Missouri National Guard Military Honor Detail Program

PURPOSE: This rule establishes procedures to provide military funeral honors for military members and veterans residing in the state of Missouri by the Office of the Adjutant General. (1) Definitions. (A) The terms defined in this section are incorporated by reference for use in 11 CSR 10-4. (B) As used in this rule, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the following terms and abbreviations shall mean: 1. Adjutant General—As defined in Chapter 41, Revised Statutes of Missouri, section 41.110 and all amendments thereto; 2. Appropriate—Especially suitable or compatible for the purpose desired; 3. Appropriate service records—Military records documenting the honorable service of a veteran in the armed forces of the United States eligibility for military honor funeral services. A Department of Defense DD-214 or other document acceptable to the Adjutant General; 4. Armed Forces of the United States—As defined in Title 10, Section 101 of the United States Code and all amendments thereto; 5. Active service—As defined in Title 10, section 101 of the United States Code and all amendments thereto; 6. Commander—One in an official position of command or control; 7. Director, Military Honor Program—A person designated by the Adjutant General to administer the state of Missouri Military Honor Program; 8. Director of funeral home—The funeral director or a person designated on their behalf to request military honor services for the deceased; 9. Honor detail—The appropriate military funeral honor detail to be provided veterans as identified in the Office of the Adjutant General Standing Operation Procedures (SOP) entitled “Standing Operation Procedures for Conducting Military Funeral Honor Details”; 10. Missouri National Guard Trust Fund—The fund authorized by section 41.214, Revised Statutes of Missouri; 11. Recognized veterans’ organization—A veterans’ organization as defined in Title 38, section 5902 of the United States Code and all amendments thereto; 12. Time of war—The period of war as defined in Title 38, section 101 of the United States Code and all amendments thereto; 13. Uniform—Dress of a distinctive design or fashion to be worn by members of a recognized veterans’ or military organization in the performance of military honor detail services approved by an authorized representative of the Adjutant General; 14. United States—as defined in Title 10, section 101 of the United States Code and all amendments thereto; and 15. Veteran—An individual who served honorably for at least six (6) months on active service during peacetime or wartime in the armed forces of the United States, unless released early as a result of a service-connected disability or a reduction in force at the convenience of the government; were or are eligible to receive a military pension; served honorably in a selected reserve unit/organization for a minimum of six (6) years; or died while serving as a member of a selected reserve unit/organization. (2) References. (A) Sections 41.110, 41.214, 41.215, and 41.958, RSMo. (B) Title 10, section 101 and Title 38, sections 101 and 5902 of the United States Code. (C) Appropriate service regulations/instructions, pamphlets, Missouri National Guard Regulations, Standing Operating Procedures (SOPs), and field manuals governing the conduct of military funerals. (3) Conduct of Services—Conduct of military honor detail services will be conducted in accordance with the Office of the Adjutant General’s Standing Operation Procedures entitled “Standing Operation Procedures for Conducting Military Funeral Honor Details.” (4) The Adjutant General will, subject to appropriations, provide a uniformed honor detail to attend and render the appropriate honors for deceased veterans who served honorably in the armed forces of the United States. (5) The director, Military Honor Program, is responsible for the overall program direction and coordination of the Military Honor Program. The director will establish regions within the state to support requests for military funeral honor support to veterans; and develop and maintain policies, procedures, and standing operating procedures for military funeral honor detail performance. The area coordinator will receive and coordinate all requests for military funeral honor support from funeral directors, family members, or other authorized source. (6) The area commander will be responsible for training and certification of the Missouri military funeral honor detail personnel to include veterans’ organizations and be responsible to coordinate/furnish training to veterans’ organizations, MONG unit augmentation personnel, and provide training for recognized veterans’ organizations when requested and resources are available. (7) Requests for military funeral honors will be coordinated with active duty service components, recognized veterans’ organizations, and Missouri National Guard units/ organizations. The director, Military Honor Program, will coordinate support requirements with active component and veterans’ organizations prior to committing Missouri National Guard resources. (8) Military funeral honor detail support will be provided only within the geographic boundaries of the state of Missouri, unless special consideration has been requested and approved by the Adjutant General. (9) Reimbursement at levels established by the Adjutant General to certified veterans’ organizations for providing military honor services, subject to the availability of funds, is authorized when approved by the Adjutant General. Reimbursement is not authorized veterans’ organizations for military funeral detail performance unless the organization meets the requirements for a recognized veterans’ organization, been certified by the Adjutant General to perform honor detail services, and the military funeral detail has received prior authorization from an NATIONAL GUARD Office of the Adjutant General Military Honor Program official. (10) Military funeral honor details are available seven (7) days per week based on availability of resources. Details will be prioritized to ensure the maximum utilization of military funeral honor detail personnel. (11) Medal of Honor recipients and former Prisoners-of-War (POWs) will be given detail priority when all other means of providing military funeral honor support are not available. (12) Military honor funeral detail services must be requested by the commander of any recognized veterans’ organization, military commander or by any friend or relative of a deceased person or the director of a funeral home. (13) To request military honor detail services, the family member or interested party of the deceased should contact the funeral home director servicing the deceased veteran, or if this is not known, contact the Office of the Adjutant General, Military Honor Program Director, Jefferson City, Missouri. (14) Concept of Operations. (A) Active service members and those eligible for or receiving retired pay are eligible for the federal benefit of a military honor detail provided by active component installations. Any request received must be coordinated with the active component installation to ensure benefits due the surviving spouse or family members are accomplished. Normally, this will be accomplished by the funeral home director; however, coordination may be required to ensure support is available and will be provided. For all other veterans, the state of Missouri will be divided into areas of responsibility. Overall program supervision will be the director, Military Honor Program, Office of the Adjutant General located in Jefferson City, Missouri. (B) Military funeral honor support within the area of operation will be provided as follows: 1. The area coordinator will receive requests for military funeral honors and will contact local certified veterans’ organization military honor teams for support. When there are no veterans’ organization teams available, he will contact the area commander and coordinate the mission—utilizing members of the Missouri Military Funeral Honor Detail teams, augmented with traditional members of the Missouri National Guard. 2. The area commander will determine team availability and coordinate with the funeral home director on details concerning the missions. When the area commander determines he/she cannot support all requests, he/she will contact the Operations and Training Officer in the director’s office in Jefferson City for additional guidance. Without good cause or reason, the area commander will not refuse or deny military funeral honor support to eligible veterans. If the request cannot be fulfilled, the director’s office will contact the funeral home director/family member informing them support is unavailable and why. The director will maintain a master log of all requests and dispositions. AUTHORITY: section 41.958, RSMo Supp. 1998.* This rule originally filed as 11 CSR 10-4.010. Original rule filed Jan. 14, 1999, effective June 30, 1999. Moved to 23 CSR 10-4.010, effective Dec. 8, 2022. *Original authority: 41.958, RSMo 1991, amended 1993, 1995.