Death of a Veteran

Thank You to our men and women in uniform

Help With Passing Veterans
When a member of our Military or a Veteran passes and the family needs help with funeral arrangements, here are some suggestions: It is recommended that you contact a Veterans Service Officer (VSO) to find out what benefits you may or may not have available to you or the family of the Veteran. Most funeral directors have access to, and programs for, passing Veterans. Please let them know your family member was a Veteran. If your family member was an active member of the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), American Veterans (AMVETS), or the Disabled American Veterans (DAV), they might be able to help with some of the arrangements for a military funeral. If your family or the passing Veteran was, or is part of a church group, talking to the chaplain, minister, pastor, priest, or rabbi should be able to help with some of the arrangements.
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has prepared this downloadable PDF file/document to help you plan ahead: "Planning Your Legacy: A VA Survivors and Burial Benefits Kit" - Or, you can call the Veterans Crisis Line (800) 273-8255 for additional information. COVID-19 Funeral Assistance
Click on Any of the Below Links for Additional information
Marion County Veteran Service Officers (VSO's) State of Indiana Veteran Service Officers (VSO's) VAMC - Richard L Roudebush VA Medical Center - VA Hospital in Indy US DOD - How do I arrange for military funeral honors for a veteran? VA - National Cemetery Administration VA - Burial & Plot Interment Allowance VA - Headstone Application VA - Burial Flag, U.S. - U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs VA - How to apply for a Veterans burial allowance?	VA - Burial benefits and memorial items VA - About VA DIC for spouses, Dependents, and Parents VA - I am a Dependent or Survivor What is an ‘indigent burial’ and when to opt for a state-assisted funeral? How do I get duplicates of my spouses service medals? SSA -Understanding Social Security Survivors Benefits U.S. National Archives and Records Administration - Where to get DD-214 Military Records - Get DD-214's (A Paid Site)	Honor Guard, Indiana Military Honor Guard, Indy Metropolitan Military IMMHG SmugMug Photo Album Bugles Across America - Taps for a Military Funeral Indiana Legal Services - Military Assistant Project Bag Pipes - 500 Gordon Pipers Burial Flag, U.S. - Veterans Flag Depot VA Survivors Pension Applicaiton Church Finder, List of Christian Churches in Indianapolis Funeral Homes, List of Indy area - Legacy.com Obituary, List in the Indianapolis Star - Legacy.com
Funerals - Plan Ahead Programs Flanner & Buchanan - 13 Indy Locations (317) 387-7000 Neptune Society - Indianapolis 4825 E 96th St Indianapolis, IN 46240 (317) 469-9580 Marion County Coroner's Office 521 W McCarty St Indianapolis IN 46225 (317) 327-4744	IN Senator Todd Young 317-226-6700 Office in Indy IN Senator Mike Braun 317-822-8240 Office in Indy	IN Congressman Andre Carson 317-283-6516 Office in Indy 7th District IN Congresswoman Victory Spartz Pending new informaion 317-848-0201 in Indy 5th District
If you are the survivor of a Veteran, you may be eligible for survivors' benefits For more information, contact an accredited AVVA or VVA Veteran Service Officer, or call the VBA at (800) 827-1000 Associates of Vietnam Veterans of America - official website
Key Documents You May Need, both before and after the death of a Veteran - It is recommended that your family maintains a record of the following documents in a safe place that other family members knows about: Veterans discharge papers, DD-214, or separation papers. All marriage and divorce decrees for spouse and the Veteran. All minor children's birth certificates. Social Security numbers for the entire Veterans family. All medical evaluation boards, disability ratings, or Social Security awards. All hospital records, surgical reports, and treatment records; and A certified copy of any death certificates. All life insurance policies.
(Revised 28Dec20 at 1120)

For Medical or Physical Emergencies:

New - dial 988 - By dialing 988 your call will be immediately routed to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
- The current Lifeline phone number (1-800-273-8255) is always available to people in emotional distress or suicidal crisis, even after 988 is launched nationally.,
If you or someone you are helping is hurt or in imminent danger, please get to a phone and dial 9-1-1 for immediate help.
If you or someone you know is feeling suicidal or facing a crisis, dial 2-1-1 in Indy or 1-(866) 211-9966 for immediate help.
If you are a victim of domestic violence, dial 1-(800) 332-7385 in Indy for help.

For Non-Emergencies:

If you are a Veteran, or a family member of a Veteran, in search of information on how to get goods or services you/they may need, you can dial 2-1-1 or contact one of the Service Providers or Veterans Organizations listed on our "Resources" page.
Cellphone users in Marion County may now dial 3-1-1 to reach the non-emergency line for IMPD and other Marion County dispatchers. The non-emergency phone number for callers using landlines is (317) 327-3811.

Please Note:

VSC is not a provider of any financial assistance or direct services other than Information and Referrals on where to get goods, services, programs, and benefits for Veterans, the Military, and their families.

Disclaimer:

This is a private website and is NOT affiliated with any U.S. government or U.S. Armed Forces agencies.
We reserve the right to monitor the content of this website and regret that some suggested or recommended resources may not be accepted for one reason or another.
The information and organizations listed on this website do not necessarily mean that we endorse their information, data, or their resources. We have done our best to include information and resources that benefit our Veterans, the Military Community, and their Families.