What are the three bullets for that get put in a flag at a funeral?

Answer 1

First, you probably mean 'shell casings' and not 'bullets'.

At military funerals, one often sees three volleys of shots fired in honor of the deceased veteran. This is often mistaken by the laymen as a 21-gun salute, although it is entirely different (in the military, a "gun" is a large-calibered weapon. The three volleys are fired from "rifles," not "guns." Therefore, the three volleys isn't any kind of "gun salute," at all).

Anyone who is entitled to a military funeral (generally anyone who dies on active duty, honorably discharged veterans, and military retirees) are entitled to the three rifle volleys, subject to availability of honor guard teams. As I said, this is not a 21-gun salute, nor any other type of "gun salute." They are simply three rifle volleys fired. The firing team can consist of any number, but one usually sees a team of eight, with a noncommissioned officer in charge of the firing detail. Whether the team consists of three or eight, or ten, each member fires three times (three volleys).

The three volleys comes from an old battlefield custom. The two warring sides would cease hostilities to clear their dead from the battlefield, and the firing of three volleys meant that the dead had been properly cared for and the side was ready to resume the battle.

The flag detail often slips three shell-casings into the folded flag before presenting the flag to the family. Each casing represents one volley.

Edit: How does this answer possibly get a negative review? Just felt like giving me a random thumbs down without explaining yourself? Hope it made you feel better.

Edit: Brian, I'm not aware of any specific protocol that states nothing must touch the flag, simply that it must be treated with respect & reverence. Gloved hands must touch the flag to fold it and present it to family members, yes?

Answer 2

Devil Dog has it almost completely correct. Actually there is no protocol for adding the three shells to the folded flag since nothing should touch the flag, but it's not a huge issue IMO.

Answer 3

When my father died they gave us three rifle casings and the flag. My father was a veteran of Korea and Viet Nam with 34 years service. It's just done as a remembrance of his sacrifice for his country.