08/22/2007

news@timesrecord.com

AUGUSTA — Frank Norwood, Maine Military Funeral Honors coordinator, issued the following statement to remind the state’s veterans and military families of available benefits:

The rendering of military funeral honors for U.S. Armed Forces veterans is a tribute that our veterans and their families justly deserve and in fact, are entitled to. It is a way to show our nation’s deep gratitude to those who, in times of war and peace, have faithfully defended our country.

Section 578 of the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2000 requires the Department of Defense to provide, upon request, military funeral honors for eligible veterans.

Since October 2004, the Maine Military Funeral Honor Program has performed 2,011 military funerals all over the state of Maine. According to the Maine Veteran’s Administration, Maine will lose nearly 4,000 veterans (Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Army Air Corps and Merchant Marines) per year through the year 2010 with an estimated one-third being Army veterans.

Any person (active, National Guard or reserve) who has completed at least one enlistment of military service and received an honorable discharge is entitled to military funeral honors.

Documentation requirements include DD FORM 214 or discharge certificate for active duty or reserve components or NGB FORM 22 or discharge certificate for National Guard soldiers. For help in locating lost discharge papers, call 626-4464.

Family members of the deceased veteran should notify the funeral director of their desire to have military funeral honors rendered at the internment of their loved one. Family members also can coordinate directly with the Maine Military Funeral Honors coordinator.

For more information, call Norwood at 1-800-958-5967 or 626-7822.