(This article originally appeared in the July 2026 issue of Military Officer, a magazine available to all MOAA Premium and Life members who can log in to access our digital version and archive. Basic members can save on a membership upgrade and access the magazine.)

The VA and the Pentagon work hand in hand to ensure those who honorably served the nation in uniform can receive dignified burial services. One of those options includes burial at sea, a Navy-run program that provides the final disposition of cremated or casketed remains during an onboard ceremony.

Those eligible for this program include active duty servicemembers, honorably discharged retirees and veterans, civilian marine personnel of Military Sealift Command, and dependent family members of active duty personnel, retirees, and veterans.

This program has recently grown in popularity. The Navy in 2023 performed 806 burials at sea; 925 in 2024; and 1,047 in 2025, according to Lt. Cmdr. Stuart Phillips of Navy Personnel Command. These ceremonies take place far from port in accordance with Environmental Protection Agency regulations.

“The EPA requires that burials at sea be conducted outside the 3-mile limit, off the continental shelf, and at a depth greater than 100 fathoms (600 feet),” Phillips said. “Ships that conduct burials at sea are not always deployed, as they may simply be conducting routine underways.”

[FOR PREMIUM AND LIFE MEMBERS: Your Guide to Military Burials]

Indeed, when Kyle Hammonds, now an executive assistant to the commanding officer for Naval Support Activity Washington, participated in one of these ceremonies in the ’90s, he was on USS Schenectady (LST-1185) for training.

When the tank landing ship came to a stop, with an honor guard present, the commanding officer offered a prayer for each of the cremated remains committed to the deep, Hammonds recalled. A quartermaster kept track during the solemn event.

“I felt a great deal of respect for the people that we were honoring,” he said in an interview with Military Officer. “It was an honor to do it.”

The Navy also allows casketed remains to be buried at sea. However, using a casket can be quite costly, a representative with the program said, as those requesting the service must cover storage until the Navy can provide accommodations.

For either option, there are specifications to consider. Start by contacting MyNavy Career Center at (833) 330-6622. In addition to a burial-at-sea request form, the Navy also requires supporting documents: a photocopy of the death certificate; the burial transit permit or the cremation certificate; and a copy of DD Form 214, a discharge certificate, or a retirement order.

Once the ceremony is complete, the Navy provides a date, time, and longitude and latitude of the remains to next of kin. Ships involved in this service can launch from five ports: Norfolk, Va.; Jacksonville, Fla.; San Diego; Bremerton, Wash.; and Honolulu.

The process for interment at sea can take 12 to 18 months after remains are received.