Veterans Benefits

A wide range of options are available to Veterans for their service to our country. All we need is a copy of the discharge to determine eligibility.

If burial of the body or cremated remains occurs at a local cemetery, the eligible veteran will receive a flag and a grave marker if the grave is unmarked.

If the Veteran is eligible, there may be a plot and internment allowance from the Department of Veterans Affairs to help pay for the cemetary costs. The allowance is $450 and is typically payable if the Veteran was receiving a pension or disability. This allowance is not payable if burial at a National Cemetery is chosen because the VA pays for those cemetery costs.

Calverton National Cemetery is located in Calverton, L.I, phone: 631.727.5410. Also, Saratoga National Cemetery, phone: 518.583.4952 Any eleigible veteran, their spouse, and dependent children can be buried at Calverton National Cemetery. Calverton provides the grave space, opening and closing the grave, grave marker, base for the marker, and concrete grave liner for full burial or burial cremains (ashes).

Arlington National Cemetery, Washington, DC is the Nations most respected and known National Cemetery. There are two options for the eligible veteran at Arlington.

• COLUMBARIUM - Any eligible and their spouse can have their cremains (ashes) placed in the columbarium.
• FULL BURIAL - Full burial at Arlington National Cemetery is very restricted. Generally only those who hold the Nation's highest awards or are killed while on active duty are eligible for burial.

BURIAL AT SEA
This is a Naval custom and is the right of all eligible U.S. Military veterans who request it, whether they went to sea or not.
Burial at sea only takes place in water deeper than 600 feet and no closer than three miles from the coast. In most cases the remains are cremated first, and the ashes are poured into the sea. The dispatch of casketed remains is permitted only with specific and strict guidelines. Family members are not permitted to be present at these ceremonies because they are held while the ship is engaged in regularly scheduled maneuvers. After the ship returns to port, the family will receive a Department of Veterans Affairs burial flag and a letter from the commanding officer of the ship which performed the ceremony. Some captains have the crew members take photos or videos of the ceremony, but they are not required to do so.
The ports available for burial at sea are: Norfolk Virginia, Mayport Florida, San Diego California, Puget Sound Naval Shipyard Washington, and Pearl Harbor Hawaii.


Federal Benefits for Veterans and their families

Who is eligible for burial plot allowance:

• A veteran who was receiving comp or pension at time of death.
• Or receiving retired pay in lieu of comp.
• A veteran who had a claim pending and was found entitled to comp or pension prior to date of death.
• A veteran who died while traveling to VA exam or appointment.
• A veteran who died while hospitalized at any VA facility.
• A veteran who died while under a nursing home contract.
• A veteran who died of a service connected disability.

When are transportation expenses payable:

• When a veteran died at a VA or en route to an appointment or exam.
• When a veteran died while under VA nursing home contract.
• When a veteran died was buried in a national cemetery and died of a S/C condition or was in receipt of comp or retired pay.

What transportation expenses are payable:

• Removal from VA to funeral home or airport.
• Transportation from funeral home to airport or cemetery.
• Air transportation expenses (limited to amount paid for usual air freight charges).
• Transportation from airport to cemetery.
• Transportation to a national cemetery. - No more than the cost to the closest national cemetery of the veterans last place of residence, regardless of which national cemetery veteran was buried at, is paid.

What are the time limits for your claim:

• No time limits for S/C death claims.
• Within two years from the date of burial for NSC death burial claims.
• No time limit for transportation allowance.

What should you send with your claim:

• VA form 21-530
• Death certificate
• Certified copy of DD-214
• Receipted copy of funeral bill if submitted by claimant other than funeral home.
• Non-receipted copy of funeral bill if submitted by funeral home.
• Itemized bill of transportation expenses if eligible.
• Copy of mortuary trust if applicable.
• Terminal hospital summary if claiming S/C death.

For more information check out:
www.va.gov
www.cem.va.gov
http://www.hanford.gov/doe/veteran/ Veteran Advisory Council
http://www.militaryfuneralhonors.osd.mil/intro.html  Military Funeral Honors
http://www.cem.va.gov/  Burial & Memorial Benefits
http://www.va.gov/  Dept. of Veteran Affairs
http://www1.va.gov/visns/visn02/ VA Health Care --Upstate NY
http://www1.va.gov/visns/visn02/ National Archives
http://www.davny.org/index.asp Disabled American Veterans
http://www.wwiimemorial.com/ WWII Memorial
http://www.veterans.state.ny.us/ NYS veterans Information