{"id":73733,"date":"2019-06-25T05:57:16","date_gmt":"2019-06-25T09:57:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.owegopennysaver.com\/PS\/?p=73733"},"modified":"2019-06-28T10:22:28","modified_gmt":"2019-06-28T14:22:28","slug":"tioga-county-veterans-honor-fellow-comrades","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.owegopennysaver.com\/PS\/2019\/06\/25\/tioga-county-veterans-honor-fellow-comrades\/","title":{"rendered":"Tioga County veterans honor fellow comrades"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

As a final tribute to acknowledge and recognize the service and sacrifice of fellow veterans, the V.F.W. Post 1371 Honor Guard, based out of Owego, N.Y., dedicates their time at funerals honoring deceased veterans, and many of whom they had never known.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This year to date, the group has participated at about 20 funerals. Within a two-week period in the month of June, the Honor Guard was present at five funerals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Tioga
Members of the V.F.W. Post 1371 Honor Guard honored war veteran and Purple Heart Recipient Frederick \u201cRick\u201d Mayer, who passed away on June 5 at age 69. (Photo by Wendy Post)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The Honor Guard also marches in area parades and participates in other events and ceremonies, such as Vietnam Veterans Day, Memorial Day and Veterans Day, to name just a few.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The presence of the V.F.W. Honor Guard at funerals emanates an extraordinary significance and lasting memory, as well as extends solace for families and loved ones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ceremony typically includes a rifle salute and the presentation of the U.S. Flag, along with a speech by Post members, words of comfort by the Post Chaplain, and concludes with the playing of Taps.  Families can request funeral honors through their funeral director who makes arrangements with appropriate contacts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Tioga
Members of the V.F.W. Post 1371 Honor Guard honored war veteran and Purple Heart Recipient Frederick \u201cRick\u201d Mayer, who passed away on June 5 at age 69. (Photo by Wendy Post)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

One recent Honor Guard detail, complete with \u201cfull military honors,\u201d was presented in remembrance of V.F.W. Post 1371 member, Frederick \u201cRick\u201d Mayer, who passed away on June 5 at age 69. The services were held on June 9, at the MacPherson Funeral Home in Newark Valley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mayer, a Vietnam Veteran and Purple Heart recipient, was a U.S. Marine who enlisted shortly after graduating from Newark Valley High School.  He served in Vietnam from 1968-69.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of Mayer\u2019s good friends, Dan Seymour, who graduated with Rick at Newark Valley High School, enlisted at the same time as Mayer. The duo completed basic training together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During training at Parris Island, Seymour explained that Mayer received news that his mother was in poor health.  At the time, Seymour said that Mayer, an only child in his family that still stepped up to enlist, was given a \u201chardship discharge\u201d option because of his mother\u2019s illness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Tioga
Pictured, are daughters Krissy and Erica Mayer, and Holly LaVrack. (Photo by Wendy Post)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Seymour recalled that Mayer thought about it briefly, but then announced, \u201cNo, I want to be a Marine,\u201d and full aware that he would be shipped out to Vietnam.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The friends\u2019 paths went in separate directions after basic training, but they reunited and kept in touch upon returning home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When asked about Mayer\u2019s military service, daughter Holly Lavrack commented, \u201cHe was pretty private and didn\u2019t tell a lot of stories,\u201d and added, \u201cHe became an advocate for helping other veterans.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another daughter, Erica Mayer, shared, \u201cWe know he saw a lot of action, and because of being shot, he received the Purple Heart,\u201d and further remarked that her father did open up about some of his experiences in more recent years. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Purple Heart, the oldest military award given to U.S. military members, is awarded to those in the Armed Forces who have been wounded or killed. In March of this year, Tioga County received the \u201cPurple Heart County\u201d designation, which was announced at a ceremony honoring Vietnam Veterans Day. Tioga County joins nearly 1,500 other governments across the country that adopted similar resolutions or proclamations. Eleven road signs are slated for installment throughout Tioga County this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seymour remarked about his friend, Rick, \u201cIf he was your friend, he was your friend for life,\u201d and shared, too, that Rick personally struggled with PTSD.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seymour commented that Mayer\u2019s passion for salt water and deep-sea fishing led him to exotic destinations outside of the United States, and, overall, fishing became one of Mayer\u2019s favorite pastimes. Seymour believed Mayer enjoyed the solitude of the activity, too, which in turn helped him in many ways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before he passed away, Seymour said he and Mayer shared these words, \u201cIn Jesus\u2019 name we pray, Amen.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through the National Association of Christian Ministries, Mayer was ordained a minister later in his life. He was also devoted to his family, including three daughters and several grandchildren.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For families interested in the Honor Guard performing at a funeral, Dean Morgan of V.F.W. Post 1371, explained, \u201cFamilies need to verify eligibility, meaning that a veteran was honorably discharged and can provide a DD214 Form to a funeral director.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Morgan also said that the Honor Guard is continually recruiting new members to participate. The Post\u2019s first female member joined in 2016.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interested veterans must first become a member of the Post. For information, call (607) 687-1371 or find them on Facebook.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As a final tribute to acknowledge and recognize the service and sacrifice of fellow veterans, the V.F.W. Post 1371 Honor Guard, based out of Owego,…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":73735,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-73733","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\nTioga County veterans honor fellow comrades - Owego Pennysaver Press<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"http:\/\/www.owegopennysaver.com\/PS\/2019\/06\/25\/tioga-county-veterans-honor-fellow-comrades\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Tioga County veterans honor fellow comrades - Owego Pennysaver Press\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"As a final tribute to acknowledge and recognize the service and sacrifice of fellow veterans, the V.F.W. 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