Armed Forces Veterans

The following action will assist in removing problems in the event of death, or for an application of a services pension. It is vital that the Veteran's discharge documents and service records are kept in a safe place that is known to the family. If the Veteran does not have a copy of either then they should waste no time in requesting copies from:

The Canadian Armed Forces
Record Center Public Archives of Canada
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0N3

Of further interest may be the fact that contacting one's local office of Veteran Affairs Canada may provide details of the likelihood of one's estate being eligible for grants for funerals.

Certain things that the VAC (Veterans Affairs Canada) may be able to assist with are:(for those who meet the criteria) funding for costs, at death, the funeral, burial and grave marking. This would include: preparation of the body, a standard casket, public viewing, local transportation of the casket, a burial plot, care of the site, and a grave marker.

The Last Post Fund (LPF) a nonprofit organization supported by the VAC and private donations, assists many veterans with funeral arrangements if sufficient funds are not available. Call or write:

The Last Post Fund,
National Office 685 Cathcart St,
Suite 503
Montreal, Quebec
H3B 1M7
1(800) 465-7113 Toll free

Note: the above information applies only to Canada and will vary from country to country. Further details as to other countries' policies will be made available soon.

Source: Veterans Affairs Canada www.vac-acc.gc.ca/clients/