[jeanb]

This is for anyone whose loved one wants a military burial.

In going through my dad's papers, i had been informed that his funeral arrangements were al taken care off. I decided to double check - just in case! And boy am i glad i did.

I called the agency in change of his burial. OOPS they told me, we only do cremations now. i instructed them to send all paperwork to the funeral home associated with the cemetery where Dad will be buried. I had gone with Dad to the cemetery several years ago for him to set up everything (and pre-pay). So I contacted them to review his file. OOPS they told me, we can't find his file.

Eventually they got the files from the original guy, and they found the paperwork we'd filled out in 2003. So are we all set now? OOPS they said, if he wants a military headstone we need a DD214. My mother & I searched all of Dad's military papers, but no DD214.

So i searched the internet - found the request form for dd214, filled it out, and sent it in for a copy of Dad's DD214. As luck would have it, I was on a trip when I received a response. OOPS I'd have 30 days to respond and send $20 or they would trash my request. I had 7 days left.

I sent in a check and yesterday began trying to find out if the gov't agency had received my check (which had not yet cleared the bank...) yes - they sent it out on August 14th.

I wait... and hope that Dad lives that long...