Which document is typically used to verify veteran status when filing for VA burial benefits?

• A. Copy of the Honorable Discharge (DD-214)
• B. Notify the Registrar of Vital Statistics
• C. Certified Copy of the Death Certificate
• D. Completed Form #21-530

Answer: (A)

Verifying veteran status for VA burial benefits rests on documentation of military service. The copy of the Honorable Discharge (DD-214) is the standard proof because it records key details—branch of service, dates of active duty, and the discharge status—which together confirm veteran eligibility for benefits. The other options don’t establish veteran status: a death certificate only proves that death occurred, not military service; notifying the registrar of vital statistics is a civil records step; and the burial benefits form is the application, not proof of veteran status. So the DD-214 is the typical document used to verify veteran status.