In our country (Gambia) when a soldier is buried, he is given a military/state burial which involves a gun salute, blowing flutes, marches, etc.

Answer

The flute and the salute ceremony, etc. carried out when a soldier is buried are haraam. Islam has its own sacred system of burial which applies equally to the Auliya, Sultans and paupers. There is absolutely no difference in the funeral and burial system of Muslims regardless who they are and what rank they hold. All the customs attached to the burial service are haraam. Only the Masnoon ghusl, kafan, and Janaazah are permissible. Everything else associated with the burial is baatil and not permissible. The Qur'aan Majeed says: "And from it (the soil) did We create you. Unto it shall We return you, and from it shall We resurrect you." No matter what worldly rank a man may hold, his body will be the nourishment for worms just as the body of a donkey will become food for the worms in the grave.