Eligibility for burial in a VA national cemetery

A U.S. citizen who served in the Armed Forces of a U.S. ally during wartime may be eligible if they meet both of these requirements.

Both of these must be true:

• The service member ended their last active service honorably by death or otherwise, and
• The service member was a U.S. citizen at the time they entered their last active service and at the time of their death

National Guard and Reserve members

A National Guard or Reserve member may be eligible if they meet any of these requirements.

At least one of these must be true:

• The National Guard or Reserve member met their legal minimum active-duty service requirements, was called up to active duty and served their full term of service, and didn’t receive a dishonorable discharge, or
• The National Guard or Reserve member was entitled to retirement pay at their time of death, or would have been entitled to retirement pay if they weren’t under 60 years of age at the time of death, or
• The National Guard or Reserve member died while hospitalized or getting treatment at the expense of the U.S. for an injury or illness that occurred while they were performing active-duty services for training or inactive-duty training under honorable conditions, or
• The National Guard or Reserve member became disabled or died from a disease or injury caused—or made worse—by their service during a period of active duty for training, or
• The National Guard or Reserve member became disabled or died from an injury or certain cardiovascular disorders caused—or made worse—by their service during a period of inactive-duty training

Members of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps of the Army, Navy, or Air Force

A member of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps may be eligible if they meet any of these requirements.

One of these must be true:

• The officer died under honorable conditions while attending an authorized training camp or on an authorized cruise, or
• The officer died under honorable conditions while performing authorized travel to or from a training camp or cruise, or
• The officer died under honorable conditions while hospitalized or getting treatment at the expense of the United States for an injury or illness that occurred while they were attending or traveling to a training camp or cruise under honorable conditions

A commissioned officer of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration may be eligible if they meet any of these requirements.

At least one of these must be true:

• The officer served on full-time duty on or after July 29, 1945, or
• The officer served before July 29, 1945, and was assigned to an area of immediate military hazard (as determined by the secretary of defense while in time of war or by a national emergency as declared by the president), or
• The officer served in the Philippine Islands on December 7, 1941, and continued to serve there until their death

A commissioned officer of the Public Health Service may be eligible if they meet at least one of these requirements.

One of these must be true:

The officer served on full-time duty on or after July 29, 1945. If their service was considered active duty for training, they must have become disabled or died from a disease or injury caused or made worse by their service.

The officer performed full-time duty prior to July 29, 1945:

• In time of war, or
• On detail for duty with the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard, or
• While a part of the military forces of the United States by executive order of the president

The officer served on inactive-duty training, and their death resulted from an injury caused or made worse by their service.

A WWII Merchant Mariner may be eligible if they meet at least one of these requirements.

One of these must be true:

• The Merchant Mariner had oceangoing service during the period of armed conflict from December 7, 1941, to December 31, 1945, or
• The Merchant Mariner had oceangoing service during the period of armed conflict from December 7, 1941, to December 31, 1946, and died after November 11, 1998, or
• The Merchant Mariner served on blockships in support of Operation Mulberry during World War II

To get a DD214 documenting this service, mail an application to:

Commandant (G-MVP-6)
United States Coast Guard
2100 2nd Street, SW
Washington, DC 20593

A Philippine Armed Forces Veteran may be eligible if they meet these requirements.

Both of these must be true:

• The Philippine Veteran was a citizen of the United States or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the United States at the time of their death, and
• The Philippine Veteran was residing in the United States at the time of their death

And one of these must be true:

• The Philippine Veteran served before July 1, 1946, in the Philippine military (including recognized guerrilla forces), while these forces were in the service of the Armed Forces of the United States, and died on or after November 1, 2000, or
• The Philippine Veteran enlisted between October 6, 1945, and June 30, 1947, with the Armed Forces of the United States with the consent of the Philippine government, and died on or after December 16, 2003

There are two bases for determining eligibility, for individuals who died on or after March 23, 2018, resided in the U.S. at the time of death, and was either:

• Naturalized under Section 2(1) of the Hmong Veterans' Naturalization Act of 2000 ("2000 Act"), or
• Served honorably with a special guerilla unit or irregular forces operating from a base in Laos in support of the Armed Forces at any time between February 28, 1961, and May 7, 1975, and at the time of the individual’s death, the individual was residing in the U.S. and either as a citizen of the United States or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the United States.

Visit the Hmong facts page for more information

These family members aren’t eligible:

• A former spouse who isn’t also a Veteran whose marriage to an eligible Veteran or service member ended by annulment or divorce
• Family members of a Veteran convicted of subversive activities (unless the Veteran receives a pardon from the President of the United States)
• Other family members who don’t meet the eligibility requirements

People aren’t eligible if they were ordered to report to an induction station, but were discharged at that point and never actually entered military service.

Veterans aren’t eligible if they:

• Separated from the Armed Forces under dishonorable conditions, or
• Have a character of service that disqualifies them

A VA regional office determines eligibility in cases where the Veteran has:

• An undesirable, bad conduct, and any other type of discharge other than honorable, or
• Multiple discharges of varying character

Veterans aren’t eligible if:

• They’ve been convicted of a federal or state capital crime and may receive a sentence of imprisonment for life or the death penalty—and the conviction is final, or
• Clear and convincing evidence shows that they’ve committed a federal or state capital crime, but they couldn’t have a trial due to flight to avoid prosecution or death

These Veterans also don’t qualify for a Presidential Memorial Certificate, burial flag, headstone, or marker.

Veterans convicted of certain sex offenses

Veterans aren’t eligible if they were convicted of a Tier III sex offense and sentenced to a minimum of life imprisonment—and the conviction is final.

These Veterans also don’t qualify for a Presidential Memorial Certificate, burial flag, headstone, or marker.

Veterans convicted of subversive activities

Veterans aren’t eligible if they were convicted of subversive activities after September 1, 1959, unless they’ve received a pardon from the President of the United States.