Veterans Burials at Sea
A personalized, private memorial for your veteran — your date, your location, your family present.
What JADA Provides
JADA provides a dignified, personalized ash scattering ceremony at sea for veterans and their families. Every detail is tailored to you:
- A date and time of your choosing
- Your choice of location on San Diego Bay or the Pacific Ocean
- Attendance by family and loved ones — up to 28 guests
- JADA, a historic 1938 classic sailing schooner, as the vessel for your service
What the VA Does Not Provide
The VA does not perform burials at sea. They refer families to the U.S. Navy, which determines the date, time, and location — and does not allow loved ones to attend. JADA provides what the Navy cannot: a private ceremony, on your timeline, with your family present.
What the VA Does Provide for Veterans
These VA benefits are available whether the scattering takes place with the Navy or aboard JADA:
- Burial flag with folding ceremony and sounding of taps
- Military honors including firing parties, pallbearers, and color guards
- Presidential Memorial Certificates
- Burial allowance reimbursement: up to $2,000 if the veteran's death was service-connected; up to $300 for veterans receiving pension or compensation at time of death
5-Step Planning Checklist
Work through these steps to plan a veterans burial at sea with JADA.
Step 1 — Gather Your Veteran's Records
- DD 214 (record of military service)
- Medical records
- Social security information
- Death certificate
- Marriage license (if applicable)
Step 2 — Contact the VA
Call the Department of Veterans Affairs at 1-800-827-1000. Work with the burial and death benefits department to apply for all benefits. Ask about spousal benefits as well.
Step 3 — Request a Separate Container
If you also wish to have a VA cemetery space, inform the VA that you desire your veteran to be "inured" — a cemetery space set aside for a separate container of ashes with a grave marker. This allows for both a scattering at sea and a permanent memorial site. Request two containers from your crematory.
Step 4 — Request Special Honors
Request the benefits you desire: an American burial flag, a Presidential Memorial Certificate, and Full Military Honors if desired.
Step 5 — Contact JADA
Call us at 619-986-7344 or email bookings@queenofsandiego.com to arrange the scattering ceremony aboard JADA.
Arrange a Veterans Memorial at Sea
We will help guide you through the process with care and respect. Call or email to begin.
The foregoing information was obtained from the VA website and other sources believed reliable. For additional information please reference the U.S. Navy Mortuary Affairs & Burial At Sea Program and Veterans Affairs Burials.