National Cemetery Administration
Eligibility for a Headstone or Marker
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) furnishes upon request, at no charge to the applicant, a Government headstone or marker for the unmarked grave of any deceased eligible Veteran in any cemetery around the world, regardless of their date of death. VA may also furnish a headstone or marker for graves marked with a private headstone or marker, for Veterans who died on or after Nov. 1, 1990.
Any deceased Veteran discharged under conditions other than dishonorable and any member of the Armed Forces of the United States who dies on active duty may be eligible. Service after Sep. 7, 1980, as an enlisted person, and service after Oct. 16, 1981, as an officer, must be for a minimum of 24 months continuous active duty or be completed under special circumstances (e.g., death on active duty). Persons who have only limited active duty service for training while in the National Guard or Reserves are not eligible unless there are special circumstances (e.g., death while on active duty or as a result of training). Reservists and National Guard members who, at the time of death, were entitled to retired pay, or would have been entitled, but for being under the age of 60 are eligible. Reservists called to active duty other than training and National Guard members who Federalized and who serve for the period are called are eligible. Service prior to World War I requires detailed documentation (e.g., muster rolls, extracts from State files, military or State organization where served, pension or land warrant, etc.). Hmong individuals who were naturalized under the Hmong Veterans Naturalization Act of 2000, who died on or after March 23, 2018 and who resided in the U.S. at the time of death, please read this fact sheet for more information.
Spouses and dependents are not eligible for a Government-furnished headstone or marker unless they are buried in a national, state Veterans', or military post/base cemetery.
Eligibility for a Bronze and Medal of Honor Medallion
The Department of Veterans Affairs provides two types of medallions, by request, to be affixed to an existing, privately purchased headstone or marker to signify the deceased's status as a Veteran or Veteran/Servicemember who is also a Medal of Honor recipient.
These devices are furnished in lieu of a traditional Government headstone or grave marker for those Veterans who served on or after April 6, 1917, and whose grave in a private cemetery is marked with a privately purchased headstone or marker.
Any deceased Veteran discharged under conditions other than dishonorable who served in the Armed Forces on or after Apr. 6, 1917 or any member of the Armed Forces of the United States who dies on active duty, and is buried in a private cemetery in a grave marked with a privately purchased headstone or marker may be eligible. Service after Sep. 7, 1980 must be for a minimum of 24 months continuous active duty or be completed under special circumstances (e.g., death on active duty). Persons who have only limited active duty service for training while in the National Guard or Reserves are not eligible unless there are special circumstances (e.g., death while on active duty or as a result of training). Reservists and National Guard members who, at the time of death, were entitled to retired pay, or would have been entitled, but for being under the age of 60 are eligible. Reservists called to active duty other than training and National Guard members who are Federalized and who serve for the period called are eligible. VA may furnish a medallion to be attached to a headstone or marker furnished at private expense of a commissioned officer who had active service in Public Health Service on or after April 6, 1917.
Spouses and dependents are not eligible for a medallion.
