Veteran Funeral Services

San Diego Veteran Funeral Services

AAA Cremation & Burial is proud to be the only family-owned and operated crematory in South San Diego County. We are dedicated to setting the standard for service excellence and work with Veterans.  We honor the brave men and women who served to protect our nation’s freedom. Their courage and sacrifice will never be forgotten.  Learn more about the San Diego Veteran funeral services and how AAA Cremation & Burial can help.

Our comprehensive range of services includes Direct Cremations, Witness Cremations, Cremations with Memorial Services, Complete Cremations, “Traditional” Burials, Burial-at-Sea, and Scattering-at-Sea. We serve several areas in San Diego County, including Carmel Valley, Del Mar, La Jolla, Rancho Bernardo, Scripps Ranch, Poway, Kearny Mesa, Clairemont Mesa, Tierrasanta, Chula Vista, and Eastlake. Learn more about your San Diego cremation and burial options.

For those who have served our country, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides valuable burial benefits to assist veterans and their families with the costs of funerals and burials. Here is an overview of veterans’ burial benefits, including eligibility criteria and how to access these benefits.

Veterans Burial Allowances
The VA offers various allowances to help offset burial costs for eligible veterans. The primary allowance is the Veterans Service-Connected Burial Allowance. If the veteran’s death was service-connected, there is no cost for the veteran to be buried in a VA national cemetery. The VA provides the gravesite, grave opening and closing, perpetual care, a government headstone or marker, a burial flag, and a Presidential Memorial Certificate at no charge.

For non-service-related deaths, veterans are entitled to burial benefits including a $300 burial and funeral expense allowance. If the veteran was hospitalized at a VA facility at the time of death, some or all transport costs may be reimbursed.

Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible for burial in a VA national cemetery, the veteran must have been discharged or released from active duty under conditions other than dishonorable. This includes veterans who served in the U.S. Armed Forces as well as members of the National Guard and Reserves who met minimum service requirements.

Eligible Beneficiaries
Certain family members of eligible veterans may also qualify for VA burial benefits such as a gravesite in a national cemetery, ongoing grave care, and a government-furnished headstone. Eligible beneficiaries typically include:

• Spouses and minor children of eligible veterans
• Unmarried adult children who became permanently incapable of self-support before age 21 due to a disability
• Certain unmarried surviving spouses of record whose benefits have not been terminated due to remarriage

There are also specific minimum active-duty service requirements for beneficiaries other than the veteran and spouse.

Burial in a VA National Cemetery
One of the most valuable benefits is eligibility for burial at VA national cemeteries, which are maintained to the highest standards. The gravesite is provided at no cost, and the VA cemetery staff handles grave opening and closing, places a government headstone or marker, and provides perpetual care for the gravesite.

In many cases, burial benefits extend to the veteran’s spouse and eligible dependents, allowing families to be together in these serene final resting places. With over 150 VA national cemeteries across the country, there is likely one conveniently located nearby.

Other Memorial Options
For veterans choosing cremation, the VA provides a niche in a columbarium (an above-ground structure for storing cremains) at no cost to eligible families. Cremains can also be scattered in designated areas within VA national cemeteries.

Veterans discharged under conditions other than dishonorable may request a memorial marker for a private gravesite, provided the family agrees to place it in a federally approved location, typically a cemetery.

Maximizing Your Benefits | Veteran Funeral Services
To ensure you receive your full benefits, it is important to work with a VA-approved funeral provider that understands the process of verifying eligibility and filing the required paperwork. Many Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs) can also assist in this area.

Do not let these valuable benefits go to waste—our nation’s veterans and their families have certainly earned them. With some advanced planning and paperwork, you can ease the burden of burial costs and properly honor your service.

Honor the life of your loved one with the services available in San Diego at AAA Cremation & Burial. Call Us.