Posted on 05/30/2015 2:45:40 PM PDT by Kaslin
A soldier from the Louisiana National Guard who died alongside Marines in a training accident deserves to be buried in Arlington National Cemetery, his father said Saturday.
Former Green Beret Stephen Florich told Fox & Friends it is a “travesty” his son has been denied that honor because he was not on active duty at the time of his death.
Most active duty or retired military members of military service are eligible for in-ground interment at Arlington. Members of the reserves or National Guard are not eligible unless they have been on active duty.
“I think my son was very active on that aircraft,” Florich said. “My son was in uniform. My son was serving in the capacity as a crew chief and a door gunner. And in adverse weather conditions, he accepted a mission to train people for combat in the future. And in that, he gave all and lost his life.”
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Speaking as a 27 year retiree I hold being killed doing one’s duty and getting killed in a training accident in high esteem and worthy of being buried there.
Of course I lose because of current policy, and that’s just my opinion. That with a dollar fifty will get you a cup of coffee.
No they do not UNLESS they meet the requirements such as serving in combat and being awarded the Silver Star, Purple Heart, DSC, was a POW, etc.
Just because he was killed during a SUTA (weekend drill) or AT (2 week annual training) does not mean he is automatically eligible for burial at ANC.
I respect the fathers service, I respect the sons service, and I’m sorry that the son was killed in training, BUT speaking as a military veteran the dad is coming off as a selfish ass who’s out for bragging rights IMO.
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Well stated..concur. It seems to me that it is all about dad rather than honoring the son...( FWIW, I intend to be buried in ANC, ret AF).
That is true. The usual requirement by the V.A. is 180 days active duty. States who have joint operation or venture with the V.A. may have less restrictions. I worked in a National Cemetery on work study program back in the early 1980's. The rules for eligibility were simple. 180 days active duty with an Honorable Discharge in peace or war time. When you served didn't matter. The veterans spouse and any dependents under age of majority were also eligible. The one I worked at had a guys wife and 4-5 kids buried there. They all had died on the same day. According to the date I assume the husband/father was likely deployed. It was back in the 1960's I think.
Arlington is different due to it being designated for Honors IIRC thus a stricter eligibility than other National Cemeteries.. Other than that any National or State Veterans Cemetery can set aside an Honors and/or KIA section. These cemeteries take all Honorably Discharged Vets and one spouse and are covered under VA Benefits. Most do charge a fee for spouse burial which is under $1000 and includes the opening, closing, vault, and head stone.
A word of advice to anyone considering this. Find your DD-214 and tell your family where it is so if needed they can find it easily. Also some allow preregistering anytime. The funeral director will need it to show the Cemetery Administrator as proof of eligibility. The ones from the WW2 era look very different than the Korea/Nam and afterward era.
Sure this would be a justifiable case, but it would set a precedent whereas Presidents could bury people as political favors.
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