Air Force Funeral Services: No Military Honors Columbarium Inurnments


General Information:

No military honors inurnments are for family members of military members who are authorized inurnment at Arlington. Air Force chaplains do not escort civilian clergy for a No Honors funeral at Arlington. However, if you need the assistance of an Air Force chaplain, please call (703) 695-4584 and we will gladly assist you.

Specific Information:

Plan to arrive at the 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.

Columbarium

  • The cemetery representative can also help you regarding protocol. Military members will not salute during this service but will stand at attention while the remains are being transferred.

  • After the bodybearers has secured the remains from the representative's vehicle, you will be cued by the cemetery representative to escort the remains into the Columbarium.

  • At this point, the cemetery representative will also lead you to the niche area.

At the Columbarium: The Niche

  • When all have arrived at the niche, the cemetery representative will invite a family member to place the remains in the niche.

  • The cemetery representative will look to you to for the inurnment service or its equivalent after the urn is in the niche.

  • Please do this short service according to the dictates of your faith and the needs of the family. At the end of this service, you are welcome to offer condolences to the family. Time is critical at Arlington, with an average of 23 funerals each day. We request that these services be less than 10 minutes in length.

  • The cemetery representative announces that the service is over and invites people to return to their cars.