A funeral program is an integral part of any funeral service. Not only is this a clear order-of-service for people to follow throughout the event, but it’s also a powerful memento to hold onto after the memorial comes to a close.
Jump ahead to these sections:
- What Should You Include in a Military Funeral Program?
- How to Download and Edit Your Free Military Funeral Program
- Military Funeral Program Tips
For military funerals, there are special ceremonies and practices worth including in the program. Not only will you highlight notable military achievements, but you’ll also ensure guests know what to expect during the service.
Luckily, you don’t have to stress about finding the right military funeral program. We have a free military funeral program template you can use and download for your loved one’s service. These are easily customizable regardless of how much time you have.
What Should You Include in a Military Funeral Program?
You might include many unique elements in a military funeral program that aren’t found in a traditional funeral program. These are usually centered around some of the unique military funeral honors and traditions.
You also might want to include your loved one’s military ranking, branch, and special honors. These things are an important part of their legacy, and they deserve to be highlighted in a program.
You can include all of the following in a military funeral program:
- Personal information: It’s customary to include basic personal details of the deceased, such as their name, hometown, and date of death.
- Military ranking: You’ll also want to include their military ranking, branch, and other special honors.
- Obituary: Including an obituary is commonplace if space permits.
- Funeral home or cemetery information: Include venue information for the funeral home, church, or cemetery.
- Flag ceremony: Many veteran funerals include a flag ceremony in which a flag is presented to the family.
- Remarks: Remarks are typically given by an officiant, clergy member, or friends and family.
- Military honors: If any other military honors are given, these should be listed in the order of service.
- Readings and musical selection: Any songs, tributes, or readings should also be included in the military funeral program.
- Images: Lastly, it’s traditional to include a photo of the deceased in the program. In the case of a military program, this could be a military photo from the deceased’s service.
Our free funeral program template includes all of the above so you can quickly and easily honor your loved one’s life and service to their country.
How to Download and Edit Your Free Military Funeral Program
It’s easy to download and edit your free military funeral program to customize it for your memorial event. Click below to start your free download.
You don’t need any expensive programs or skills to get started. If you have Microsoft Word or Google Slides, you can fully customize your document. It’s that simple!
For Microsoft Word
Once you’ve downloaded the program below, follow these steps to customize your funeral program.
- Open the program in Microsoft Word. Make sure you open the version designed for Word, not Google Slides.
- Edit the text by clicking on each individual text box. You can update the font, sizing, and so on to suit your taste.
- Change the photos by right-clicking on each image and selecting “Change Picture.” You will want to upload an image that’s similar in size to protect your program’s shape.
- Export your document when you’re ready to print. You can export by going to File, “Save As,” and selecting the file type that works best for you. We recommend saving it as a PDF to protect sizing, format, and layout.
For Google Slides
Another easy way to edit your free military funeral program template is with Google Slides. This is a free online program that’s available to anyone with a free Google account. Once you sign in to your Google account, navigate to Google Slides through your drive.
- Once you’re in Google Slides, go to “Upload” and select the slide file. Wait for it to upload before you open it in Google Slides.
- You can easily change the text by clicking on each individual text box.
- Update the images by following the instructions in the placeholder squares on the slide.
- When you’re done customizing, it’s time to export your file! Go to “File” and select “Download.” Once again, we recommend saving it as a PDF.
Military Funeral Program Tips
When creating your military funeral program, you might need some helpful hints. Since this isn’t something most people often create (if at all), it’s understandable to need some help along the way. Here are some tips to help make the perfect memorial program.
- Factual: When in doubt, keep your program factual and to-the-point. This is an informative document used as a guide.
- Order of service: Many feel pressure to include specific times for the order of service, but this isn’t necessary. Keeping it more flexible will allow the celebrant to guide the service appropriately.
- Obituary: Learning how to write an obituary for a funeral program takes some time, but there are many guides to help along the way.
- Proofread: The last thing you want is a typo on a funeral program! Make sure you proofread before saving and have someone else check to be double sure.
- Image quality: Another thing to verify before printing is the image qualify of any images you’ve included. These are easy to distort, and you want them to show up great once printed. Choose large, high-quality images for the best results.
Once you’ve designed your funeral program to your liking, it’s time to print. This is something you can do yourself to save money. However, there are also plenty of inexpensive options for printing online. Some even offer same-day pickup. This option allows for a more professional finish.
Here are some print services:
A military funeral program is something personal that your family can cherish for years. It’s a special way to honor a veteran in your life.
Create Your Own Military Funeral Program
We know how stressful it is to plan a funeral, especially if it’s last-minute or unexpected. Each task seems more challenging than the last, and many people don’t realize just how much planning goes into these important events. This free military funeral program takes one thing off your plate so you can focus on what matters most.
Use our free template to honor someone’s service and legacy. By walking guests through the order of service and sharing insights into the deceased person’s life, you help tell their story. Everyone deserves to be honored for their service, which is especially true for those serving in the military.