What is the most respectful approach to honor a veteran's end-of-life identity?

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Respecting a veteran's end-of-life identity means honoring how their military service matters to them in the moment of dying. The best approach is to ask what veteran-specific rituals or honors they would like to be performed, if any. This opens a space for the patient to express their values and preferences—whether that includes military honors, a flag ceremony, religious or cultural rites, or a private, simple goodbye—and it guides care to align with what they personally find meaningful. By asking, you help preserve dignity, reduce distress for the patient and family, and prevent unwanted actions that ignore the veteran’s service or impose rituals. If there’s no wish for specific rites, you can still acknowledge service in a respectful, unobtrusive way; if there is a wish, you support and coordinate those preferences accordingly.