When a veteran passes away, their families often wonder what they may be entitled to as a member of the armed services. As funeral directors the thing that we must have to establish eligibility for any of these benefits is a copy of the veteran's discharge papers (DD-214) or a Statement of Service. More documentation will likely be required if applying for additional benefits through the VA, but either of these will usually suffice for determining basic eligibility. If you need to request this record, please click the link to the National Archives provided on the bottom of the page.