You earned these benefits. We will not charge you a markup to file the paperwork that makes them available, and we will not steer you toward a more expensive package than your family chooses. Whether the veteran wanted direct cremation, a full traditional funeral with burial at DFW National Cemetery, or interment at a state veterans cemetery, we will coordinate it. Pre-planning before need is encouraged; the VA accepts pre-eligibility determinations on Form 40-10007.
What VA benefits cover for eligible veterans
| Benefit | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Burial plot at a VA national cemetery | Free — including opening and closing of the grave |
| Government headstone or marker | Free, ordered through VA Form 40-1330 — upright marble, flat granite, or bronze niche cover |
| Perpetual care at the national cemetery | Free — federal maintenance, no annual fee |
| Military honors at the committal service | Free — flag presentation to next of kin, taps, rifle salute (when service detail available) |
| Presidential Memorial Certificate | Free, ordered through VA Form 40-0247 |
| Burial flag (5×9.5-foot interment flag) | Free, one per eligible veteran |
| VA burial allowance (service-connected death) | Up to $2,000 for funeral and burial costs (current as of 2026; verify at va.gov/burials-memorials) |
| VA burial allowance (non-service-connected death) | Lower amount; check current rates at va.gov |
| Spouse and dependent burial | Eligible spouses and unmarried dependent children may be buried with the veteran at no plot cost |
Dollar amounts for VA allowances change periodically. We confirm the current amounts at the time of arrangement and file the paperwork. The VA pays families directly; we do not handle the funds.
What VA benefits do NOT cover
Vargas-London’s service charges are NOT covered by VA burial benefits. Cremation or funeral service fees, casket or urn upgrades, embalming, additional limousines, flowers, and printed programs are paid by the family. Many families combine the VA burial allowance with one of our service packages to manage costs:
- Memorial cremation + DFW National Cemetery: $4,995 + $0 cemetery cost. Memorial service at our chapel or your church, then committal at the national cemetery with full honors.
- Traditional funeral + DFW National Cemetery: $6,350 + $0 cemetery cost. Full visitation, funeral, hearse, and graveside committal with honors at the national cemetery.
The cemetery savings versus a private cemetery is significant — typically $3,000 to $8,000 stays with the family instead.
\g<1>The number to schedule a burial at Dallas–Fort Worth National Cemetery is the VA's National Cemetery Scheduling Office, 1-800-535-1117 — the cemetery does not book its own interments. The VA asks that discharge documentation be faxed to 1-866-900-6417 first and the call made afterwards. We do both for the family, and the cemetery itself can be reached on 214-467-3374, Monday to Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at 2000 Mountain Creek Parkway, Dallas, TX 75211.
Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery is at 2000 Mountain Creek Parkway in Dallas. It is administered by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Cemetery Administration. The cemetery accepts eligible veterans, spouses, and dependent children. Sections include traditional in-ground burial, columbarium niches for cremated remains, and memorial sections for veterans whose remains are not available for burial.
Key facts:
- Eligibility check first. The VA confirms eligibility based on DD-214 (or equivalent service record). Pre-eligibility determinations are filed on Form 40-10007 and stay on file at the National Cemetery Scheduling Office.
- Plot assignment at need. The VA does not pre-assign plots. The next available plot is assigned at the time of interment.
- Hours. The cemetery grounds are open to visitors daily; specific public hours and visitation rules are published at the cemetery’s VA page.
- Headstone. Government markers are ordered separately through VA Form 40-1330 after interment. The cemetery installs the marker; family chooses inscription within VA guidelines.
State veterans cemeteries
If DFW National Cemetery is not the right fit, Texas operates state veterans cemeteries that also accept eligible veterans. The closest options to DFW are managed by the Texas Veterans Land Board:
- Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery (Killeen) — ~3 hours south of DFW.
- Texas State Veterans Cemetery at Mission (Mission, TX) — south Texas.
- Texas State Veterans Cemetery at Abilene — ~3 hours west of DFW.
State veterans cemeteries have similar benefit structures: free plot, opening and closing, perpetual care, and government marker. The Texas Veterans Land Board administers eligibility separately from the VA. We coordinate paperwork for either.
How it works, step by step
Veteran service coordination moves through four phases. Carlos Vargas, our Texas Licensed Funeral Director (TFSC #119648), supervises every arrangement personally.
1. Locate the DD-214
The DD-214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) is the document the VA needs to confirm eligibility. If the family does not have a copy, we help request one from the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis, Missouri. Requests through the VA’s eVetRecs system typically return within a few weeks; expedited at-need requests can return within 24 to 72 hours. If a DD-214 cannot be located in time, an interim eligibility determination based on the family’s knowledge of service can sometimes proceed.
2. Call us — we coordinate the transfer and the VA paperwork
Call (214) 550-7369 day or night. We coordinate transfer into our care from the place of death. While the family decides on disposition (cremation or burial) and service style, we file:
- VA Form 40-10007 — Application for Pre-Need Determination of Eligibility for Burial in a VA National Cemetery, or at-need cemetery application.
- VA Form 21P-530EZ — Application for Burial Benefits (the burial allowance).
- VA Form 40-1330 — Claim for Standard Government Headstone or Marker.
- VA Form 40-0247 — Application for Presidential Memorial Certificate.
- The DD-214 is uploaded with the application; we keep copies on file.
3. Plan the service the family wants
You choose direct cremation, memorial cremation, or a traditional funeral — or you arrange the funeral service privately and only use VA for interment. Most families plan a service at our chapel or the family’s church/temple/masjid, followed by procession to the cemetery for the committal. Catholic vigils, Jewish funerals, Islamic janazah, and Hindu antyesti are all accommodated alongside veteran honors.
4. The committal at the cemetery, with military honors
Military honors are requested through the cemetery and the Department of Defense Funeral Honors program. Standard honors include a uniformed honor detail of at least two service members, flag presentation to the next of kin, and the playing of taps. A rifle salute (3 or 7 volleys) is added when an honor guard detail of sufficient size is available; the cemetery confirms this with the family during scheduling. We attend the committal with you and coordinate with cemetery staff to ensure the honors take place as planned.
Eligibility — who qualifies
Veteran eligibility for VA national cemetery interment
Eligibility is determined by the VA based on the discharge type and service record. Generally eligible:
- Veterans with at least one full term of service who were honorably discharged or discharged under conditions other than dishonorable.
- Reservists or National Guard members who were called to active duty by federal order and served the full term.
- Some commissioned officers of the U.S. Public Health Service or NOAA.
- Recipients of the Medal of Honor regardless of service length.
The VA’s pre-eligibility determination process (Form 40-10007) gives a definitive answer in advance. Filing it during pre-planning eliminates uncertainty for the family later.
Spouse and dependent eligibility
The eligible veteran’s spouse, surviving spouse, and unmarried dependent children may be interred with the veteran at no plot cost — even if the spouse predeceases the veteran. A surviving spouse who later remarries another veteran may still be eligible for burial with the first veteran. Dependent children must be unmarried and either under 21 (or under 23 if a full-time student) or permanently incapable of self-support.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get a copy of the DD-214 if we don’t have one?
Request one through the National Personnel Records Center via the VA’s eVetRecs online portal (archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records). Standard requests return within a few weeks. At-need expedited requests — for an active funeral — can return within 24 to 72 hours. We file the request on the family’s behalf at no charge.
Can a veteran be cremated and still receive military honors?
Yes. Military honors apply regardless of cremation or burial. Cremated remains can be interred at the national cemetery’s columbarium with honors, or scattered in the cemetery’s memorial scatter area. The flag presentation, taps, and rifle salute happen at the committal in the same way they would at a casket burial.
Does the VA burial allowance pay for the funeral home?
Partially. The VA pays a burial allowance directly to the family (or whoever paid the funeral bill). It is intended to help offset funeral home costs but does not cover the full bill at most price points. Our service charges are billed to the family; the VA allowance can be applied toward them.
How long does it take to bury a veteran at DFW National Cemetery?
Typically 5 to 10 business days from passing to committal, similar to any cemetery burial. The 48-hour wait for cremation (Tex. H&S Code § 716.054) applies if the veteran is being cremated. We coordinate with the National Cemetery Scheduling Office on timing.
What does the government headstone look like?
Government markers come in upright marble (typical for the World War II generation and earlier), flat granite (most common modern choice), or bronze niche covers (for cremated remains in a columbarium). The family chooses the inscription within VA guidelines. The cemetery installs the marker after burial; turnaround for the marker is typically a few months.
Can my spouse be buried with me at DFW National Cemetery?
Yes. Eligible spouses and unmarried dependent children may be interred with the veteran at no plot cost. The cemetery uses a layered interment system in many sections so both burials can share a single plot.
What if I served in the Reserves or National Guard?
Reservists and National Guard members are eligible for VA burial benefits if they were called to active duty by federal order and served the full term. Service for state-only orders (state active duty) does not qualify. The DD-214 will show the service category; the VA confirms eligibility on the Form 40-10007 application.
Can pre-planning include a VA pre-eligibility determination?
Yes — this is one of the most helpful things a veteran can do for the family. VA Form 40-10007 (Pre-Need Determination of Eligibility) lets the VA review your DD-214 in advance and confirm eligibility. The determination stays on file at the National Cemetery Scheduling Office. At the time of need, this eliminates a delay and uncertainty for the family. We help file it during a free pre-planning consultation.
What if the veteran is buried out of state, but the family is in DFW?
We coordinate transport to the family’s chosen cemetery anywhere in the continental U.S. Additional shipping costs apply at cost with no markup. If the veteran is buried at a national cemetery in another state, we coordinate with the receiving cemetery on paperwork and timing.
Do you serve veterans in my ZIP code?
Yes if you’re in DFW. Same coordination at no markup in every ZIP. See coverage for 75080 Richardson, 75024 Plano, 75033 Frisco, 75013 Allen, 75230 Dallas (Preston Hollow), 75248 Dallas (Far North) and every other DFW ZIP.
Bilingual care
Carlos Vargas and the Vargas-London staff coordinate veteran arrangements in English and Spanish. Many DFW Hispanic families have multi-generational military service; bilingual paperwork support is part of what we provide. Llame al (214) 550-7369 para hablar con un director funerario bilingüe.
Every veteran earned these benefits. Vargas-London handles every VA filing, every cemetery coordination, every military honors request at no markup — whether the family chooses our least expensive cremation or our most expensive traditional funeral. The VA paperwork is included as part of our service to every veteran family, every time.