...for as long as it takes
The Department of Defense (DoD) has conveyed to Congress a report
containing
a proposed policy to improve the availability and delivery of military
funeral honors for veterans.
The policy, if accepted by Congress, will
require the military Services for the first time, upon request by next
of
kin, to provide specified funeral honors for any veteran who has served
honorably in the armed forces. The DoD report responds to a requirement
in
Section 567 of the fiscal 1999 Strom Thurmond National Defense
Authorization
Act (NDAA).
The proposed policy responds to the report of the Conferees
on
the NDAA that indicated the intent of the Conferees that the
requirements
for funeral honors specified in the NDAA would become effective on Dec.
31,
1999, only if the Secretaries of Defense and Veterans Affairs did not
recommend an acceptable alternative. If accepted by Congress, the new
DoD
policy will be implemented on Jan. 1, 2000.
Commenting on the proposed DoD policy, Under Secretary of Defense for
Personnel and Readiness Rudy de Leon said: "Working in concert with the
leadership of the Department of Veterans Affairs, the military Services,
and
many military and veterans services organizations, we considered in a
very
deliberate and compassionate way how we can best use the resources we
have
to provide military funeral honors for our veterans. Our heartfelt,
shared
goal was to honor appropriately and consistently those veterans who have
faithfully defended all Americans and our national interests. These
proposals accomplish this important goal."
The DoD plan would improve access to military funeral honors by
establishing
a toll-free "request" number and an Internet web site which fully
explains
the benefit. The Department would maximize its ability to honor
requests by
working in concert with local veterans service organizations that
currently
provide military funeral honors and by expanding the use of National
Guard
and Reserve forces.
Under this plan, the Department will honor every
request by sending a team that will consist of at least two individuals
who
will conduct a ceremony involving the folding and presentation of the
American flag. At least one of these individuals will be a member of
the
parent Service of the deceased. The playing of "Taps" will also be a
required part
of this ceremony, whether by bugler or by the use of a high quality
audio
recording. The military Services may provide additional honors subject
to
the availability of resources.
Another major set of improvements under the proposed policy concerns
streamlining the process for requesting funeral honors, communicating
requests to the providers, and tracking the provision of honors. The
Department will maintain a toll-free number and Internet web site for
use by
funeral directors to obtain funeral honors when veterans' families
request
honors. The Department will also provide information packages to the
funeral directors to aid in this effort.
As is current practice, both active and Reserve forces will be used to
perform military funeral honors. Members of the National Guard and
Reserve
have volunteered countless hours to perform funeral honors for veterans.
To
recognize and encourage volunteer service by Guard and Reserve members,
under the proposed DoD plan new incentives for the performance of
funeral
honors duty would be provided. The performance of funeral honors duty
would
be equivalent to inactive-duty training but could not substitute for
required training. Retirement credit above the current cap would be
provided for funeral honors duty.
More than 16 million of our nation's 26 million military veterans served
during the World War II era. The nation mourned the passing of 537,000
veterans in 1997, an increase of 18 percent compared to 1989. By 2008,
veterans' deaths are projected to increase 36 percent compared to 1989.
Conversely, the size of the active duty military has decreased by 35
percent, from 2.1 million in 1989 to 1.4 million today, and the Reserve
forces have decreased in size by 25 percent. Of the 1.4 million active
duty Service members, more than 300,000 are stationed or deployed
outside of
the United States at any given time.
The geographical challenge has
increased as well. Over the past decade, 81 of 495 major military
installations in the United States have closed, with 16 more major
installations scheduled to close by 2001. As a result, funeral honor
guard
details must often travel greater distances than in years past to
provide
support.
The proposed DoD policy was developed through a joint effort to
determine
the best solution to the increasing challenges. As part of this effort,
the
Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs hosted an
Executive Roundtable on Nov. 17, 1998, in Washington, D.C.
Eighteen
military and veterans service organizations participated, including:
the
American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Paralyzed Veterans of
America, The Retired Officers Association (TROA), American Veterans
(AMVETS), American Ex-Prisoners of War, the Blinded Veterans
Association,
Gold Star Wives, The Retired Enlisted Association, the Military
Chaplains
Association, the Fleet Reserve Association, the Air Force Association,
the
American GI Forum, the Korean War Veterans Association, the Marine Corps
League, the Noncommissioned Officer Association, the Army Aviation
Association of America, and the Reserve Officers Association.
Senior
officials from two national funeral directors associations and
congressional
staff also participated. While Congress considers the proposed DoD
policy,
the military Services will continue to emphasize the fullest possible
implementation of existing DoD policy.
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Reference herein to any specific commercial products,
process, or service by trade name, trademark,
manufacturer, or otherwise, does not necessarily
constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation,
or favoring by VNIS. The views and opinions of
authors expressed herein do not necessarily state
or reflect those of VNIS, and shall not be used for
advertising or product endorsement purposes.
VNIS is not a government agency and is a sole proprietorship,
own and operated by Christian L. Wilson USN/Ret
