Coast Guard Funeral Honors: How to Request and What to Expect

Who Qualifies for Coast Guard Funeral Honors

Any Coast Guard veteran or reservist discharged under honorable conditions is eligible for military funeral honors. This includes active-duty members, retirees, and eligible reservists. The DD Form 214 or equivalent discharge document must verify the honorable character of service.

Coast Guard eligibility carries a distinction that catches some families off guard: the Coast Guard operates under the Department of Homeland Security in peacetime but transfers to the Department of the Navy during wartime. Either way, funeral honors are processed through Coast Guard-specific channels, not Navy.

How to Request Coast Guard Honors

The funeral director is your primary point of contact — they submit the honors request on the family's behalf. The process works through the regional Coast Guard Casualty Liaison, who coordinates with the nearest Coast Guard sector or base to assemble the honors detail.

Start by providing the funeral director with the veteran's DD Form 214, which confirms branch of service and discharge status. The director contacts the Coast Guard directly through the regional liaison. If the interment is at a national cemetery, the funeral director also coordinates scheduling through the National Cemetery Scheduling Office; VA Form 40-10007 is the separate pre-need eligibility application.

Give at least 72 hours' notice, though a full seven days is strongly recommended. Coast Guard installations are smaller and more geographically dispersed than Army or Marine Corps bases, which means the nearest active-duty personnel may need to travel a considerable distance.

What the Honors Detail Includes

The minimum two-person detail for every eligible Coast Guard veteran includes:

• Flag folding and presentation — Two uniformed Coast Guard service members fold the burial flag into the triangular tricorn shape and present it to the primary next of kin
• Sounding of Taps — Played by a live bugler or via a high-quality electronic device fitted inside a ceremonial bugle
• The presidential script — The presenting service member delivers the standardized statement: "On behalf of the President of the United States, the United States Coast Guard, and a grateful Nation, please accept this flag as a symbol of our appreciation for your loved one's honorable and faithful service."

For Coast Guard members at the rank of E-9, CW-4/CW-5, or O-4 and above — and for active-duty deaths, Medal of Honor recipients, and POWs — full military honors with escort are authorized. That adds a firing party (three rifle volleys), a casket team, and potentially a marching element.

The Arlington Ladies and Coast Guard Funerals

At Arlington National Cemetery, a Coast Guard Arlington Lady attends every Coast Guard funeral. She serves as the official representative of the Commandant, presenting a personal card of condolence and ensuring no Coast Guard member is ever buried alone. The Arlington Ladies are a standing volunteer presence for these services.

Coordination With Civilian Funeral Homes

Many civilian funeral directors have limited experience with Coast Guard honors specifically. They know the Army and Marine Corps process, but the Coast Guard's smaller footprint means they may not have a direct contact at the nearest installation.

If your funeral director seems uncertain, ask them to work through the regional Coast Guard casualty liaison or the nearest Coast Guard sector or base, then keep the family looped in.

The Military Funeral & Honors Guide includes the full branch-by-branch honors request directory, including Coast Guard sector contacts, so you don't have to navigate the chain of command during the worst week of your life.