Veterans Services
Message from the Coroner
Please accept our sincere gratitude on behalf of my office and the citizens of St. Tammany Parish for your honorable service to our country. As a Veteran or a Veteran’s dependent, you have special benefits available to help you plan for eventual final arrangements. The path to accessing these services can be daunting sometimes, so my office, in partnership with the Department of Veterans Affairs, has assembled this information to help you navigate the process.
VA Burial Benefits
Honorably Discharged Veterans are entitled to burial and memorial services at no cost, including:
- A gravesite for casketed or cremated remains
- A headstone or grave marker
- Perpetual care of the gravesite
- A committal service at the cemetery
- Playing of taps
- Ceremonial flag folding and presentation
- Spousal or dependent burial (minimum fee)
- Distinguished service burial at Arlington National Cemetery, if qualified
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DD214 Document
Proof of honorable active military service is required to confirm eligibility for Veterans benefits and honors. The most common document for this purpose is the DD214, the Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty. There are several options if you do not have a copy of this form. First, look in your veteran’s important files or safety deposit box, as many veterans know this document’s importance and usually preserve it. It is also common for a DD214 to be registered as a domicile clerk of the court office. Check with your Parish Clerk’s office (or with the clerk’s office in the county or parish where the veteran lived when he was discharged from active duty).
If you need help
If you need assistance with obtaining document DD214:
Contact your local LADV benefits advisor listed on the previous page for assistance.
Contact the National Cemetery Scheduling Office for assistance in obtaining a copy. Their phone number is 800-535-1111.
To request records, contact the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis and submit an SF180 or Standard Form 180, which can be downloaded from the VA website.
Some records may be available online through the National Archives website at www.archives.gov.
Other documents, such as an identification card or Certificate of Honorable Discharge, may be accepted as proof of service. The VA website has a complete list of accepted documents.
Grief Counseling LOD Deaths
Military Honors
Navy: SW Naval Region
800-326-9631
Marine Corps: Inspector Instructor Office
866-826-3628
Army: Casualty Assistance Section
337-531-6316 or 318-531-1726
Air Force: Barksdale AFB Honor Guard
318-456-5246 or 318-564-8146
Coast Guard
504-253-6361 or 504-628-5270
St. Tammany Veterans Affairs
West: Mike Perfinski 985-893-6201 1301 N. Florida Street Covington, LA 70433 Michael.Perfinski@la.gov East: Devon John 985-645-3500 520 Old Spanish Trail – Suite 2E Slidell, LA 70458 Devon.John@la.gov www.vetaffairs.govVeterans Mental Health Resources
Longbranch Recovery N.O.R.A. House 504-576-9844 Victory Recovery Center Veterans Program 888-991-7933 Covington Behavioral Health Service Program 985-893-2970 National Alliance Mental Illness NAMI 985-626-6538 Avenues Active Military and Veterans 504-994-1493 Grief Counseling LOD Deaths 877-927-8387Southeast Louisiana Veterans Cemetery
34888 Grantham College Drive
Slidell, LA 70460
Phone: 985-646-6458
Fax: 985-646-6481
