Three volley salute for all military persons who have fallen in duty.
3-volley salute
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<!-- start content -->The
3-volley salute is a
salute performed at
military and
police funerals as part of the
drill and ceremony of the
Honor Guard.
A rifle party, usually consisting of an
odd number of firers, usually from 3 to 7
firearms. Usually the firearms are
rifles for military, but at some
police funerals,
shotguns are used. The firing party is positioned such that, when they shoulder their arms for firing, the muzzles are pointed over the casket of the deceased who is being honored. If the service is being performed inside a church or chapel, or funeral home, the firing party fires from outside the building, typically positioned near the front entrance.
On the command of the
NCO-in-charge, the firing party fires their weapons in unison, for a total of three volleys. Because unbulleted
blanks (which will not cycle the action of a
semi-automatic rifle) are used, in the United States,
M1 or
M14 rifles are preferred over the current issue
M16 rifle, because the charging handles of the M1/M14 are more easily operated in a dignified, ceremonial manner than on the M16.