News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
As we celebrate Memorial Day, The Veterans Honor Guard works daily to ensure that all veterans get the respect they deserve across the Upper Cumberland.
Commander Jim McAfee said the Honor Guard is a non-profit organization comprised of veterans from all branches of the military that provides military honors for deceased veterans. McAfee said being a veteran is vital to understanding why it is so important to provide these services.
“We believe that all veterans deserve to have military honors at their funerals if they have served honorably,” McAfee said. “And so that’s why we do it. And it’s – it’s just one of those things that we all agree with and do.”
McAfee said they serve about 200 funerals a year, as there are not enough people in active duty to provide the military honors for all of the veterans in the Upper Cumberland.
“We provide military honors for veterans in the Upper Cumberland and beyond, actually,” McAfee said. “Because we have gone to the military cemetery in Chattanooga, the military cemetery in Nashville, and also the military cemetery in Knoxville.”
McAfee said the Honor Guard is searching for more members who can help them provide military honors at funerals across the region.
“We do a lot of funerals,” McAfee said. “And we don’t expect a veteran, or one of our members, to make every funeral, but if they would be willing to come and work with us and help honor our fellow veterans they could give me a call.”
McAfee said Memorial Day is an important extension of what they do because it is the time when the whole country comes together to honor its veterans. He said you should take the time to thank a veteran for their service whenever you see one in your community.
“Without the veteran, you don’t have any of this,” McAfee said.
