V.F.W. Post 1371 Honor Guard welcomes first female member

Fourteen members of V.F.W. Post 1371 based out of Owego, N.Y. gathered at Riverside Cemetery in Apalachin on Friday, April 1 to honor a Korean War veteran being laid to rest. Also present at the funeral were two U.S. Navy personnel based out of Syracuse, N.Y., who attended for the flag presentation.

V.F.W. member and Korean War veteran, Jim Raftis, Sr., who is also Tioga County’s Memorial Day chairman shared, “The V.F.W. dedicates their time to this very important last tribute to their comrades, most of whom they probably never met or knew.”

The V.F.W. is encouraging new membership and asks veterans, including women veterans, to step forward to help carry on the tradition. Although the April 1 funeral brought together a good number of current members, it is not always possible to gather the same number of people for each occasion. New membership is important, too, since a few of the current members are now in their 80’s. Today, 22 Owego V.F.W. members volunteer their time to attend funerals, and those same members, along with seven others, march or ride in parades or attend other events.

“We are always looking for new people,” commented George Carrigan, a Korean War veteran who, for many decades, has dedicated his time at funerals, parades and other events.

At the April 1 funeral, Carrigan took on the role of reading the V.F.W. message to the family of the deceased. Carrigan explained that in 2015, the V.F.W. was called upon to attend about 50 funerals, equivalent to about one each week. Looking back about a decade ago, Carrigan recalls that there were as many as three funerals a week, during a time period when numerous World War II veterans were laid to rest.

Retired U.S. Air Force nurse, Danielle Ingram, also president of the Veterans of Modern Warfare Chapter 9 (VMW), is the first woman to participate with the V.F.W. Honor Guard at funerals. The funeral held April 1 was the third funeral she has attended.

During her 22-year career, Ingram, deployed twice to Iraq, as well as Saudi Arabia, Cuba and Oman, also took part in several humanitarian missions. Ingram’s primary role as a CASF nurse (Casualty Air Staging Facility) was to get the injured stabilized and ready for flight to a hospital. Ingram was a nurse at an Iraq CASF the day Sergeant and Purple Heart recipient Justin Donnelly was severely wounded. Ingram again had the opportunity to meet Donnelly, but on home soil, at an annual Memorial Day ceremony and parade in Owego.

Ingram explained that the main reason she decided to get involved in the V.F.W. Honor Guard is because, “It’s all about showing respect and appreciation for what they did.”

Ingram added, “It is an honor to be there for them.”

Families can request funeral honors through their funeral director who makes arrangements with appropriate contacts.

V.F.W. member Dean Morgan, who takes on the role of bugler at funerals and ceremonies, explained, “Families also need to verify eligibility, meaning that a veteran was honorably discharged, which is usually done by presenting a DD214 Form to a funeral director.”

The presence of the V.F.W. Honor Guard at funerals leaves a significant impression and is a lasting memory for families and loved ones. At the April 1 funeral for a U.S. Navy veteran, in addition to Carrigan’s presentation, Post Chaplain, Deacon Mike Donovan also spoke. Officer of the Day, Walt Beardslee, was detail leader. A rifle salute followed, along with the folding and presentation of the flag by U.S. Navy personnel, and also included the playing of Taps.

Morgan also explained that interested veterans would need to become a member of the Post. For information about V.F.W. Post 1371 in Owego, find them on Facebook, or call (607) 687-1371. You may also contact Jim Raftis, Sr. at (607) 687-4229.