox Norton, the bugler, tells the story, "...showing me some notes on a staff written in pencil on the back of an envelope, (he) asked me to sound them on my bugle. I did this several times, playing the music as written. He changed it somewhat, lengthening some notes and shortening others, but retaining the melody as he first gave it to me.
After getting it to his satisfaction, he directed me to sound that call for Taps thereafter in place of the regulation call. The music was beautiful on that still summer night and was heard far beyond the limits of our Brigade. The next day I was visited by several buglers from neighboring Brigades, asking for copies of the music which I gladly furnished. The call was gradually taken up through the Army of the Potomac."
This more emotive and powerful Taps was soon adopted throughout the military. In 1874 It was officially recognized by the U.S. Army. It became standard at military funeral ceremonies in 1891. There is something singularly beautiful and appropriate in the music of this wonderful call. Its strains are melancholy, yet full of rest and peace. Its echoes linger in the heart long after its tones have ceased to vibrate in the air. - from an article by Master Sergeant Jari A Villanueva, USAF.