Military rites not always easy

By T.L. Huffman

The Gallatin VFW Funeral Honors Detail has never needed an order to pay a last tribute to a fallen comrade.

“We’ve always felt it was our obligation and our duty to bury a fellow veteran,” says Jack Mooney, Quartermaster.

The Gallatin VFW (Frank Frazier Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #2172) has provided for up to 90 percent of the military funerals in Daviess County.

Other areas are not so fortunate. The lack of funeral honors available to families of many American veterans has become a pressing concern for our government. Last fall, the Senate approved legislation that would accord to every veteran, upon request, a funeral service with military honors.

“A lot of people have always thought military funerals were performed by the government,” says Jack. “I don’t know how that misconception got started. We’ve been doing it voluntarily for years with very little recognition from the families, the paper or anybody else.”

Remembering those who served is becoming a more and more challenging mission for the local Honors Detail. Among the problems is a lack of resources.

“At present, our rifles are misfiring,” says Jack. “They’re just not workable any more. At one recent funeral our shooters were able to get only one shot off during the gun salute. That’s embarrassing for us and the family.”

A recent Military Act authorizes the Secretary of the Army to lend or donate excess M-1 rifles for use at funeral ceremonies.

Jack has already begun the necessary paperwork to get those rifles. He has come up against the usual red tape and bureaucracy when dealing with the government. The paper trail has led him from Pat Gooch’s office to the National VFW Headquarters in Kansas City and then to Warren, Mich.

“I’ve been told our letter is in the pile and we’ll be hearing from them,” says Jack. “The rifles are there in warehouses. They’re in good shape. It’s just a matter of whether we’ll receive any.”

If the law comes through, blank ammunition will also be available.

“The government provides us with ammo that costs $5 a box at the armory,” says Jack. “The catch is, it costs us up to $130 to receive it because it’s labeled hazardous material. A thousand rounds lasts us awhile, but it costs to get it here. My understanding is that with the new law this would change and the ammo and rifles will be delivered without charge.”

There are many requests for the rifles and not much left for Jack to do but wait and see.

“We certainly are needy,” says Jack. “Our rifles are dated from 1911-1913. Teddy Roosevelt would have thrown them away before he went up San Juan Hill.”

Another piece of legislation, the Military Funeral Honors Program, was signed by Gov. Mel Carnahan during the 1998 session. Details were completed in July of 1999. This new law requires that veterans organizations be certified by the state to conduct funeral details. With the certification comes a small stipend.

“We started getting $100 per funeral,” says Jack. “Which is nice. It helps offset the cost.”

Before then, the Honor Guard did not receive payment for anything.

“Up until four or five years ago we were receiving donations from the families,” says Jack.

Then suddenly the donations stopped coming.

“People started hearing the rumor that the government provided for the funeral,” says Jack.

Ironically, that rumor has now become reality. According to the Military Funeral Honors Program, funeral home directors are to notify the government and the National Guard will provide one, two, or three people to assist in the funeral ceremonies. The National Guard will work with active components of the armed services and certified veterans organizations to provide funeral details.

Jack appreciates the combined effort to honor our veterans, though there has been no local funeral to test the program. Still, he wonders if the military ceremony will be as meaningful as one provided by the local honors detail.

He recalls the funeral of a veteran, a Marine, who had been a long-time member of the local Honor Guard.

“He wanted the Marines to do the funeral ceremony,” says Jack. “The Marines sent five — the shooters, a commander, and one who presented the flag. “Taps” was on a recording. We all stood at the cemetery and didn’t think Ed would approve. He always participated back when we had a full group.”

A full 13-member group for the honor detail consists of seven shooters and four in the color guard. The ceremony consists of presenting the flag, the playing of “Taps” by a local youth, a gun salute, the Chaplain, and the Commander giving information about the deceased. The honor guard is made up of all the members of the VFW post and one member from the American Legion.

“Now sometimes we don’t have seven shooters,” says Jack. “All our members are getting up there in age.”

Arland “Slick” Haynes, chaplain, is the oldest member of the honor guard at 87. Members are veterans of World War II, Korea, Vietnam and Desert Storm. Commander and Vietnam veteran Gary Redman is one of the youngest, in his 50s.

Across the nation, the World War II and Korean War veteran population is aging. There were approximately 13,000 veteran deaths in Missouri in 1999. The number of requests for military funerals has sometimes exceeded capabilities.

“We’ve never failed to provide for a funeral in our area as long as I’ve been quartermaster,” says Jack. “There aren’t many cemeteries we haven’t been to. We help Pattonsburg. We did one in Cameron. We did one in St. Joe for the mayor’s dad.”

Some VFW posts do not participate in funeral ceremonies for veterans.

“I’m amazed that a post the size of Cameron or St. Joe — with 400 to 500 members — doesn’t even do military funerals,” says Jack. “We’re down to 46 members and we’ve always managed to do them.”

And the Honors Detail will continue to pay tribute to their departed comrades for as long as they are able.

“One of these days Wally or Mike will call and we may have to turn them down,” says Jack. “We’re getting old. And without the rifles our days are numbered.”