Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James is "strongly encouraging" commanders to team up with veterans service organizations to provide three-volley gun salutes — often referred to as 21-gun salutes — at funerals for eligible veterans and retirees.
Outrage has built online among some service members and veterans in recent weeks after Honolulu station KHON2 reported that the 15th Wing at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Hawaii had discontinued 21-gun salutes at veterans' funerals.
In a Monday post on her official Facebook page, James said that she has asked her staff to better clarify what kind of support is available for veterans' and retirees' funerals, and share that information with commanders across the service.
"Understanding the tremendous demands on our Airmen, we're strongly encouraging commanders to provide a gun volley to those who are eligible and to partner with all the veteran's service organizations in their regions to support the family's wishes," James wrote in her post. "If units are unable to provide more than two [honor guard members to provide a gun volley], wing commanders must be informed prior to the ceremony."
"We're stretched thin, but this is a priority," James concluded. "We will continue to honor all our veterans and the sacrifices they have given for our Nation."
The policy change itself is not new, despite the recent uproar. In 2013, the Air Force enacted a policy — driven by the sequester's budget cuts — allowing bases to cut funeral details for veterans and retirees from seven airmen to two. Under the policy, funerals are still required to include the folding of an American flag and its presentation to the family of the deceased, and the sounding of "Taps." But the traditional volley of gunfire to salute the veteran is no longer required.
But base commanders are still allowed to field the full seven-person team for veterans and retirees if the honor guard members are available. If not, commanders or veterans' families can contact members from veterans service organizations, other retirees, or Reserve Officer Training Corps units, as long as they are willing to pay a statutory stipend.
In response to a comment, James said: "I want to reassure you that the gun salute has not been removed from funeral honors for our veterans. In fact we encourage commanders to provide more than the required two persons whenever possible to ensure a three-shot volley is done according to the wishes of the family."
Stephen Losey is the air warfare reporter for Defense News. He previously covered leadership and personnel issues at Air Force Times, and the Pentagon, special operations and air warfare at Military.com. He has traveled to the Middle East to cover U.S. Air Force operations.
