Veteran Services

Veteran Services

At Smits Funeral Homes, we want to make sure our veterans receive any benefits they are entitled to, and we want families to be aware of special honors available for a veteran’s funeral service. 



With decades of experience in serving veterans and their families, we’ve learned what questions to ask and what steps to take to ensure that veterans receive the honors they deserve — and that grieving families don’t have to navigate the system alone. The Veterans Administration (VA) provides a variety of burial benefits to veterans and their spouses, but figuring out eligibility can be a tedious process. We’ve developed a broad network of contacts who are able to help families gather the documentation they need and then access the military benefits they are entitled to. All military benefits are available only when families can present honorable discharge papers as evidence of service. For families who have lost those papers, we are often able to help retrieve copies from the government in time for you to make appropriate decisions about funeral services and burial. In some cases, financial assistance is available. Other military benefits available for veteran funerals include military markers and headstones, Presidential Memorial Certificates, and a United States flag to drape the casket or accompany the urn.


Whether you choose military honors at a private funeral service or final resting in a VA national cemetery as the most fitting tribute, our staff can carefully guide families through those decisions.


We work particularly closely with Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in Elwood, Illinois, to make arrangements for a military burial should you choose that option. Located about 40 miles west of any of our locations, Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery is the closest option for families who want their loved one to be laid to rest in a national cemetery.

Because we have such respect for them, Smits Funeral Homes wants to make sure veterans receive all the honors they have earned. We also know how difficult it can be for families to access those military benefits because those details are difficult to attend to during a time of grief. We consider it a special honor to serve veteran families this way.

Our locations are listed below. Please contact the one nearest you for more information about veteran funerals.

A woman is holding an american flag and a rose at a funeral.

What are VA Burial Benefits and Memorial Items?

The VA burial benefits are designed to assist service members, veterans, and their families plan and pay for a burial or memorial service in a VA national cemetery. Memorial items are provided through the Veterans Affairs to honor the service of those who have served the country.

Who Qualifies for Burial Benefits and Burial in a National Cemetery?

Veterans, service members, spouses, and dependents may be eligible for burial in a VA national cemetery, as well as other benefits, if they meet one of the requirements listed below:


  • A veteran who didn’t receive a dishonorable discharge
  • A service member who died while on active duty, active duty for training, or inactive duty for training
  • The spouse or minor child of a veteran, even if the veteran died first
  • In some cases, the unmarried adult dependent child of a veteran

What are Military Funeral Honors and a Committal Service?

Military funeral honors include the playing of “Taps,” a rifle detail, a color guard and uniformed service members who properly fold and present the United States flag to the grieving family. These flags are typically given to the deceased’s next of kin or close friend. In order for the survivors to qualify to receive the burial flag, the veteran or reservist must be described by at least one of the following:


  • Served in wartime
  • Died while serving on active duty after May 27, 1941
  • Served after January 31, 1955
  • Served in peacetime and left military service before June 27, 1950, after serving at least one enlistment or because of a disability that was caused - or made worse - by their active military service
  • Served in the Selected Reserves, or served in the military forces of the Philippines while in service of the United States and died on or after April 25, 1951.

What are Burial Benefits and How Do I Apply?

The veterans death benefits help cover the burial, funeral and transportation costs associated with the deceased’s services and disposition. For those being buried in a national cemetery, survivors can receive assistance with the burial and funeral costs, the plot or internment, and the transporting of the veteran’s remains for burial.


You must file a claim for a non-service-connected burial allowance within two years after the veteran’s burial or cremation. There is no time limit to file for a service-connected burial, plot or interment allowance.


You can apply online at https://www.va.gov/burials-and-memorials/application/530/introduction or by mail after completing the VA Form 21P-530.


A veteran who didn’t receive a dishonorable discharge or a service member who died while on active duty may be eligible for a headstone or marker if they meet certain requirements. To find out if your deceased loved one qualifies, visit https://www.va.gov/burials-memorials/memorial-items/headstones-markers-medallions/ 


The Department of Veteran Affairs also provides a headstone for unmarked graves of an eligible deceased veteran at no charge. To request a headstone, grave marker, or niche marker, fill out the VA Form 10-1330 and send to:


Department of Veteran Affairs
5109 Russell Road
Quantico, VA 22134-3909 


For more information regarding VA burial benefits and memorial items, visit https://www.va.gov/burials-memorials/ or contact the VA office at 1-800-827-1000.