Arlington National Cemetery:: Ceremonies

No Military Honors Grave Burial Services - Army

General Information:

No Military Honors: No military honors internments are for family members of military members who are authorized burial at Arlington National Cemetery (ANC). A military chaplain may also be requested at no additional cost to the family, if no civilian religious leader will be present.

Specific Information:

No military honors interments begin at the curb near the burial site. Plan on arriving at the Arlington National Cemetery (ANC) Administration Building about 30 minutes before the service, which gives you time to meet with the family and with the Cemetery Representative. There are no salutes rendered during this type of service by the military. For specific information, ask the Cemetery Representative upon arrival.

To the grave site:

Look for the Cemetery Representative, who can help you regarding protocol. Another helpful person is the OIC or NCOIC (Officer or Non-Commissioned Officer in charge). Stand at the curb by the OIC / NCOIC (Officer or Non-Commissioned Officer in charge). Military members will be at attention but will not salute. See symbol chart and diagram for more information.
The pall bearers / pallbearer for an urn will remove the casket from the hearse / urn from the Cemetery Representatives' car and prepare to march to the grave site. The Cemetery Representative can tell you where the grave is and the route that the pallbearers will use to carry the casket / urn to the grave.
Casket: be prepared lead the casket after the pallbearers make a five step formal turn with the casket. Urn: start to lead the procession after the pallbearer has retrieved the remains.
Lead the processional to the grave site.

At the grave site:

Stand near the small green metal marker, allowing enough room for the pall bearers / pallbearer for an urn and OIC/NCOIC to move past you. Turn to continue facing the remains if appropriate to do so.
The pallbearers / pallbearer for an urn will position the remains over the grave and march off to the front. The OIC/NCOIC will inspect, then leave. This is your cue to begin the religious services at the grave.
Please conduct your graveside services according to your religious tradition. Please remember that time is our enemy at ANC, with an average of 23 funerals each day. We request that these services be kept under ten minutes in length.
Services end at the conclusion of your graveside services. The Cemetery Representative will then announce that services have ended at ANC.

Last updated: August 14, 2003
POC: CH (MAJ) Claude A. Crisp