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At Arlington National Cemetery, every funeral is conducted with solemn dignity to honor a life of service.
Each weekday, the cemetery holds many services for those being laid to rest. Every ceremony is carried out with care, but not all include the same military honors. Services take place Monday through Friday, except on federal holidays, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Types of Honors
There are three types of honors at Arlington National Cemetery: military funeral honors, full military funeral honors with escort, and dependent honors.
Military funeral honors are given to enlisted service members, WO-1 through CW-3, and O-1 through O-3. They include a casket team, a firing party, a bugler, and the folding and presentation of the U.S. flag.
Full military funeral honors with escort may be given to those who reached the grade of E-9, CW-4 or CW-5, and O-4 and above. They may also be given to Medal of Honor recipients, former prisoners of war, and those lost in action. These services can include a marching unit and a military band, along with the standard honors.
Dependent honors are provided when a spouse or other eligible dependent of a current or former service member is buried at Arlington. In these cases, the branch of service provides a casket team or body bearers, and a military chaplain if requested. No other honors are included unless the dependent also served in the military.
Order of Events
Families and guests are asked to arrive about 45 minutes before the service. Cemetery staff and signs guide visitors to the proper parking and waiting areas, and a representative meets the family.
About 10 to 15 minutes before the service, the funeral procession begins and moves toward the gravesite or chapel.
The service itself usually lasts 20 to 30 minutes. It often includes prayers or remarks, followed by the rendering of military honors. A rifle volley may be fired, “Taps” is played by a bugler, and the flag is folded and presented to the next of kin.
At some services, an “Arlington Lady” or another representative may also offer a note of condolence to the family. Each part of the ceremony is carried out with quiet respect, honoring the service and sacrifice of those who have passed.
Caisson
A caisson may be part of a full honors service, depending on eligibility and availability. The U.S. Army began limited caisson operations again in June 2025. Currently, the caisson is used for a small number of services each week. Priority is given to those lost in action, Medal of Honor or POW Medal recipients, senior enlisted and warrant officers at the highest grades, and senior commissioned officers. Families who choose to wait for the caisson may also be included.
Other Traditions
Army and Marine Corps colonels and general officers may be provided a riderless horse when available. The horse follows the procession with an empty saddle and boots reversed in the stirrups, a symbol of the final ride.
Each service branch carries out funeral honors for its own members. Support at Arlington may also include soldiers of the U.S. Army’s 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard), whose mission is to uphold traditions and honor those laid to rest.
Respecting Services
The Arlington National Cemetery tour is planned to avoid active services whenever possible. If you see a funeral procession, please stop and allow it to pass. Photography is permitted at Arlington, but visitors should not take photos of anyone who is visibly mourning. A quiet moment of reflection is one of the most meaningful ways to honor those laid to rest here.