The Iowa National Guard Military Funeral Honors and Color Guard Team is honored to assist in remembering fallen veterans and in ceremonial engagements. We will support qualifying requests to the best of our abilities. 

Funeral Honors Eligibility

     One of the most cherished privileges for any person who has served in the military is the receipt of proper military honors at their funeral or memorial service.  This honor is also one that causes many questions as to the eligibility for honors because of the definition of “veteran” as it applies to benefits. 

     For the purpose of defining military funeral honors, a “veteran” is any member of the military who has completed one enlistment or other obligated service in the military, whether active duty, reserve or National Guard.  Deployment during their tenure in the military has no bearing on the receipt of basic honors at their funeral service.  Individuals convicted of a capital offense under federal or state law in which they were sentenced to death or life without parole or service in the military that resulted in a Dishonorable Discharge prevents the furnishing of honors to them.

     Section 578 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2000 established the law that says “all qualified veterans will receive basic funeral honors (folding and presentation of the flag along with the playing of taps) upon request of the family or other authorized representative.”  The honors are to be conducted by two active members of the military, one of which should be from the same branch as the deceased.  This guidance also provided for the partnering of the military with the Veterans Service Organizations (VSO’s) to assist the military in providing those honors.  For the purposes of providing honors an “active” military person is one who is on active duty, a reservist, or a Guardsman.

     The Iowa Army National Guard’s Honor Guard program is ready to support any funeral honors requests for Army personnel that you may have and welcome not only those requests, but any questions as to the eligibility for honors for the deceased.  In some cases, especially National Guard Soldiers from Iowa, we may be able to assist in obtaining service documents if the family or yourselves can’t locate them. Please fill out the contact form below for more information.