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Decedent Affairs

PSSU Alameda

 

PSSU Alameda personnel can provide burial assistance for veterans and retired members of the U.S. Armed Forces in the San Francisco Bay Area.  Use the following links to proceed to the section of your interest (all links are contained within this page):

Funeral Honors: The Coast Guard will make every attempt to provide a funeral detail when requested for the funeral service of a deceased veteran within the San Francisco Bay Area. You can provide the location, date, and time of a funeral to the Honor Guard Coordinator at 510-437-3751 as soon as you have the information available, and every effort will be made to provide the service. Please be advised that requests made less than 48 hours prior to the burial service stand a higher possibility of not being filled. Requests for funeral honors for former members if the Merchant Marines who served during WWII should be submitted through the nearest Navy Decedent Affairs Office.

Chaplain: A Coast Guard Chaplain may also be able to attend a funeral service if desired. If you would like a Chaplain’s presence, please contact the Chaplain directly at 510-437-3078.

Bugler/Firing Party: The Coast Guard has a bugler but no firing party. If you desire a firing party for a funeral you may wish to contact the Air Force at Travis AFB. The Public Affairs office at Travis is 707-423-3534. If the Coast Guard bugler is not available to play TAPS, the funeral detail uses a sound system with TAPS CD. If you would like this service please contact the Honor Guard Coordinator at 510-437-3751.

Burial Benefits: The Coast Guard does not make any payments to veterans. Some survivors may be eligible for funeral benefits. You should contact the Veteran’s Administration at 1-800-827-1000 if you have any questions about payments.

Funeral Flag: The Veteran's Administration provides a U.S. flag for all veterans and retired active duty members for the funeral service. Your funeral director can usually obtain this flag. Simply notify the director that the deceased was a veteran and that you would like a flag to be provided at the funeral service. If the funeral director does not provide assistance, you can submit a form to your local post office or Veteran’s Administration Office with a request. The form (VA Form 2008) can be accessed at the Veteran's Administration Website. You will also need to submit a copy of the veteran’s discharge or retirement papers.

Memorial Certificates: Presidential Memorial Certificates, bearing the President's signature, are issued to recognize honorably discharged deceased veterans. Next of kin and other loved one's are eligible to receive certificates. The award of a certificate to one eligible recipient does not preclude certificates to other eligible recipients. The veteran may have died at any time. Requests for certificates should include a copy of the deceased veteran's discharge document, form DD214. VA regional offices can assist in applying for certificates.

Burial at Sea (off the coast of California)

The Coast Guard will provide BURIAL AT SEA for CREMATED Remains (Ashes) of military personnel, dependents, and civilians. Military Honors are provided when appropriate. The COAST GUARD WILL NOT normally provide burial at sea for caskets with intact human remains. Burial of cremated remains may be performed by boats, ships or aircraft while meeting the requirements of EVIOURMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA) REGULATIONS.

A person cannot request a burial at sea from the Coast Guard prior to death. The person authorized to dispose of the remains must make the request (usually the next of kin). Anyone who thinks he/she would like to be buried at sea should make sure the next of kin is aware of the desire, and may want to have the desire recorded in a will.  FOR MERCHANT MARINES THAT SERVED IN WWII, PLEASE CONTACT THE DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY FOR BURIAL AT SEA INFORMATION.

To request burial at sea, the next of kin should send package with below items via registered mail:
  1. Photocopy of DD214
  2. Retirement certificate or honorable discharge certificate
  3. Photocopy of Death Certificate Application and permit for disposal of human remains
  4. Marriage certificate (if for deceased spouse)
  5. Birth certificate (if deceased is a child of a military member)
  6. Burial at Sea Program Request Authorization Form (original signature is required)
  7. Cremated remains
Send package to:
   Commanding Officer
   USCG Personnel Services & Support Unit
   Coast Guard Island, Bldg. 21
   Alameda, CA 94501-5100
   Attn: Decedent Affairs Officer

Once the burial is complete, you will receive documentation the gives the date and time or the ceremony along with the location of the burial in longitude/latitude.

Contact Information: Please contact the Decedent Affairs Officer at 510-437-5848 with if you have other questions or problems concerning Decedent Affairs.  For any questions concerning Honor Guard participation in funeral services please contact the Honor Guard Coordinator at 510-437-3751.

References/Helpful Links:

  • Coast Guard Survivor Guide
  • DoD Survivor Guide
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    Last Modified 1/26/2012