OCALA, FL (352today.com) – There was no family, no friends, no co-workers at a funeral service this week for two recently deceased men. Instead, a handful of strangers who share a common bond made sure the men received the honor they deserve.
“We’re veterans serving veterans.”
On Wednesday, members of the Marion County Memorial Honor Guard (Honor Guard) performed a formal military funeral ceremony complete with a flag folding, rifle salute, the playing of Taps and a final salute.
“We do this so that they all get proper respect that a veteran who has passed deserves,” said Senior Chief Don Kennedy who is the captain of this group.
On this particular day, Kennedy and others representing multiple branches of the military assembled to honor two men considered unclaimed veterans.
“An unclaimed veteran is any veteran that does not have family – maybe they’ve outlived all relatives and are in hospice care or aging care facilities. It could also be a homeless veteran and they’re eligible for burial at a national cemetery,” explained Kennedy.
U.S. Navy veteran Thomas John Turbert and U.S. Army veteran Brent Brook Duffy each received the military honors on this day at the McPherson Auditorium in Ocala.
The Honor Guard is an all-volunteer nonprofit that currently has about 35 active members. On average, they perform about four military honor ceremonies per week. The group never charges for its services.
In cases like that of Turbert and Duffy, the county absorbs the cost of interring the veteran’s cremains at the Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell.
“Today we honored them, let them know that their service was not in vain,” said Jeffrey Askew, Marion County’s Veteran Services Director. “We don’t know who they are. We get very little information about them, except the fact that we know they are veterans and what branch of service they served in. We just know there’s no one there to claim their remains and as a fellow veteran we want to honor their service.”
“It is unusual for there to be anyone in attendance,” said Kennedy. “Seventy percent of the services we do have no one in attendance. We identify someone to present the flag to as a symbolic gesture.”
Kennedy says this one was different because there had been public announcements and a few strangers showed up to pay respect.
In addition to the unclaimed veteran ceremonies, the Honor Guard performs military funeral services for any eligible veteran. The group has even traveled 800 miles to provide services at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.
“We go wherever the need is to honor the veteran based on the individual circumstances,” said Kennedy.
The group also participates in community events and parades associated with holidays like Memorial Day, 4th of July and Veterans Day.
Kennedy served aboard aircraft carriers in the United States Navy from 1971 to 1993.
He discovered the Honor Guard after he retired to Florida in 2017.
At 70 years old, he’s still answering the call of duty.
“Every veteran the one thing they know is that you’re part of a group having served a country that you believe in,” said Kennedy.
To request the services of the Marion County Memorial Honor Guard, call 352-216-6724 or email marioncountyhg@gmail.com. The Honor Guard is raising funds to replace the van they use to travel to perform their services. If you’d like to make a tax-deductible donation, you can do so on their website.