NAVY MILITARY FUNERALS

1 INTRODUCTIONThis manual provides naval activities with guidance in the rendition of MILITARY honors atfunerals of active duty, retired and former members of the Navy and to assist the next ofkin of eligible personnel in making funeral MILITARY FUNERALS are conducted to recognize the proud American tradition ofhonorable service which Navy men and women have given to their Nation regards the burying of its MILITARY dead as a solemn and sacred naval and MILITARY customs are the basis for honors at their FUNERALS . The flagcovering the casket symbolizes their service in the armed forces of the United are played to mark the beginning of the last, long sleep and to express hope andconfidence in an ultimate reveille to come.

2 According to ancient belief, the three volleysthat are fired were out of his/her country. To signify that at death all persons are equal,the honorary pallbearers are positioned in reverse order of Navy has specially trained ceremonial personnel to perform honors only at ArlingtonNational and Golden Gate Cemeteries. At all other locations, funeral honors personnelhave only limited training in the rendition of honors and ceremonies. However, theirparticipation in funeral honors, on a collateral duty basis, is a vital role in fulfilling theobligation of our country to pay tribute to those who served so well. Naval activities shallmake every effort to provide funeral honors. On rare occasions the resources required torender honors might seriously interfere with the installation s ability to carry out itsprimary mission.

3 Honors support in these situations would not be expected. Additionalguidelines on the furnishing of honors are contained in the text of this DEBIENC aptain, NavyDirector, Personal, Familyand Community Support Division16 September 1993(Date)First edition 1980 Revised 1982 Revised 1986 Revised 1993 TABLE OF CONTENTSINTRODUCTIONSECTION I. THE RENDITION OF NAVY MILITARY FUNERALSART. 1-1. Eligibility1-2. MILITARY Participation at Funerals1-3. burial in National Cemeteries1-4. funeral Planning1-5. MILITARY Honors for the Committal Service1-6. MILITARY Honors for Cremated Remains (Cremains)1-7. Limited MILITARY Honors1-8.

4 Memorial Service1-9. Chaplain Participation in MILITARY Funerals1-10. The National Ensign (Flag)1-11. Honorary Pallbearers1-12. MiscellaneousSECTION II. burial AT SEAART. 2-1. Eligibility2-2. Request for burial at Sea2-3. Documents Required2-4. Place of Disposition2-5. Consignment of Remains2-6. Ceremonial Procedure for burial at Sea2-7. Preparation for the burial at Sea Ceremony2-8. The Ceremony for burial at Sea2-9. Information Provided the Next of Kin after Committal Services Completed2-10. Dispersion of Cremains from an AircraftAPPENDIXA.

5 Service for Committal of a Person of the Protestant FaithB. Service for Committal of a Person of the Catholic FaithC. Service for Committal of a Person of the Jewish FaithD. Service for Committal of a Person of the Eastern Orthodox FaithE. Service for Committal of a Person of the Muslim FaithF. Service for Committal of a Person of the Buddhist FaithG. Casualty Assistance Calls Program/ funeral Honors Support Program CoordinatorsH. Office of Medical AffairsI. Request for burial at SeaSECTION ITHE RENDITION OF NAVY MILITARY FUNERALSArt. 1-1. Eligibility. The following guidelines are based on Department of Defensecriteria:1. Members who die while on active duty or who have been awarded the Medal of Honor,shall be provided as escort consisting of the following: 6 casket bearers, a firing party, anOfficer-in-Charge (OIC) or a Petty Officer-in-Charge (POIC) and a bugler.

6 (When amilitary bugler is not available, a civilian musician or as a last resort a professional qualitytape recording may be used). A chaplain shall also be furnished when requested by thenext of : The eligibility for funeral honors of members who die while in an appellate leavestatus will be determined on a case-by-case basis by the Chief of Naval Personnel (CNP) For members of the Naval Fleet Reserve or Retired members (with or without pay), aceremonial escort of the same composition as that provided for active duty membersshould be provided. Otherwise, a ceremonial escort consisting of casket bearers and eitheran OIC/POIC should be provided. The minimum participation by the Navy will be that ofa Navy representative who will attend the funeral and present the flag to the next of For members of the Naval Reserve who have completed at least six months active duty(other than for training)

7 A ceremonial escort of the same composition as that for a NavalFleet Reserve or Retired member, is The ceremonial escort should be principally comprised of members of theorganized unit to which the member was For members of the Naval Reserve on inactive duty, it is appropriate to furnish aceremonial escort principally composed of reservists from the member s The minimum participation by the Navy will be that of a Navy A Navy representative shall be provided at the funeral of honorably dischargedveterans. The Navy representative will attend the funeral and present the Flag to the 1-2. MILITARY Participation at FUNERALS . Guidelines for naval activities in providingceremonial escorts at Navy FUNERALS are as follows:1.

8 Reserve component members, when performing funeral honors duty, may be in aninactive duty for training status which may be authorized as additional drills (pay or nonpay) or may be in annual training status. Paid drills which provide for unit trainingassemblies will not be used for this purpose. Drills or work days used for funeral detailpurposes must be clearly identified in appropriate When personnel resources at the activity assuming responsibility for providing militaryhonors for a funeral are insufficient, the Casualty Assistance Calls/ funeral Honors Support(CAC/FHS) Program Coordinator is authorized to levy requirements on other navalactivities in the area. In those cases where Navy representation at the funeral cannot beprovided, the next of kin should be advised and encouraged to request assistance from thepatriotic or veteran s organizations where Commands are encouraged to establish volunteer ceremonial units in Naval ReserveCenters to provide ceremonial escorts for FUNERALS .

9 These units would be used whenother naval activities are remote or unable to provide ceremonial escorts. Other militaryservices may also be contacted and asked to provide assistance after the Navy hasexhausted all possibilities for providing the ceremonial Limitations which may preclude the furnishing of honors at FUNERALS of other than activeduty members and holders of the Medal of Honor are as follows:a. Insufficient time from receipt of request to properly plan, prepare and transport thefuneral honors detail to the interment site;b. Furnishing of a ceremonial escort will seriously interfere with the primary missionof the installation;c. Trained personnel or equipment are not available;d. The detail will be absent from duty for more than one day;e.

10 Additional transportation costs to the government will exceed the cost of availabletransportation;ART. 1-3. burial in National Cemeteries. The following information concerns burial ofNavy personnel and their dependents:1. Any member of the Navy who is serving on active duty (other than annualtraining).b. Former members who were discharged with an honorable Any member of the Naval Reserve organization whose death occurred underhonorable conditions while the individual was:(1) Annual training (includes authorized travel to or from annual training); or(2) Hospitalized or undergoing treatment at the expense of the government forinjury or disease incurred during active duty for : An inactive duty reservist, not otherwise eligible by virtue of previous extendedactive duty terminated honorably, is not eligible for burial in a National Cemetery if deathoccurs while proceeding to or from annual Members of the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps whose death occurredunder honorable conditions while they were.