General Questions
Most asked questions

New Team Member
Questions related to becoming a member of our team

Funeral Director
This area is for Funeral Directors and answers many of their questions.

Color Guard
Common questions regarding the Color Guard detail.

General Questions

• Veterans eligibility to receive an Honors service
  We will render Military Honors to all veterans who have been Honorably Discharged or Retired as evidenced by their Report of Transfer or Discharge form DD 214.  Here is an informative article published by the VFW.
   

• How do I request a Military Honor Guard to be present at my loved ones funeral?
  All requests are handled by and through the individuals Funeral Director.  They will request from you a DD 214 for the individual.  If you don't have one, they can help you get it.  Once the Funeral Director contacts us, we attempt to schedule the service with our team members.
   

• Why must I have a Funeral Director involved?
  Indiana law requires that a licensed Funeral Director shall be present at any ceremony where the body or ashes are present.
   

• Are there any options in what functions I can request?
  You can request any or all of our team functions:  Commander, Chaplin, Bugler, or Rifle Squad.
   

• Will I receive the burial flag?
  A United States flag is provided, at no cost, to drape the casket or accompany the urn of a deceased Veteran who served honorably in the U. S. Armed Forces. It is furnished to honor the memory of a Veteran's military service to his or her country.  Generally, the flag is presented to the next-of-kin, as a keepsake, after its use during the funeral service. When there is no next-of-kin, we will present the flag to a friend making request for it.
   

• What does it cost to have your services at a funeral?
  We are a completely volunteer organization (no paid employees) and perform all of our services free of charge.  We rely solely on donations and honorariums to cover our operating costs and to provide  a stipend to the members for each service they attend.  This is further explained on the “Donations” page in the menu at the left.
   

• How many services do you perform?
  In 2016 we did 384 funeral services and 11 other events utilizing 6,093 man-hours and 55,717 miles driven.  In 2015 we did 270 funeral services and 20 other events like color guard and narrated 13 fold.
   

• How long has IMMHG been performing it's services in the Indianapolis area?
  We have been doing services in the Indianapolis area for over a decade under various names.  In 2014 we formed the IMMHG organization so we could diversify what we do.  We are now performing Color Guard services, working with IUPUI students to improve our web site, looking forward to working with High School ROTC programs to honor our veterans...
   

• Can I make a contribution to the IMMHG?
  All the information about donating to IMMHG is found on our “Donation” page, select it in the menu at the left.
   

• Can I use a credit card or debit card to donate?
  Yes you can.  We accept all major credit and debit cards through PayPal which is the gold standard for secure financial transactions over the web.  See our “Donation” page, select it in the menu at the left.

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New Team Member

• Can I just observe to see if I would like to join?
  Absolutely, just fill out the interest form on the “Join the Team” page at the left.  We will contact you to let you know where the services are scheduled and invite you to one.  You can meet the members present and sit back and observe.
   

• What if I work Monday thru Friday?
  "We do services seven days a week, 52 weeks a year, rain, snow, sleet or shine.  We will fit you in based on your schedule.  All of our team members have other things going on in their life and can not always make a service.  The key is we have someone else who is able to make it.
   

• Is my age a factor in becoming a Team Member?
  There are no age restrictions on serving as a Team Member with the Honor Guard.
   

• How much of my time will be  required?
  Not counting the commute time to the service site, on average count on less than an hour to do what we do.  Our part of the service takes about ten minutes, but we arrive early and sometimes the service is later than the posted time.
   

• Are uniforms provided?
  IMMHG will provide each team member with complete uniforms.  The only exceptions are socks and shoes.  Uniforms are to be worn to official functions only and are returned to IMMHG when a person leaves the team.
   

• Will I get a reimbursement for miles traveled, uniform cleaning or meals?
  A stipend is paid to each team member that participates in a service.  Currently the amount of the stipend is $10.00 per service and is designated to cover all out-of-pocket costs incurred by the team member.
   

• How do I know if I qualify to be on the team?
  You must present a DD 214 which states that you were Honorably Discharged or Retired from the United States Military in order to join our team.  See the next question if you need to get a DD 214.  If you need assistance getting a DD 214 contact our Commander.  Click Here to contact our Commander.
   

• How do I obtain a DD 214?
  Here is a link to a web site that tells you how to get a copy of a DD214.  http://www.dd214.us/methods.html
   

• How is the training done for a new member?
  You will be trained in a single position prior to a service so that you understand what is expected.  Once you are comfortable in a position you will be trained in another position.  We try to maintain our goal of each of our team members can perform in any position during a service.
   

• Is standing, walking or marching required?
  We do stand at attention and at-ease during the service.  Sometimes we have to march across uneven ground at the cemetery.
   

• How many team members does IMMHG have?
  For a current list of our membership please go to our “Roster” page in the “About” menu at the left.  There you will find a list of all of our members and the office they hold if any.

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Funeral Director

• How many cartridge casings are presented to the next of kin?
  After the three volleys are fired and Taps is sounded we gather up the spent shell casings.  A rifleman will retrieve three of them and put them in a presentation box and then present it to the person who received the flag. The remainder of the spent cartridges are placed in a black velvet bag and given to the same person or the Funeral Director for presentation to the family.   Additional casings (not from this service) may be available to whomever wants them.  Ask the Rifle Team Leader for the additional casings.
   

• Who is IMMHG?
  We are the former Team 2 of the Marion County Military Honor Guard.  We have been performing Honors Services for over a decade in the greater Indianapolis area.  Most of the Funeral Directors in the area know us as do the military's representatives who do Honors Services.
   

• How much notice do you require to do a service?
  As much as you can give us.  We are totally volunteer, no paid employees, and therefore are not always at the computer to receive your request.  We do check for them several times per day.  You will be notified once we have completed work on your request.
   

• How do I contact you to schedule a service?
  All scheduling is done through this website.  You need to be set up in our system as a Funeral Director.  If you have not done that please click here to generate an email to the webmaster.  In the generated email let him know that you want the instructions for New Director setup.  Once the process is complete and for every service after that you will go to “Funeral Directors” at the left and sign-in with your newly created username and password.  You are then at the Service Request form where you complete each field and then submit it.  We will get back to you with the results.

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Color Guard

• Is there a cost for the services of the Color Guard?
  We are a completely volunteer organization (no paid employees) and perform all of our services free of charge.  We rely solely on donations and honorariums to cover our operating costs and to provide  a stipend to the members for each service they attend.  This is further explained on the “Donations” page in the menu at the left.
   

• What services do you perform?
  We can do the: posting of the Colors, opening an event; the retiring of the Colors, closing of event; and an informative narrated ceremonial 13 fold of the U. S. Flag.  Be advised that we may be required to leave the venue immediately after doing a portion of the event so we can attend a Military Funeral.
   

• How do I request the services of the Color Guard?
  At IMMHG our first priority is always to render Military Funeral Honors and as such we fill requests for Color Guard services on an as available basis. With this in mind, we ask that you submit your request well in advance so we can schedule our squad. Use the menu selection “Req. Color Guard” to submit a request for Color Guard services.
   

• How long after submitting a request before we know if the Color Guard will be at my event?
  Your request is instantaneously transmitted to our staff.  Since we are a completely volunteer organization, it may take a day or so for us to review your request and schedule a team.  Rest assured that we will get back to you ASAP.
   

• Venue issues!
  It is your responsibility to inform the venue that we will be there about an hour prior to the event so we can rehearse.  Also it's VERY IMPORTANT, for you to let the venue management and security  know that we will be bringing unloaded ceremonial M1 Garand service rifles into the venue with us and that we will be carrying them throughout our service process.  We will also require on-site parking for two vehicles with come-and-go privileges while we are at the event.

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