HEROISM PAY

Heroism Pay is automatic only for enlisted retirees only with less than 30 years active service and who have been awarded the Medal of Honor, the Distinguished Service Cross, the Navy Cross, or any other award for extraordinary heroism in the line of duty. Retired pay and heroism pay cannot exceed 75% of final active duty pay cap or the average of the highest 36 months of active duty pay if the awardee first entered military service on or after 8 September 1980. Extraordinary heroism is the magic phase for entitlement. The Silver Star is awarded for "gallantry in Action" and the Bronze Star for "heroic actions". The award of the Silver Star does not authorize a retiree the 10% heroism pay under Section 3991, Title 10, United States Code. [Source: MAX's Facts 11-00 24 FEB 2000]

VA MEMORIAL AND BURIAL BENEFITS FOR VICTIMS OF TERRORIST ATTACKS

As rescue efforts turned into the recovery of deceased victims from the Sept. 11 terror attacks, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) burial programs have become important for the next of kin of veterans, active-duty military personnel and their dependents. Primarily, these programs offer services. To a few people, VA also can provide monetary reimbursement of funeral and burial costs.

Summary
Burial benefits include a gravesite in any VA national cemetery with available space, the opening and closing of the grave, perpetual care of the grave at no cost to the family, a government headstone or marker, a burial flag and a Presidential Memorial Certificate.

Burial in a National Cemetery
Members of the Armed Forces and veterans, their spouses and dependent children may be buried in VA's national cemeteries. Veterans must have met minimum active-duty requirements and been discharged under conditions other than dishonorable. Unremarried widows, widowers and dependent children of veterans also may be buried there. Reservists who die while on active duty or training duty, or qualify to retire, also may receive national cemetery burial. Many hundreds of victims of the Sept. 11 attacks will not be recovered. They, too, can be memorialized in VA national cemeteries.

Sixty-one national cemeteries are open for burials of both casketed and cremated remains. Others can accommodate family members of those already interred or cremation burials. Arlington National Cemetery is run by the Army, not VA. Arlington's burial rules are more restrictive and are described on the cemetery's web site at ttp://www.arlingtoncemetery.org. Many states also operate veterans cemeteries and have their own burial rules. Contact the cemetery or the state's agency for veterans affairs for full details about eligibility.

Arranging Burial
The next of kin or the family's funeral director may make arrangements directly with a national cemetery. Before burial can take place, cemetery staff must verify the veteran's eligibility. To do this, the next of kin or funeral director must have a copy of the veteran's discharge papers, or service number, Social Security number and VA claim numbers for verification of eligibility.

Military Funeral Honors
Upon request, the Department of Defense will provide military funeral honors for the burial of military members, reservists and veterans. At least two uniformed service members fold and present the flag and play Taps, usually from a recording. Family members should inform their funeral directors if they wish military funeral honors for a veteran. All funeral directors have the kit and necessary forms and information to accomplish the above.

Burial Flags
VA provides a U.S. flag to drape the casket or to be presented at a memorial service. After the service, the flag is given to the next of kin. Normally, a funeral establishment obtains the flag.

Headstones and Markers
VA provides headstones or markers for the graves of veterans and military members buried in any cemetery, and cemetery memorial markers for those whose remains are not recovered. The graves must not already have a marker or headstone. Spouses and dependents of veterans and servicemembers may be memorialized with markers in national, state veterans' and military cemeteries. If they are buried in those cemeteries, their gravesites will be marked in the same way as veterans' graves. Types of markers and stones vary among national cemeteries and the style provided for private cemeteries will be compatible with the style used in those cemeteries. Styles include: flat bronze, flat granite, flat marble, upright marble and upright granite. Stones and markers will be inscribed with the name of the deceased, dates of birth and death and the branch of service for veterans and servicemembers. Inscriptions may include additional text if space permits.

Headstones and markers to be placed in non-government cemeteries must be requested from VA by forwarding VA Form 40-1330, "Application for Standard Government Headstone or Marker," to:

Director, Memorial Programs Service (403A)
Department of Veterans Affairs
810 Vermont Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20420
Form 40-1330 can be downloaded at http://www.cem.va.gov/hm.htm. This form is in Adobe Acrobat format (PDF). You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view and print the form on your home computer. Click here to download Adobe Acrobat Reader from the Adobe web site.

Presidential Memorial Certificate Program
Veterans' next of kin and other loved ones may receive a Presidential Memorial Certificate. The embossed paper is inscribed with the veteran's name and bears the president's signature. It expresses the nation's gratitude for the deceased veteran's service. Those who would like to receive the certificate, or those acting on their behalf, can request it by sending a copy of the military discharge document to:

Department of Veterans Affairs
National Cemetery Administration (403)
810 Vermont Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20420

Reimbursement of Burial Expenses
If the deceased was a veteran entitled to receive VA disability compensation or pension, or would have been except for receiving military retirement pay, VA will pay a $300 burial and funeral expense allowance. VA also will reimburse $150 for a burial plot if the disabled veteran is not buried in a government cemetery. (However, burial expenses paid by the deceased's employer or a state agency will not be reimbursed.)

For more information about burial benefits or reimbursements, call 1-800-877-1000 or log onto http://www.cem.va.gov.

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