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What burial benefits are provided to veterans and where can I find info on this?
The benefits veterans are entitled to fall into two categories, monetary and non-monetary. The link below will provide you some info on the generally modest monetary aspect.
https://www.benefits.va.gov/compensation/claims-special-burial.asp
In general, the main way the government can save you more significant money in this area is if you decide to be buried in a national/veterans cemetery vs a “public” or private cemetery. In a national cemetery you will still be responsible for costs associated with things like cremation, embalming, a casket/urn and transportation to the cemetery but the government will provide the plot, opening/closing of the grave, a grave liner, perpetual care, a government headstone/marker, a burial flag and a Presidential Memorial Certificate. The link below will provide you with more info on this benefit.
https://www.cem.va.gov/burial_benefits/
https://www.va.gov/burials-memorials/
To find national/veterans cemeteries near you, a National Cemeteries Resource Guide and a map of state cemeteries you can use the links below:
https://www.cem.va.gov/grants/veterans_cemeteries.asp
https://www.cem.va.gov/cem/index.asp
Below is info on national cemeteries in Colorado:
Cemetery
Address
Contact
4400 W. Kenyon Ave.
Denver, CO 80236
Phone: 303-761-0117
FAX: 303-781-9378
Open
15700 County Road HH
Las Animas, CO 81054
Phone: 719-216-1025
Open
10545 Drennan Road
Colorado Springs, CO 80925
Phone: 719-216-1025
Open
You can apply to find out in advance if you can be buried in a VA national cemetery. This is called a pre-need determination of eligibility and it can help make the burial planning process easier for your family members in their time of need. The form is VA Form 40-10007 - Application for Pre-Need Determination of Eligibility for Burial in a VA National Cemetery. For more info visit the following link: https://www.va.gov/burials-memorials/pre-need-eligibility/
There may be organizations/funeral homes in your area that specialize in veteran funerals - try a Google search. In addition, Veteran Services Officers (VSOs) can help answer any questions you may have regarding your benefits in this area, about applying for a plot in a national cemetery in advance, etc. Below is a link to help you locate the VSO nearest you, and likely their location, name(s) and contact info (phone and e-mail).
https://nvf.org/veteran-service-officers/
The Retiree Activities Office (RAO) encourages everyone to think beyond just burial plans and look at your overall preparation for your passing. This is something most people choose not to think about or just never follow through on for various reasons. It does involve a lot of work to get your affairs in order, documentation organized, etc. but your surviving family members will be grateful you have taken the time to do it, and it will make their life just a little easier during a difficult time for them. You can use Google to find lots of different checklists related to end-of-life planning.
In addition, there is a good booklet related to this from the Veterans Administration (VA) which you can find at the link below:
https://www.cem.va.gov/cem/docs/factsheets/Planning_Legacy_Booklet.pdf
For those planning a funeral for a veteran here in Colorado, there is something you can look into in addition to the typical military honors the funeral home will normally arrange for you (honor guard, flag, taps, etc.) - the Honor Bell. Honor Bell Foundation, Inc. is a Colorado nonprofit, 501(c)(3) corporation based in Denver. Its primary purpose is to provide a unique funeral honor for deceased military veterans through the slow ringing, known as tolling, of a ceremonial bell.
To accomplish this mission, the Foundation produced the Honor Bell and renders “Bell Honors” at the funerals of U.S. military veterans and personnel killed in action to augment the dignity and respect that should be paid to those that have served our nation.
The Honor Bell is the first tolling bell cast in U.S. history with the sole purpose of rendering a final honor to United States Service Members killed in action and United States Armed Forces Veterans. It is tolled exclusively by veterans and active-duty service members. It is a custom-designed, thirty-seven-inch diameter, forty-inch tall, stationary bronze bell that weighs one thousand pounds. The Bell's motto is "Forged From Honor." During the casting of the Honor Bell, artifacts from twelve deceased Colorado servicemen from World War II to the Global War on Terror were added to the molten bronze, representing veterans past, present and future. With these artifacts forever part of the bell, it can be truly said that "the Honor Bell has been Forged From Honor."
At this time, Bell Honors are only available for services at Fort Logan National Cemetery (memorial service requests outside Fort Logan may be accommodated on a case-by-case basis). You can submit a request form from the website and you will normally get a response within 24 hours. If you have any issues with the form or prefer to speak with someone, you may also contact them directly at 720-295-4582. You can find additional details on their website.
Honor Bell Foundation: a Colorado Veteran Non-Profit Organization
There is an excellent VA Survivor Benefits Kit (paper) at the link below:
https://www.benefits.va.gov/BENEFITS/docs/VASurvivorsKit.pdf
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