The Tradition of 3 Volleys

The firing of rifles at a military funeral is often mistakenly referred to as a 21 Gun Salute. The ceremony is actually called 3 Volleys. An Honor Detail may perform a ceremony at an active duty, retired military or honorably discharged veteran’s funeral. The honor detail firing team may consist of any number of riflemen, each firing 3 volleys. The typical firing team consists of 7 riflemen and a Sargent at Arms that is in charge of the firing detail. The fired casings are retrieved and presented to the family at the end of the ceremony.

3 Volleys is a battlefield custom dating back hundreds of years. The volleys were fired to pause the battle, allowing for both sides to remove their fallen soldiers. When the fallen soldiers were properly tended to, another 3 volleys would indicate they were once again ready for battle.