Frequently Asked Questions
WILL THE NATIONAL CEMETERY PROVIDE OUR FAMILY A CLERGY? HOW LONG IS THE SERVICE?
No, you must provide clergy for your Funeral Committal Service on your own. But know that when you hire Chaplain Joe or Chaplain Erica, you are in the best hands for your loved one's service. Also know that the Cemetery will tell you that your service is 15 minutes when it's actually 30 minutes in a committal shelter, Veterans getting military honors takes the first 5-7 minutes, then Chaplain Joe or Chaplain Erica will fill the other 23-25 minutes to make it a memorable, honorable service.
ARE YOU ELIGIBLE FOR BURIAL IN A NATIONAL CEMETERY?
Riverside National Cemetery or Miramar National Cemetery/Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery Veteran Benefits. Are you aware that currently honorably discharged veterans may be entitled to receive burial benefits at a local So Cal National Cemetery? This entitlement includes the grave, the opening and closing of the grave, a government grave liner (for casket burials only), a government headstone, a United States Burial Flag & perpetual care of the gravesite. Military honors for veterans may be provided by a RNC Memorial Honor Detail (Riverside only). Gravesites are available for both traditional burial or cremated remains.
DO YOU NEED AN URGENT DD214 - If someone needs an Emergency Request for immediate issue of a replacement DD-214, like the sudden death of a former service member, the below link is what needs to be used to send an electronic request. They will send an email response to the email address you provide on the electronic request. This is different than submitting a typical request that requires filling out a SF-180 "Request Pertaining to Military Records" which is done via snail mail. While the snail mail request could take 3-5 weeks to get a response, I was told the Emergency Request should be received in 3-7 days. To submit a request, you may do so online at http://vetrecs.archives.gov/
Select the blue “Start Request Online” button.
1. On the VETERAN SERVICE DETAILS page, select Emergency Request as the Category.
2. Select the nature of your request (Burial, Medical Emergency, Homeless Veteran) in the next box that opens.
3. Include an email address for communication and possible digital delivery, and/or a FAX number, otherwise, the document(s) will be physically mailed to the address entered.
4. If your request is for a burial, please ensure proof of death is uploaded. This could be a death certificate, funeral home letter signed by the director, or obituary.
To avoid the necessity of submitting this urgent request, all veterans should make prior arrangements by having their DD214 available.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA NATIONAL CEMETERY VETERAN & SPOUSE FUNERAL SERVICES -
This burial entitlement also applies to the legal spouse, widow, dependent children, and in some cases, adult dependent children of a veteran. Please note the National Cemetery Directors of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) have the primary responsibility for verifying eligibility for burial in VA national cemeteries. A determination of eligibility is usually made in response to a request for burial in a VA cemetery.
HONORARIUMS/WHAT YOU GET - Chaplain Joe & Chaplain Erica do funeral services for honorariums that are very competitive with others in the area but offer so much more than what a church minister does. Chaplain Joe & Chaplain Erica help to plan your loved one's service with honors, live musicians, various vendors, also help with grave marker selections, take pictures & videos when available to do so & provide them to you at no cost to have those memories forever. And we visit with your loved one when the marker comes in and take pictures to send to you.
NOTE: If you have a financial strain, please mention it in the 1st conversation as we will work with your budget or funeral home pre-needs (preplanning).
No, you must provide clergy for your Funeral Committal Service on your own. But know that when you hire Chaplain Joe or Chaplain Erica, you are in the best hands for your loved one's service. Also know that the Cemetery will tell you that your service is 15 minutes when it's actually 30 minutes in a committal shelter, Veterans getting military honors takes the first 5-7 minutes, then Chaplain Joe or Chaplain Erica will fill the other 23-25 minutes to make it a memorable, honorable service.
ARE YOU ELIGIBLE FOR BURIAL IN A NATIONAL CEMETERY?
Riverside National Cemetery or Miramar National Cemetery/Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery Veteran Benefits. Are you aware that currently honorably discharged veterans may be entitled to receive burial benefits at a local So Cal National Cemetery? This entitlement includes the grave, the opening and closing of the grave, a government grave liner (for casket burials only), a government headstone, a United States Burial Flag & perpetual care of the gravesite. Military honors for veterans may be provided by a RNC Memorial Honor Detail (Riverside only). Gravesites are available for both traditional burial or cremated remains.
DO YOU NEED AN URGENT DD214 - If someone needs an Emergency Request for immediate issue of a replacement DD-214, like the sudden death of a former service member, the below link is what needs to be used to send an electronic request. They will send an email response to the email address you provide on the electronic request. This is different than submitting a typical request that requires filling out a SF-180 "Request Pertaining to Military Records" which is done via snail mail. While the snail mail request could take 3-5 weeks to get a response, I was told the Emergency Request should be received in 3-7 days. To submit a request, you may do so online at http://vetrecs.archives.gov/
Select the blue “Start Request Online” button.
1. On the VETERAN SERVICE DETAILS page, select Emergency Request as the Category.
2. Select the nature of your request (Burial, Medical Emergency, Homeless Veteran) in the next box that opens.
3. Include an email address for communication and possible digital delivery, and/or a FAX number, otherwise, the document(s) will be physically mailed to the address entered.
4. If your request is for a burial, please ensure proof of death is uploaded. This could be a death certificate, funeral home letter signed by the director, or obituary.
To avoid the necessity of submitting this urgent request, all veterans should make prior arrangements by having their DD214 available.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA NATIONAL CEMETERY VETERAN & SPOUSE FUNERAL SERVICES -
This burial entitlement also applies to the legal spouse, widow, dependent children, and in some cases, adult dependent children of a veteran. Please note the National Cemetery Directors of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) have the primary responsibility for verifying eligibility for burial in VA national cemeteries. A determination of eligibility is usually made in response to a request for burial in a VA cemetery.
HONORARIUMS/WHAT YOU GET - Chaplain Joe & Chaplain Erica do funeral services for honorariums that are very competitive with others in the area but offer so much more than what a church minister does. Chaplain Joe & Chaplain Erica help to plan your loved one's service with honors, live musicians, various vendors, also help with grave marker selections, take pictures & videos when available to do so & provide them to you at no cost to have those memories forever. And we visit with your loved one when the marker comes in and take pictures to send to you.
NOTE: If you have a financial strain, please mention it in the 1st conversation as we will work with your budget or funeral home pre-needs (preplanning).