Terramation for Veterans: What Families Need to Know About NOR and VA Benefits (colloquially referred to as human composting)

Veterans have given an extraordinary amount to this country, and the decisions made at the end of their lives deserve the same respect and clarity they deserve in life. If you or someone you love served in the military and is considering terramation — also called natural organic reduction or natural organic reduction (NOR) — this guide will walk you through everything you need to understand: whether the choice is legally available, how it interacts with VA burial benefits, what it means for national cemetery eligibility, and how military honors are handled.

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Can Veterans Choose Terramation?

Yes. Veterans can choose any legal method of disposition, including terramation. Nothing in federal law or VA policy prohibits a veteran from selecting natural organic reduction as their end-of-life choice. Terramation is a personal decision, and the military’s service recognition — including funeral honors — is extended to veterans regardless of how they choose to be laid to rest.

That said, choosing terramation does have meaningful consequences for certain VA burial benefits, particularly national cemetery interment eligibility. Families should understand those implications clearly before making this decision.

For a full overview of the terramation process itself, see our complete guide to natural organic reduction.

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What Is Terramation, and Is It Available in Your State?

Terramation is the process of natural organic reduction — the gentle, accelerated transformation of human remains into nutrient-rich soil using organic materials, moisture, and airflow inside a specialized vessel. Over several weeks, the body becomes approximately one-half cubic yard of Regenerative Living Soil™, which families can use to nourish a garden, plant a tree, support conservation land, or scatter in a place of meaning.

Terramation is not yet legal in every state. As of April 2026, NOR is legal in 14 states: Washington, Colorado, Oregon, Vermont, California, New York, Nevada, Arizona, Maryland, Delaware, Minnesota, Maine, Georgia, and New Jersey.

Three of those states are legal but not yet fully operational:

• California — legal under AB-351; providers may begin operations on January 1, 2027
• New York — legal; state regulations are still being finalized; services are not yet available
• New Jersey — legal; estimated operational date approximately July 2026

If a veteran lives outside these 14 states, terramation is not currently a local option. Some providers in legal states accept out-of-state decedents, which requires transport of human remains across state lines according to each state’s applicable regulations. For a current breakdown of legal status by state, see our state guides for NOR availability and our detailed article on where natural organic reduction is legal.

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VA Burial Benefits and Terramation: What Families Should Know

This is the area where it is most important to be straightforward, because the information here directly affects financial planning and family expectations.

VA Burial Allowances

The VA offers burial allowances to help offset the cost of a veteran’s funeral and burial. These allowances are reimbursements, not automatic payments, and they are subject to eligibility requirements, including the veteran’s discharge status and whether the death is service-connected. [1][2]

At this time, NOR is not explicitly covered by VA burial allowances in the same way as traditional burial or cremation. The VA’s burial benefit structure was established with traditional interment and cremation in mind, and NOR is a relatively new disposition method. Whether and how the VA reimburses any portion of terramation costs may depend on how the provider categorizes the services and how federal policy evolves.

Families considering terramation for a veteran should contact the VA directly — through the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) or their regional VA office — to understand current reimbursement policies before finalizing arrangements. [3] Rules and guidance in this area may change as NOR becomes more widely available, and only the VA can provide authoritative guidance on what is currently covered for a specific veteran’s situation.

Do not rely on general information, including this article, as a substitute for that direct conversation with the VA.

What the VA Burial Allowance Covers in General

For context, the VA currently provides:

• A burial allowance for veterans who died from a service-connected disability or who were receiving VA pension or compensation at the time of death [1]
• A burial allowance for certain veterans who died while hospitalized by the VA [1]
• A plot or interment allowance to help with the cost of a burial plot, if the veteran is not buried in a national cemetery [2]

These allowances have specific dollar caps, which the VA adjusts periodically. For current amounts, visit VA.gov directly. [1]

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National Cemetery Eligibility: A Critical Point for Veterans Choosing Terramation

This is the most significant limitation that families need to understand clearly: veterans who choose terramation are not currently eligible for interment of their remains at a national cemetery.

National cemeteries, administered by the National Cemetery Administration (NCA), accept casketed remains and cremated remains in urns. They also accommodate some green burial options in designated areas at select cemeteries. However, terramation soil — the Regenerative Living Soil that results from the NOR process — is not currently an accepted form of remains for interment at national cemeteries. [4][5]

This is not a statement about honoring the veteran. It is a practical limitation of how national cemeteries are currently structured. The National Cemetery Administration has not yet established protocols or designated space for soil-based remains from NOR processes.

What this means for families:

• If national cemetery interment is important to a veteran or their family, terramation is not currently compatible with that wish.
• If the veteran and family are comfortable with a private burial location, a conservation site, a family property, or memorial uses for the soil, then terramation remains a meaningful and available option.
• This is a decision worth discussing openly with family members before pre-planning is finalized. For guidance on those conversations, see our article on whether terramation is right for your family.

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Military Funeral Honors: Separate From Disposition Method

Here is an important and reassuring point: military funeral honors are not tied to how a veteran chooses to be laid to rest. They are tied to who the veteran was — their service, their sacrifice, and their honorable discharge.

Eligible veterans are entitled to military funeral honors, which include:

• Folding and presentation of the American flag — to the next of kin
• Sounding of “Taps” — played live or by a high-quality recording if a live bugler is not available [6]
• Honor guard detail — at least two uniformed service members for most ceremonies [6]

These honors can be rendered at any memorial service — whether or not remains are present, and regardless of the disposition method chosen. A veteran whose family has chosen terramation can still receive a full military honors ceremony at a memorial gathering after the NOR process is complete.

To request military funeral honors, the family or funeral director contacts the Department of Defense’s Military Funeral Honors program through the veteran’s branch of service. [6] The funeral director typically coordinates this request, but families can also initiate contact through their nearest military installation.

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Burial Flags for Veterans Choosing Terramation

Veterans who are honorably discharged are entitled to a burial flag, provided to the next of kin at no cost. [7] The burial flag is presented as part of the funeral honors ceremony and is separate from the method of disposition. A family whose loved one chose terramation can still receive a burial flag in the veteran’s honor.

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Pre-Planning Terramation as a Veteran

If a veteran wants to pre-plan terramation, the process is similar to pre-planning for any individual — with some additional considerations:

1. Confirm legal availability in your state — or identify a legal state and plan for transport if needed
2. Contact the VA proactively — to understand what burial benefits, if any, may apply and how choosing NOR may affect them
3. Document disposition preferences in writing — including specific wishes for the Regenerative Living Soil
4. Inform your family — including where your documentation is held, your chosen provider’s contact information, and who is authorized to act on your behalf
5. Notify your funeral home or end-of-life planner — so military funeral honors can be coordinated appropriately

For a full step-by-step pre-planning guide, see our article on how to pre-plan terramation.

Ready to explore terramation options? Contact TerraCare Partners

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A Note on Honoring Veterans Who Choose Terramation

Veterans who choose terramation are making a values-driven decision — often one rooted in the same sense of service that defined their time in uniform. Many veterans are drawn to terramation because of its relationship to the land: the idea of returning to the earth, nourishing something living, and leaving a lasting contribution to the natural world. That is not a departure from service; for many, it is a continuation of it.

Their service is honored not by where their remains rest, but by how they are remembered and what they leave behind.

Find a funeral home offering terramation in your state

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Sources

1. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. “Burial Allowance for Veterans.” VA.gov. https://www.va.gov/burials-memorials/veterans-burial-allowance/
2. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. “Burial in a VA National Cemetery.” VA.gov. https://www.va.gov/burials-memorials/eligibility/
3. Veterans Benefits Administration. “Contact VA: Find a Regional Office.” VA.gov. https://www.va.gov/find-locations/?facilityType=benefits
4. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. “Burial and Memorial Benefits.” VA.gov. https://www.va.gov/burials-memorials/
5. National Cemetery Administration. “NCA — Burial Options and Scheduling.” VA.gov. https://www.cem.va.gov/
6. U.S. Department of Defense, Military OneSource. “Military Funeral Honors Program Overview.” https://www.militaryonesource.mil/programs/mfh-program/
7. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. “Burial Flag for Veterans.” VA.gov. https://www.va.gov/burials-memorials/memorial-items/burial-flags/
8. Washington State Department of Health. “Natural Organic Reduction.” WA DOH. https://app.leg.wa.gov/wac/default.aspx?cite=246-500
9. National Funeral Directors Association. “Cremation and Burial Report.” NFDA.org, 2025. https://www.nfda.org/news/statistics
10. Federal Trade Commission. “The FTC Funeral Rule.” FTC.gov. https://www.ftc.gov/legal-library/browse/rules/funeral-industry-practices-rule