1,000th Homeless Veteran Laid To Rest

A homeless Vietnam veteran was laid to rest January 25^th at Willamette National Cemetery in Portland, Oregon.   But on that day, Petty Officer 2^nd Class Stevenson L. Roy seemed more at home than ever.  His casket was carried not by family, but by family of a different breed.

It wasn’t till after Roy’s death that it was discovered he had served during the Vietnam War.  There wasn’t a family member present, no record of a widow, children or relatives.

It was the Oregon Honor Guard and Patriot Guard motorcycle riders that paid respects with the help of the Dignity Memorial Homeless Veterans Burial Program.  Roy’s burial was the 1,000^th conducted by this program alone.

There was a full military burial including a 21-gun salute, missing man procession by the Patriot Guard, and presentation of the flag by the Oregon Honor Guard.

It’s because of men and women like these that no man or woman gets left behind.  There are more programs now helping veterans get back on their feet after serving. Still, almost 130,000 veterans will be homeless in a given year according to the VA.

130,000.   Not all of them will remain homeless, but some will wonder where they will rest their head at night at some point over the next year.  Remember that as you tuck yourself in.

Thanks to the Patriot Guard, a crusade of motorcycle riders, veteran burials are shielded from protestors.  The Patriot Guard motto-“Standing for those who stood for us.”

The organization started in 2005 when a group of patriots heard that a “fallen hero’s memory was being tarnished by misguided religious zealots who were protesting at funerals” from the Westboro Baptist Church.  Misguided they are.

The flag laid over Petty Officer Roy’s casket was folded and presented to 12-year-old Nick Henry, member of the Civil Air Patrol, and his mother who is an executive at the Lincoln Memorial Funeral Home.  That boy may have just learned more about this country than any other kid his age.

He may have learned the various frays in humanity, or how staying healthy is much more than physical.  He may have learned a little about family beyond his own.  Perhaps he learned more about sacrifice, but I’ll bet he learned something about dignity.

The Dignity Memorial Homeless Veterans Burial Program is “one of several efforts by the Dignity Memorial network to honor and support our nation’s veterans and active military.”

The collateral damage of war is inevitable.  Homeless veterans shouldn’t be part of that equation.  Sadly, it probably will.  Rest in peace.