Military funeral



A military funeral is a memorial or burial rite given by a country's military for a soldier, sailor, marine or airman who died in battle, a veteran, or other prominent military figures or heads of state. A military funeral may feature guards of honor, the firing of volley shots as a salute, drumming and other military elements, with a flag draping over the coffin.

Canada
Canadian military funerals involve many rituals seen in other parts of the world. The Royal Canadian Horse Artillery use a 25-pounder gun and limber as the funeral vehicle. Muffled drums accompany the graveside processional. The deceased's headdress, insignia and medals are borne on a velvet cushion into the funeral service. Volleys are fired over the grave when the body is interred. Countries in the Commonwealth duplicate the British military drill and ceremony. The Canadian funeral described above typifies the funerary service. The bugle tune Last Post is played as the body is interred.

Chile
In Chilean military funerals, due to its Prussian military tradition, the German song "Ich hatt' einen Kameraden" is sung.

Germany
In Germany, Ludwig Uhland's song "Ich hatt' einen Kameraden" is an integral part of a military funeral.

Indonesia
In Indonesia, military funerals are generally given only military members or former guerrillas, Konfrontasi and Trikora Operation Soldiers, especially those holding the Bintang Gerilya (Star of the Guerrilla). Exceptional politicians and Ministers have the option for such a funeral, but most opt for a more intimate religious one. Music is not performed as it is not part of Indonesian military tradition. A 21-gun volley salute is the norm by seven soldiers- occasionally a mixture of armed forces dependent on their career, Honour drill team is platoon-size formation and larger the more illustrious the departed. A good example of an Indonesian military burial is that of the late president Suharto- (although obvious major differences exist)

Italy


In Italy the members of the Armed Forces who died in the line of duty are granted a state funeral by decree of the Prime Minister. So the funeral follows the protocol of a state funeral, and in particular the six officers in high uniform who carry the coffin are members of the same Armed Force of the departed.

Poland
In Poland, the last fragment of Władysław Tarnowski's song Śpij, kolego ("Sleep, friend"),  a portion of the larger composition Jak to na wojence ładnie (the title has no precise English translation, but it is roughly "how nice it is in war", with a diminutive form conveying a sense of ironic solidarity) is an integral part of a military funeral.

Spain
In Spain, the formed troops sing "La muerte no es el final": Death is not the End.

United Kingdom
The British army carries reversed arms at military funerals.

United States of America
In the United States, the United States Army Military District of Washington (MDW) is responsible for providing military funerals. "Honoring Those Who Served" is the title of the program for instituting a dignified military funeral with full honors to the nation's veterans.

As of January 1, 2000, Section 578 of Public Law 106-65 of the National Defense Authorization Act mandates that the United States Armed Forces shall provide the rendering of honors in a military funeral for any eligible veteran if requested by his or her family. As mandated by federal law, an honor guard detail for the burial of an eligible veteran shall consist of no fewer than two members of the Armed Forces. One member of the detail shall be a representative of the parent armed service of the deceased veteran. The honor guard detail will, at a minimum, perform a ceremony that includes the folding and presenting of the flag of the United States to the next of kin and the playing of Taps which will be played by a lone bugler, if available, or by audio recording. Today, there are so few buglers available that the United States Armed Forces often cannot provide one. However, federal law allows Reserve and National Guard units to assist with funeral honors duty when necessary.

Other

 * After the 2006 Lebanon war, Hezbollah draped coffins containing their dead in Hezbollah flags with flowers on top. They were given a funeral according to Shiite Muslim traditions, then buried in their hometowns.
 * Irish Republican Army members have been accorded military funerals.
 * On occasion, deceased soldiers have been accorded military funerals by their enemies (for example, see Manfred von Richthofen).

Images and sounds

 * Sample of "Taps" (.wav)