Veterans give so much for their country, showing courage, bravery, and a commitment to serve. That comes with many challenges, and they put others’ needs first, time and time again. When this amazing person passes away, grieving follows, along with many questions, including how to honor their accomplishments. Preserving their legacy is so important, and there are many ways to do so.
Special Funeral and Burial Honors
A military funeral service is among the biggest honors a veteran can have. The Department of Defense provides it for eligible veterans, covering the applicable fees. That includes a rifle salute, and the ceremonial folding and presentation of the US flag to the family. Also customary is for the bugles to play “Taps” during the memorial service.
For those being buried in VA national ceremonies, further honors are available. Burial benefits can include opening and closing the gravesite, as well as maintenance of the area. Some families choose to hold private ceremonies, while military personnel attend, to recognize their loved one’s service, which is a much-deserved recognition.
Military and Veteran Flag Case Shadow Boxes
A meaningful way to memorialize their dedication to the country is by preserving and displaying their service flag in a military and veteran flag case shadow box. This special veteran affairs display case is made to preserve and display a neatly folded American flag. Often, it is the one presented at a veteran’s memorial service. Many shadow boxes include medals, badges, and other service achievements.
Your family might place this case in the home where you have the opportunity to see it daily, reminding you of their heroic career and truly amazing spirit. Their accomplishments are on full display in a beautiful, respectful way, never to be forgotten. Some shadow boxes also include their engraved nameplate or rank.
Memorial Headstones and Plaques
Honoring a veteran can also occur through a dedicated memorial marker or a headstone. A marker is generally smaller than a headstone, with the right one depending on the preferred design, what you want it to say, and other factors. Government-issued markers, headstones, and plaques for eligible veterans can include service details, awards, and more, supporting families by memorializing loved ones in a thoughtful way without any worries about expenses.
Families can also honor the person who has passed with a special plaque placed in an area that was special to that individual, such as on the back of a bench they liked to sit on in a local park. That is a meaningful way to showcase their accomplishments and ensure they are remembered.
Create a Scholarship
Honoring your loved one and helping others can happen at the same time when you create a scholarship fund in their name. Your family member or friend was so brave and that must never be forgotten. This is exactly what happens when their name lives on in the scholarship.
Selecting a cause that was especially important to the late veteran makes sense. If they pursued higher education and felt value in that, perhaps starting a scholarship to help those seeking education in the areas of defense or public service is what you want to do.
Consider Starting a Memorial Fund
Your family might pursue a memorial fund in addition to the scholarship or instead of it. The right choice depends on what helps you carry out activities that would have meant a lot to the veteran in your life. The fund you establish could help those who were injured while serving their country or struggling military families.
The funding you help provide can bring deeper meaning to who your loved one was, showing they were caring, selfless, and wanted to help others. You can carry on in their spirit with a memorial fund that helps many people.
Host a Yearly Event
An annual event in their name offers a chance for those who cared for the veteran to come together to reminisce. Encourage people to bring photos and share memories of the individual who passed away during this get-together. The speeches, conversations, and overall appreciation for the loved one will ensure their accomplishments never get forgotten.
Sometimes called the anniversary of their death, this special time can be especially hard for families. The pain of grief can last years and, for many people, never goes away, and the ceremonial event can bring a sense of peace and love during such a difficult time.
Special Photo Book
Putting together photographs into a book is a wonderful keepsake. Flip through it when you want to smile, laugh, or need to cry. Doing so on your own, as well as with friends, family, and others, can help you keep the memories of them strong.
For those who come into your life in the coming years, introduce them to your passed loved one through the book. Sitting down with a new friend, explain the stories behind the photos in the book, describing the ways the veteran devoted their life to the greater good of their country.
Donate to Veteran-Related Non-Profits
Continuing your loved one’s legacy through giving is so valuable. It offers you the chance to help active members of the military and veterans, as well as their families. There are many non-profit organizations to choose from in the US.
When your loved one passes, you might also consider asking for donations to a certain charity rather than flowers. The money can go to those who need it, supporting veterans and their families. That helps your loved one’s impact extend for many more years.
Conclusion: Honoring a Veteran’s Accomplishments
Creating lasting tributes to your special someone provides a way to honor them properly, which they are so deserving of. That contributes to a lasting legacy, whether through special flag case shadow boxes, military funeral service, donations, a ceremonial annual event, or another way. Which ones you choose, as you remember the amazing veteran in your life, is a personal thing, based on what they would have wanted, what best showcases their values, and other factors. The tribute you give them will be exactly right as you know their spirit best, and it is coming from the heart.
