Sunday, April 27, 1997
Abilene man forms military honor guard
By JOHN STARBUCK
Staff Writer
An Abilene man hopes that by forming a military honor guard,
he can give veterans the last rites they deserve.
Motivated by a recent experience, Vietnam veteran Will Ascencio
believes all veterans, both retired and non-retired, should be
recognized with some fanfare at the cemetery for serving their
country.
"It's a national problem and I just want to help what
I can around here," he said.
Ascencio was taking care of some business in the Taylor County
Veterans Service Office when personnel suddenly became preoccupied.
"Somebody had called in requesting a funeral," Ascencio
said. "They were scrambling, trying to find some military
organization to help that family and they couldn't."
After talking with Veterans Service Officer Dan Garcia, Ascencio
then learned that office personnel are stymied quite often because
of rules under which the armed forces operate concerning military
funerals.
"The reaction is we need it (a honor guard)," said
Ascencio. "And everybody I've talked to has grappled with
it at the last moment to no avail.
"Families have the misconception like most of us do that
as long as you are a veteran who served, you are entitled to a
military funeral. But it's not available because of existing cutbacks,"
within the armed forces, he said.
Ascencio, a member of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6873 and
Abilene Grunts Association, wants to have a big honor guard so
several funerals can be served at one time.
"I'm hoping to round up about 50 (volunteers) to be on
call so when they need us, we can help."
An organizational meeting is planned for May 10 at 1 p.m. at
VFW Post 6873, 1049 Vapor Trail. Ascencio said he is looking for
not only manpower but also some bugle players, uniforms and cash
donations for transportation expenses.
For more information, call Ascencio at 677-4567; Ralph Rodriguez
in Clyde, 893-2678; or the Veterans Service Office, 674-1328.
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Abilene Reporter-News / Texnews / E.W. Scripps Publications
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