Only adding to the reverence of services at Arlington is the seamless way that soldiers, marines, sailors, and airmen work alongside four-legged members of the Caisson teams. A typical caisson team consists of at least 7 horses, 4 riders, and one serviceman holding the colors of the service the deceased served in, plus the caisson. Six of the horses are pulling the caisson, three of which have riders. The other three horses are riderless. The Caisson platoon usually begins work at 4am and does not cease until the final services at Arlington have concluded for the day. They support full honors services for all eligible branches and the integration of these horses into services is both nuanced and extremely moving. This image captures the emotion of these moments in a very powerful way. PC: @arlingtonmedia – Arlington Media

Only adding to the reverence of services at Arlington is the seamless way that soldiers, marines, sailors, and airmen work alongside four-legged members of the Caisson teams. A typical caisson team consists of at least 7 horses, 4 riders, and one serviceman holding the colors of the service the deceased served in, plus the caisson. Six of the horses are pulling the caisson, three of which have riders. The other three horses are riderless. The Caisson platoon usually begins work at 4am and does not cease until the final services at Arlington have concluded for the day. They support full honors services for all eligible branches and the integration of these horses into services is both nuanced and extremely moving. This image captures the emotion of these moments in a very powerful way. PC: @arlingtonmedia

Post author:Clifford Crittenden
Post published:September 20, 2021
Post category:Uncategorized

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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 September 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.