What does the Veterans’ Administration benefit include?
Survivors may be eligible for a lump sum payment of $300 for burial expenses, an allowance of $300 toward a burial plot, burial in a national cemetery, a government headstone or marker, and a burial flag.
Who administers the program?
What determines eligibility?
The firefighter must have been a veteran who received a discharge other than dishonorable. Reservists entitled to retired pay are also eligible to receive a burial flag.
How do you apply for veterans’ benefits?
Contact the regional Veterans’ Administration Office listed in the Federal Government section of the telephone book or call 1-800-827-1000.
You will need the following:
- Proof of military service (Form DD-214)
- Service Serial Number
- Death certificate
- Marriage license, if applicable
- Children’s birth certificates, if applicable
Public Safety Officers’ Benefits
A unique effort of the U.S. Department of Justice; local, state, tribal, and federal public safety agencies; and national organizations, the Public Safety Officers’ Benefits (PSOB) Programs provide death and education benefits to survivors of fallen firefighters, law enforcement officers, and other first responders, and disability benefits to officers catastrophically injured in the line of duty. The PSOB Office at the Bureau of Justice Assistance is honored to review the nearly 700 claims submitted each year on behalf of America’s fallen and catastrophically disabled public safety heroes and their loved ones. Visit www.psob.gov for details regarding PSOB’s death, disability, and educational assistance programs.
