Area VSO Honor Guards Certified...
Military Funeral Honors South East Team builds relationships with local Veterans Organizations in the Fargo-Moorhead area through Honors Certification...
The North Dakota Army National Guard Military Funeral Honors SE Team will present official certification plaques to several area Veteran Organizations throughout October and November. The plaques will be presented by the team leaders of the South East Team to the honor guards, leaders, and members of each respective organization. The plaque and presentation certifies each organization as a qualified honor guard that is working with United States military honor guards to provide funeral honors for all those who have served in the Armed Forces. The certification also shows that the Veteran Organization is proficient in all basic Funeral Honor Guard protocol associated with providing the most respectful and honorable benefits that all veterans are entitled to for their service to the United States of America.
The North Dakota Army National Guard Military Funeral Honors program came to be in October of 2006 in Bismarck. According to the Funeral Honor Team’s website, “The rendering of Military Funeral Honors is a way to show the nation's deep gratitude to those who have faithfully defended our country in times of war and peace. The ceremonial paying of respect is the final demonstration that a grateful nation can provide to a veteran's family.” The program was created and implemented in accordance with The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2000 which is the act of congress that ensured that, upon request, a funeral honors detail (consisting of no less than two uniformed servicemen) could be provided for the funeral of any veteran.
The Military Funeral Honors team works as a team with all Veteran Organizations in the Fargo-Moorhead area. Traditionally, flag folds are the most common form of honors that the Military Funeral Honors team provides, focusing on the three authorized forms of folding the flag to include a two-man fold, a three-man fold, and a six-man fold. The Veteran Organization typically provides the rest of the honors detail to include a color guard, bugler, and a rifle detail. The adjutant of the Veteran Organization traditionally presents the flag to the next of kin during these sacred ceremonies. The Military Funeral Honors team can provide augmentation to any of these details if necessary.
The Military Funeral Honors SE Team was established in Fargo on April 1, 2007. Since then, the team has been building relationships with all Veteran Organizations and funeral home directors and staff in the Fargo-Moorhead area through communication, demonstrations, and training. The team currently consists of three full-time team leaders (Sergeant Steven Hoikkala, Specialist Christopher Hanson, and Private First Class Kayla Staub, all of Fargo), members of the North Dakota Air National Guard and Navy Reserve, and over fifty traditional members of the North Dakota Army National Guard. The Military Funeral Honors SE team has performed honors for over 100 funerals since its creation and continues to work side by side with all of the Veterans Organizations in the area. While the team operates primarily in Fargo, Moorhead, Casselton, and the Red River Valley, they are currently expanding out to all towns and cities in the southeast portion of North Dakota.
Presentations of certification and plaques have been presented to the following Veteran Organizations: Roy Chandler (Fargo) VFW Post #762, Al Melvin E. Hearl (Moorhead) American Legion Post #21, and Ries-Kickertz (Casselton) VFW Post #4655, and presentations have been planned for the following organizations: Gilbert C. Grafton (Fargo) American Legion Post #2, Albert E. Johnson (Moorhead) VFW Post #1223, Edgar A. Fisher (Valley City) American Legion Post #60, Willis Weber (Valley City) AMVETS Post #3, Clarence Tom Lemley (Valley City) DAV Chapter #24, and Frank S. Henry (Valley City) VFW Post #2764.