Chapter 14
Funerals
The funerals of Soldiers, more than any other ceremony, have followed an old pattern as the living honor the brave dead. Military funeral honors reflects the high regard and respect accorded to military service and demonstrates military professionalism to the Nation. Military funeral honors is how the Soldiers and leaders of this great Nation show their gratitude for those who faithfully defended this country, during times of both war and peace.
Section 1
History
14-1. Funeral services of great magnificence evolved as custom (from what is known about early Christian mourning) in the 6th century. To this day, no religious ceremonies are conducted with more pomp than those intended to commemorate the departed.
14-2. The first general mourning proclaimed in America was on the death of Benjamin Franklin in 1791. The second was the death of George Washington in 1799. The deep and widespread grief occasioned by the death of the first President assembled a great number of people for the purpose of paying him a last tribute of respect. On 18 December 1799 attended by military honors and the simplest but grandest ceremonies of religion, his body was deposited in the family vault at Mount Vernon, Virginia.
14-3. Several military traditions employed today have been brought forward from the past:
Today’s customary three volleys fired over a grave probably originated as far back as the Roman Empire. The Roman funeral rites of casting dirt three times on the coffin constituted the “burial.” It was customary among the Romans to call the dead three times by name, which ended the funeral ceremony, after which the friends and relatives of the deceased pronounced the word “vale” (farewell) three times as they departed from the tomb. In more recent history, three musket volleys were fired to announce that the burying of the dead was completed and the burial party was ready for battle again Reversed arms, displayed by one opponent on the battlefield, signaled that a truce was requested so that the dead and wounded could be carried off and the dead buried.
The custom of using a caisson to carry a coffin most likely had its origins in the 1800s when horse-drawn caissons that pulled artillery pieces also doubled as a conveyance to clear fallen Soldiers from the battlefield.
In the mid to late 1800s a funeral procession of a mounted officer or enlisted Service member was accompanied by a riderless horse in mourning caparison followed by a hearse. It was also a custom to have the boots of the deceased thrown over the saddle with heels to the front signifying that their march was ended.
Section 2
General Information
14-4. Military funerals have been an Army requirement for quite some time, and rightfully so. Military members have honorably served their country and have perished in the defense of the Nation, or later on in life. The service and commitment to the country and their sacrifices are acknowledged by dedicating resources and personnel to assist in the funeral or graveside ceremony and provide burial honors. Soldiers on active duty status, retirees, and Medal of Honor recipients receive a highly trained and dedicated nine-person detail to provide burial support and honors. Veterans receive a minimum of a two military personnel detail to fold and present a folded American flag to the next of kin (NOK), and a bugler to play “Taps” at the gravesite ceremony. Special circumstances may require a special full honor detail with more dedicated resources and personnel.
14-5. Every funeral service is going to be different and the funeral honor team’s requirement are going to continually change with each funeral. The funeral director, the family or person authorized to direct disposition of human remains (PADD), the casualty assistance officer (known as CAO), and the chaplain or clergy are all going to coordinate the funeral ceremony for a fallen Soldier and family member and they are all going to have certain requests. The full honor detail requires the team to salute the fallen upon arrival, carry the casket or urn to the gravesite, have the chaplain participate in final words and remarks, salute the fallen once again, fire three-round volley, play “Taps,” fold flag, and present flag to NOK. The two-person detail will, at a minimum, salute the fallen upon entering the gravesite or final resting place, play “Taps,” fold and then present Color to NOK or PADD.
Note: The acronym NCOIC is used when discussing the role for the noncommissioned officer in charge of the funeral honor team. Sometimes that role will be filled by an officer in charge (OIC), but for simplicity and clarity we will use the term NCOIC throughout this chapter.
14-6. Funeral detail NCOICs will develop their own unit funeral detail standard operating procedures (SOPs) meeting the minimum Soldier requirements, and then be certified by their unit CSM. The detail NCOIC will train their team to conduct all aspects of the funeral team’s functions flawlessly. Every gravesite is going to be different just like every chapel, but it is the fundamentals that the honor team must get right. Each separate detail team (pallbearers, firing team, bugler, flag folders, and NCOIC) must know the procedures and conduct them as accurately and flawlessly as possible. The firing party must move as one, fire as one, stack weapons with everyone being in sync with one another. The flag must be folded and presented perfectly. The presenter must memorize and rehearse their tasks until it becomes second nature to them. The goal of the funeral honor team is to provide military burial honors as prestigiously and gracefully as possible.
14-7. The firing detail will be between five and eight personnel with one of the detail members giving commands and acting as the firing party NCOIC. If the unit SOP establishes five firers for each funeral team with one NCOIC, then there are six people for pallbearer duties if a separate detail is not provided. The funeral detail NCOIC must be the one to determine the best way to provide gravesite honors and then rehearse and practice their functions until it becomes muscle memory.
Section 3
Types of Honors and Classes of Military Funerals
14-18. Military funerals are divided into two classes: chapel service, followed by movement to the grave or place of local disposition with the prescribed escort; and graveside service only. Chapel service may not be requested by the funeral director or PADD, but they may request military honors done graveside then funeral honor teams will only have to perform their duties at the gravesite.
Section 4
Additional Funeral Considerations
14-30. Funeral details will have many other considerations which will have to be addressed by the NCOIC or OIC. Although each funeral is similar in nature, there are many different events and considerations to be aware of. Cremated remains, cannon salutes, and participation of aviation are a few of the funeral considerations addressed during the planning and execution of a funeral.
