1. What is Honor Guard?
• The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) program called "Honoring Those Who Served"
provides Military Funeral Honors for eligible veterans. Honors typically consist of two or
more uniformed service members folding and presenting a U.S. burial flag to the family, and
playing of Taps. A gun salute by a rifle squad is reserved for veterans who retired from
military service, service members killed on active duty, and Medal of Honor recipients.
• Department of Defense policy allows Military Honors to be performed one time for each
veteran – Military Honor Guards will not perform Funeral Honors a second time.
• Every veteran eligible for placement at a California State Veterans Cemetery is entitled to
Military Funeral Honors.1 The Department of Defense is responsible for providing this
service, which involves two or more uniformed service members folding and presenting a
U.S. burial flag to the family, and playing of Taps. A gun salute by a rifle squad is reserved for
veterans who retired from military service, service members killed on active duty, and
Medal of Honor recipients.
2. Who is responsible for requesting Military funeral Honors?
• Veterans groups can also perform Military Funeral Honors, but do such on a voluntary basis,
so there is no guarantee they can provide this service
• To request this service, and to request a military Chaplin, contact the appropriate branch of
service:
o Army Veteran: 877-847-8830
o Marine Corp Veteran: 866-826-3628
o Navy Veteran: 800-326-9631
o Air Force Veteran: 800-586-8402
o Coast Guard Veteran: 510-437-6650
