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Paul Lane Funeral Home assists in providing veterans’ benefits for people who served in the United States Armed Forces and are eligible. For veterans who received an honorable discharge after completing their term of active duty, they and their spouse are qualified for a burial space in a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) national cemetery. A copy of the veteran’s honorable discharge is needed for the funeral directors to present to the National Cemetery Scheduling Office (NCSO). The NCSO is responsible for reviewing discharge information, verifying the eligibility of the veteran or spouse for burial and scheduling the burial with an appropriate national cemetery. The ideal way to check that a veteran’s paperwork is in order is to apply for Pre-need Burial Eligibility with the National Cemetery Administration. This will avoid unanticipated delays in the process of verification which could postpone the funeral and burial. Those living in Queens, New York are encouraged to contact Paul Lane Funeral Home for assistance.
In addition to a free cemetery plot, the VA may provide memorial benefits such as a grave liner for use in a national cemetery burial space, a headstone, grave marker or niche marker and its inscription, placement of cremains in a columbarium niche, the interment of cremated remains, opening and closing of the grave and perpetual care of the gravesite.
Veterans Memorial Benefits are not guaranteed. There are instances where circumstances significantly delay the process or render a veteran ineligible. Again, the best way to remain informed and to avoid these complications is by undergoing the Pre-need Burial Eligibility process. For example, not having the discharge documentation may delay a veteran’s eligibility. A family lacking the discharge paperwork must wait for a clearance from the National Personnel Record Center (NPRC) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. If a veteran’s records were destroyed in the NPRC fire of 1973, the vetting process may take quite some time. If after discharge the veteran was convicted of a capital crime such as murder, he or she may be determined ineligible. The National Cemetery System has the prerogative to deny the entry of remains based on the deceased’s conduct. Further details can be found at http://www.paullanefuneral.com/1479191.html.
The funeral directors of Paul Lane Funeral Home are available to guide families through the Pre-need process or when making urgent need plans. Please call them at 1-718-659-6260 for assistance with veterans’ benefits.
Release ID: 201228