A member of the 1st Battalion, 3d US Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) holds his saber during a US Army service in Arlington National Cemetery. Officers arriving to The Old Guard spend weeks training and practicing as part of their initial tasking to the unit. They learn how to execute formations, movements, and standard ceremonial procedures that are part of Dependent, Standard Honors, and Full Honors services at Arlington. Learning proper saber positioning and movements is critical to an individual soldier and his or her platoon being cemetery ready to honor America’s fallen heroes to the best of their abilities. – Arlington Media

A member of the 1st Battalion, 3d US Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) holds his saber during a US Army service in Arlington National Cemetery. Officers arriving to The Old Guard spend weeks training and practicing as part of their initial tasking to the unit. They learn how to execute formations, movements, and standard ceremonial procedures that are part of Dependent, Standard Honors, and Full Honors services at Arlington. Learning proper saber positioning and movements is critical to an individual soldier and his or her platoon being cemetery ready to honor America’s fallen heroes to the best of their abilities.

Post author:Clifford Crittenden
Post published:January 17, 2022
Post category:Uncategorized

¹ DEPENDENT SERVICES
When a spouse or other dependent of a current or former member of the Armed Forces is buried at Arlington, the military service in which the primary party served will provide:

A chaplain
A casket team (body bearers / pall bearers)

No other military funeral honors will be rendered unless the spouse also served in the military.

² STANDARD HONORS SERVICES
Enlisted service members, WO-1 through CW-3, and O-1 through O-3, interred/inurned at Arlington National Cemetery will receive honors provided by the decedent’s branch of service. These honors include:

A chaplain
A casket team (body bearers / pall bearers)
A firing party
A bugler

³ FULL HONORS SERVICES
In addition to the standard military funeral honors, some Commissioned and Warrant officers and senior non-Commissioned Officer with a pay grade of E-9, CW-4 and CW-5, and O-4 and above:

ARMY: Sergeant Major (SGM), Command Sergeant Major (CSM), Sergeant Major of the Army (SMA),
NAVY & COAST GUARD: Master Chief Petty Officer (MCPO), Fleet/Command Master Chief Petty Officer, Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON), or Coast Guard (MCPOCG),
MARINES: Master Gunnery Sergeant (MGySgt), Sergeant Major (SgtMaj), Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps (SgtMajMC),
AIR FORCE: Chief Master Sergeant (CMSgt), First Sergeant, Command Chief Master Sergeant, Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force (CMSAF),

are eligible for full military funeral honors at Arlington National Cemetery including:

A chaplain
A casket team (body bearers / pall bearers)
A firing party
A bugler
A military band
An escort platoon (size varies according to the rank of the deceased)

Additionally, those eligible for full military funeral honors at Arlington National Cemetery may use the caisson (UNAVAILABLE until June 2024), if available. Officers in the rank of colonel and above in the Army and the Marine Corps may be provided a caparisoned (riderless) horse, if available. General/flag officers may receive a cannon salute (17 guns for a four-star general, 15 for a three-star, 13 for a two-star, 11 for a one-star), if available.