Serving Sonoma County Since 1924
Fred Young Funeral Home
718 Healdsburg Ave
Healdsburg, CA 95448
(707) 473-8431 (Healdsburg – FD 2212)
Fred Young Funeral Home
428 N. Cloverdale Blvd.
Cloverdale, CA 95425
(707) 894-2540 (Cloverdale – FD 1944)
Military Honors Coordination
DD Form 214 Guidance
Spanish-Speaking Staff
Available 24/7
How Eggen & Lance Supports Veteran Families
Planning a military funeral requires coordination between the family, funeral home, cemetery, and the veteran’s service branch. Our team helps bring those details together with care and respect.
Coordinate Honors
Request the appropriate military detail and coordinate ceremony timing.
Arrange the Cemetery
Coordinate with a VA national cemetery or private cemetery.
Personalize the Tribute
Honor military service and the full life of the person being remembered.
Military Funeral Honors Are Provided at No Cost for Eligible Veterans When Requested
What Military Funeral Honors Include?
Basic military funeral honors include a minimum two-person uniformed detail, with at least one member representing the veteran’s branch of service.
Basic military funeral honors include:
- Playing of Taps by a bugler, ceremonial bugle, or approved recording
- Ceremonial folding of the United States flag
- Presentation of the folded flag to the veteran’s family
Eligibility and Required Documents
Military funeral honors may be available for:
- Service members who die while on active duty
- Veterans discharged honorably or under honorable conditions
- Certain current or former members of the Selected Reserve
The appropriate military service branch makes the final eligibility determination.
A DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, is the preferred record for verifying service. If it is unavailable, another accepted discharge record may be considered. Families can request missing records through the National Archives, which offers an emergency process for funeral-related requests.
Veteran Burial and Cremation Options
Military funeral honors may be incorporated into a traditional funeral, graveside service, cremation service, or memorial. The right arrangement depends on the veteran’s wishes, religious or cultural traditions, preferred resting place, and family preferences.
Veterans Funeral and Burial Services
Viewing, funeral ceremony, procession, graveside committal, and military honors.
Veterans Cremation Services
Direct cremation or cremation with a memorial, funeral, or graveside service.
Funeral Pre-Planning for Veterans
Veterans can document their wishes, organize military records, and discuss preferred honors through funeral pre-planning.
Local Veteran Discounts
Veteran Funeral Discounts and Current Starting Prices
Eggen & Lance Chapel and Santa Rosa Mortuary offer:
- $200 off qualifying burial packages
- $100 off qualifying cremation services
Honorable discharge papers (DD Form 214) required. Current discounts are not valid for pre-arrangements.
| Service | Starting Charge Before a Qualifying Veteran Discount |
|---|---|
| Funeral Service | $4,495 |
| Graveside Service | $3,360 |
| Immediate Burial | $2,880 |
| Direct Cremation with an approved container provided by the purchaser | $2,295 |
| Memorial Service with Cremation | $3,195 |
Effective February 1, 2026. Prices are subject to change. Additional services, merchandise, cemetery charges, and cash-advance items may apply. View our current pricing.
VA Burial Benefits and Memorial Resources
VA burial benefits may help eligible families with certain burial, funeral, memorial, plot, interment, or transportation needs.
Depending on eligibility, veteran burial benefits may include:
National Cemetery Burial
Gravesite, opening and closing, and perpetual care when eligibility is approved.
United States Burial Flag
An eligible veteran may receive a United States burial flag to drape the casket or urn.
Government Headstone or Marker
A government memorial marker may be available for an eligible veteran.
Presidential Memorial Certificate
A Presidential Memorial Certificate recognizes the veteran’s service.
Veterans Burial Allowance
Qualifying families may receive financial assistance with certain funeral or burial costs.
These benefits do not mean that every veteran’s funeral is completely free. The VA determines federal eligibility and benefit amounts. Learn more through the official VA burial and memorial benefits portal.
How to Begin Arrangements
A five-step process gives families one clear path forward.
- Call Eggen & Lance. Tell us that your loved one served in the military.
- Gather military records. Locate the DD Form 214 or other honorable discharge papers.
- Choose services. Select burial, cremation, and cemetery.
- Request military funeral honors. Our team will contact the appropriate coordinator.
- Personalize the ceremony. Choose music, readings, speakers, photographs, and meaningful traditions.
For a more detailed planning checklist, read our guide to planning a military or veteran funeral in Sonoma County.
Honor a Life of Service with Eggen & Lance
Every veteran deserves a farewell that honors both their military service and the life they shared with family and friends. Eggen & Lance helps Sonoma County families coordinate military funeral honors, burial or cremation, cemetery arrangements, and personalized tributes. Whether arrangements are needed now or planned in advance, our team provides dignified veterans funeral services and compassionate guidance at every step.
Frequently Asked Questions About Veterans Funeral Services
Does the VA Pay for a Veteran’s Funeral?
The VA does not automatically pay the entire cost of a veteran’s funeral. Eligible families may receive a VA burial allowance to help cover certain funeral, burial, plot, interment, or transportation expenses. Eggen & Lance’s local veteran discounts are separate from federal VA benefits.
Does the VA Pay for Cremation?
VA burial allowances may help cover some cremation expenses when eligibility requirements are met, but cremation is not automatically free for every veteran. Eligible veterans may also receive military funeral honors and certain memorial benefits when cremation is chosen.
Are Military Funerals Free?
Military funeral honors are provided at no cost when requested for an eligible veteran, but the entire funeral is not necessarily free. Funeral home services, merchandise, transportation, and private cemetery charges may have separate costs.
Can an Eligible Veteran Be Buried at No Cost in a VA National Cemetery?
Eligible veterans may receive national cemetery burial without a charge for the gravesite, opening and closing of the grave, perpetual care, and a government headstone or marker. Funeral home services and transportation are not necessarily included. The VA makes the final eligibility determination.
What Documents Are Needed to Arrange a Veteran’s Funeral?
The DD Form 214 is the preferred document for verifying military service and requesting funeral honors. Families may also need the death certificate, personal identification, cemetery information, and existing pre-planning documents. Honorable discharge papers must be presented to receive an applicable Eggen & Lance veteran discount.