Veteran will be considered as defined by ORC 5901.01(B) and 5901.08.
5901.01(B) As used in Section 5901.08 and other sections of the Ohio Revised Code with regard to applications for financial assistance under Sections 5901.02 to 5901.15 of the Ohio Revised Code, “VETERAN” means a person who served in the Armed Forces of the United States on active military duty and was discharged from the service under Honorable conditions, and who either served on active duty for reasons other than training or while serving on active duty for training, incurred a disability recognized by the Department of Veterans Affairs or Department of Defense as service-connected.
5901.08 Each applicant for financial assistance under sections 5901.02 to 5901.15 of the Ohio Revised Code shall be a veteran, an active duty member of the Armed Forces of the United States, or the spouse, surviving spouse, dependent parent, minor child, or ward of a veteran or active-duty member of the Armed Forces of the United States, and who has been a bona fide resident of the county in which application is being made for at least three months (90 days).
Application will follow the present guidelines as well as ORC 5901.26 and 5901.27. Before assuming the charge and expense of any burial or cremation, the Veterans Service Commission (VSC), pursuant to section 5901.25 of the Revised Code, shall satisfy itself, beyond a reasonable doubt, by carefully inquiring, that the family of the deceased is unable, for want of means, to defray the expenses of the burial or cremation, or that the family may be deprived of means actually necessary for its immediate support. The VSC shall set forth the name of the deceased, the rank, and command to which the deceased belonged, if a veteran, the date of death, the place of burial or disposition of the person’s remains, the occupation while living, and an accurate itemized statement of the expenses incurred by reason of the burial or cremation.
- It must be determined that the veteran/the veteran’s survivors or those responsible for the funeral are without means to pay.
- Applicant (other than funeral home) will provide a financial statement with the application for burial assistance.
- Applicant will provide the VSC with an itemized statement from the funeral home listing all expenses. When the benefits are claimed the entire amount to be contributed by the VSC toward the cost of the burial or cremation shall not exceed the sum of one thousand dollars and that any remaining costs are paid by the family or friends of the deceased.
- Applicant will provide the VSC with a copy of the Separation document and death certificate.
- Applicant will provide the VSC with a statement from the nursing home on the amount the veteran had in the account (if applicable) and its usage.
- All applications will be acted upon within 30 days of it being submitted to the VSC. They will be acted upon at the next regular scheduled meeting if time allows for the investigation by VSO staff.
- Applications must be submitted by the family. The only time an application by the funeral director will be considered is if there is no family or next of kin.
- Applications must be submitted within 12 months of death/burial of a veteran.
All applications will be investigated to determine if the deceased had property and if there is no surviving spouse, then the property must be sold before assistance will be given. Proof must be provided that describes how and when the disposal of the property took place. If there was property signed over to a relative within the past five years no assistance will be provided.
The funeral must be basic. That meaning if the funeral is upgraded with a more expensive casket or vault or arrangements the VSC may not consider any payment.
At no time will the VSC approve payment of the opening or closing of the grave. There are free veterans’ plots that may be provided by certain cemeteries if the veteran meets the eligibility requirements.
All requests for assistance will be considered upon completion of application using the applicable forms provided by the Veterans Service Commission.