Message from the Coroner:
Please accept on behalf of my office and the citizens of St. Tammany Parish, our sincere gratitude for your honorable service to our country. As a Veteran or a Veteran’s dependent, there are special benefits available to you to help plan for eventual final arrangements. The path to accessing these services can be daunting at times, so my office, in partnership with the Department of Veterans Affairs, has assembled this information to help you navigate the process.
May God bless you and your loved ones. Please feel free to contact my office at any time that we may assist you.
Charles A. Preston M.D.
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
DD214 Document:
To confirm eligibility for Veterans benefits and honors, proof of honorable active military service is required. The most common document for this purpose is the DD214, also known as the Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty. If you do not have a copy of this form, there are several options. 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 that a DD214 is registered at a domicile Clerk of Court Office. Check with your Parish Clerk’s office (or with the office of the clerk in the county or parish where the veteran lived at the time he was discharged from active duty).
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.
Contact the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis and submit a SF180, or Standard Form 180, that can be downloaded from the VA website, to request records.
Some records may be available online through the National Archives website at www.archives.gov.
Some other documents may be accepted for proof of service, such as an identification card, or Certificate of Honorable Discharge. A complete list of accepted documents is available on the VA website.
Grief Counseling LOD Deaths
877-927-8387
Veterans 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
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
Â
Southeast Louisiana Veterans Cemetery
34888 Grantham College Drive
Slidell, LAÂ 70460
985-646-6458
Fax: 985-646-6481
St. Tammany Veterans Affairs
West: Mike Perfinski
985-893-6201
1301 N. Florida Street
Covington, LAÂ 70433
East: Devon John
985-645-3500
520 Old Spanish Trail – Suite 2E
Slidell, LAÂ 70458