Army Budget Cuts Threaten Veterans’ Funeral Honor Guards

Posted 2014-10-10 17:32 by Grunt Report

A veteran’s funeral is a solemn occasion, made all the more so with a flag-draped casket and a military honor guard.

But the federal funding for New Hampshire’s ArmyNational Guard’s Military Funeral Honors program has been reduced by more than half; the program is expected to run out of money after January.

“We understand that budgets are tight and we all will have to sacrifice, but cutting funding for military funerals is unacceptable,” said Maj. Gen. William Reddel, adjutant general of the New Hampshire National Guard. “Federal law mandates we provide military funeral honors to those who, in times of war and peace, faithfully defended our nation.”

Without the funding, the program “will be forced to turn down requests,” Reddel said, adding: “We will do everything within our means to ensure that never happens.”

To fully fund the Military Funeral Honors program nationwide for the 2015 fiscal year would require $54.7 million; the Army budgeted $27.5 million.

 

In New Hampshire — where the per-capita veterans population is among the country’s top 10 — the Army National Guard provided 887 honor details in fiscal year 2012 with $370,000 in federal funds.

In fiscal 2013, federal support from the Army was reduced to $149,800; the NH National Guard budget made up the remainder to cover 797 honor details.

In 2014, the guard provided 765 honor details with a total budget of $222,100, including $184,700 from the Army.

For the current fiscal year, 2015, the National Guard received $104,600 in federal funds for burial details.

U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., wrote to Secretary of the Army John McHugh, who is responsible for supporting and funding the military honors program, expressing her concerns and asking him to address the funding shortfall.

She said the Army has a legal obligation to fully fund the program.

Ayotte said the Army’s budget submission admits the budget cut for the honors program “will reduce the Army National Guard funeral honors teams’ ability to perform Army and Department of Defense funeral honors missions,” and notes “the immediate impact is that over 6,900 funeral honor missions will be unfulfilled. This decrease will also impact ongoing funeral honor training for soldiers.”

In her letter to McHugh, Ayotte wrote: “I understand that the Army is exploring ways to address the funding shortfall for the MFH program, and I support this effort. I request that you give this issue your high-level attention, and I ask that the Army provide me with an update as soon as possible.”

U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, R-N.H., said she is also working to resolve the problem.

“The men and women who have devoted their lives to the defense and well-being of this country deserve the benefits and respect they have earned, even after they have passed,” Shaheen said.

“New Hampshire has a proud tradition of military service, and I am working with my colleagues and the administration to address the Army’s funding shortfall so no veterans are denied the burial honors they are due.”

SOURCE: Military.com