How to arrange Army presence at a memorial remembrance?

General Questions
#1

My father passed away on 22 Dec and I mentioned it here.

He was quietly very proud of his military service. Having caught the WW2 pacific mop up, then was 21000 yards away from the Yalu River in Korea before taking part in the longest retreat of the US army before retaking some of that ground. I’m pretty sure he never made it past Private Second Class and lost a stripe on multiple occasions. Nonetheless, he was a soldiers soldier on the battlefield, and mustered out with a good conduct status.

Our family has a remembrance (no formal service) coming up in a month, and would very much like an Army presence. This will be done in a private home and be a remembrance rather than a funeral. Websites I’ve looked at are for funerals arranged through a funeral home, or I don’t understand the process.

thanks in advance

#2

Contact the Army Military Funeral Honors Team at:

1-800-325-4986
usarmy.knox.hrc.mbx.tagd-cmaoc-funeral-honors@mail.mil
U.S. Army Human Resources Command
The Adjutant General Of the United States Army
Casualty and Mortuary Affairs Operations Center
AHRC-PDC-P
1600 Spearhead Division Avenue
Fort Knox, KY 40122-5405

I’m certain they can either arrange something directly with your family, or refer you to someone who can.

#3

Call a funeral home local to the area of the memorial, it’s quite likely that they would be willing to help. They often have connections with the local veterans agencies.

Contacting the local VFW and/or VA hospital wouldn’t be a bad idea, either, if you’re looking for veterans to come to the memorial, rather than (or in addition to) the pomp and circumstance of a funeral with military honors. Many of them have Facebook pages now, and a post there will probably get you quite a few faces.

My ex’s father died weeks after moving to a new state, and for various reasons, most of the family (now out of state) couldn’t attend. He didn’t want his mother to mourn alone, and a Facebook post to the local VFW brought more than 100 veterans and military spouses to be with her that day, as well as support her for the weeks after.

I’m so sorry for your loss.

#4

Thank you for the replies. My step sister will contact the mortuary and I’ll Contact the Army Military Funeral Honors Team.

#5

My Father passed away 5 years ago. He did serve overseas, but not in a war zone. I can’t say for sure (my brother arranged this part) but I believe he contacted the VFW. They did a great job.

China Guy, I really think you will be able to make proper arrangements, and it sure sounds like your father earned it. Best wishes.

#6

This is a great story, WhyNot. Thanks for telling it. Sometimes people get the wrong idea about the VFW and veterans in general.

Good luck to you, China Guy. Losing parents is hard enough and at the holidays makes it harder. I hope your day of remembrance brings you comfort.

#7

My dad’s a member of his American Legion posts’s honor guard. I’m pretty sure the VFW has a similar group. The honor guards are well-versed in how to render military honors at a funeral.

#8

China Guy;
My condolences on your loss.

I might suggest you look at www.patriotguard.org.

#9

What Monty said. I’m an American Legionnaire and we, the American Legion and not just my post specifically, handle almost all the military honors at funerals for veterans locally unless they were a member of one of the other veterans organizations.
My condolences for your loss.

#10

meant to post a link, here You can find a Legion Post near you and they can help you arrange military honors for your memorial service, but, keep in mind it will be Legionnaires doing the honors, the military hands memorials for past veterans off to the veterans organizations and only does honors for current service members.

#11

That’s not true at all.

#12

Correct, TWO active service members must be present, and one must be in the parent service. (army, navy , airforce, Guard’s… well we are sure its Army for this case.) . The rest of the Honor Guard may be volunteers - Legionaires etc.

In New York state, the funeral director contacts the service required… The funeral director knows who to call…
See http://www.nysfda.org/index.php/members/publications/250-honoring-those-who-served-the-u-s-military-funeral-honors-program

#13

China Guy, my condolences for your loss, and my thanks to your late father for his service to what Churchill called “the great republic.”

#14

I hadn’t known this, and it is quite moving, and shows a fundamental power: VA’s are not clubs for those not in the other club any longer. THE club is what it’s all about.
I too would like to offer my thoughts of thanks to OP’s father and respect to the fine sense of honor and love shown by his son.

#15

Yes, Isilder’s link gives a good explanation of how the process works, and who is entitled to what. Though, where he/she mentions two “active” service members, it’s more accurate to say two “current” service members as the Reserve and National Guard may often perform these honors.

I wasn’t going to answer the OP, because I’m not really positive. But my understanding is that the Funeral Director pretty much handles everything and contacts the appropriate Casualty Affairs office. When I get tasked to perform these honors, there is always a name and phone number of the funeral director on the memo. After I confirm receipt of the orders with the Casualty Affairs office, I call the funeral director directly to make the necessary coordination. I actually just did this the day after Christmas for a retired service member. He received a firing party, flag folding, and taps from a real bugler. Bugler players are actually pretty rare. Too often, Taps is performed by a fake bugle (actually its a real bugle but has a Bose speaker insert programed to play Taps) or a portable boom box.

#16

Thanks for the replies everyone. I heard back from the follks DCnDC provided, and they replied:

for Military Funeral Honors please contact Fort Huachuca, AZ Casualty
Assistance Center at 800-248-0759 or 520-533-2229.

My step sister arranged with the mortuary. There is an honor guard, play taps, lower fold and present the flag.