R 101200Z MAR 00 ZYW
FM CMC WASHINGTON DC//CMC//
TO ALMAR
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UNCLAS  //N03040//
ALMAR 015/00
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC (MRC)//
SUBJ/MILITARY FUNERAL HONORS SUPPORT//
POC/M.L. WARD/MAJ/CAS BR/PRIPHN:DSN 278-9512/SECPHN COML:(703)784-9512//
REF/A/DOC/CMC/04APR96//
REF/B/DOC/CMC/07JAN97//
REF/C/DOC/CMC/02DEC97//
NARR/REF A IS MCO P3040.4D (MARCORCASPROCMAN), REF B IS ALMAR 003-97
(MILITARY FUNERAL SUPPORT), REF C IS WHITE LETTER 10-97 (FUNERAL
SUPPORT)//
RMKS/1. "TAKING CARE OF OUR OWN" IS FUNDAMENTAL TO WHAT WE STAND FOR
AS MARINES.  FOR OVER 224 YEARS, THOUSANDS OF CITIZENS HAVE STEPPED
FORWARD AND ANSWERED OUR NATION'S CALL AS MARINES.  WHEN THEY
COMPLETE THEIR SERVICE, MARINES RETURN TO OUR SOCIETY AS PRODUCTIVE
CITIZENS AND CONTINUE TO SERVE THEIR COUNTRY, CORPS, AND FAMILIES IN
MANY WAYS.  WHEN MARINES PASS AWAY, A FAMILY MEMBER WILL OFTEN STATE
THAT THE ACCOMPLISHMENT IN WHICH THE RECENTLY DECEASED TOOK GREATEST
PRIDE WAS BECOMING A UNITED STATES MARINE.  THESE WORDS SPEAK
VOLUMES FOR OUR CORPS.
2.  IN MY COMMANDANT'S GUIDANCE I REAFFIRMED THE CORPS' COMMITMENT
TO OUR MARINE VETERANS.  ONE DUTY WHICH WE WILL DISCHARGE IS TO
PERFORM FUNERAL HONORS FOR HONORABLY SEPERATED MARINE VETERANS.
WHEN MARINES PASS AWAY WE WILL BE THERE, UPON THE REQUEST OF THE
NEXT OF KIN, TO SHOW OUR APPRECIATION FOR THEIR HONORABLE AND
DEDICATED SERVICE ON BEHALF OF OUR COUNTRY AND CORPS.
3.  REFERENCES (A) THROUGH (C) ARE THE PUBLISHED POLICY AND
SUPPLEMENTAL GUIDANCE FOR FUNERAL HONORS IN THE MARINE CORPS.
MILITARY FUNERAL HONORS ARE PROVIDED BY FIELD COMMANDS WITH OR
WITHOUT COORDINATION FROM HIGHER HEADQUARTERS.  IF A MARINE UNIT
RECEIVES A REQUEST FOR FUNERAL HONORS, THEY TAKE IT FOR ACTION.  IF
THEY CANNOT SUPPORT THE REQUEST, THEY FIND ANOTHER UNIT THAT CAN.
THE NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT (NDAA) FOR FY00 CREATED AN
ENTITLEMENT FOR FUNERAL HONORS.  THEREFORE, EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY,
UPON THE REQUEST OF NEXT OF KIN, WE ARE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE AT LEAST
TWO UNIFORMED MARINES TO PERFORM FUNERAL HONORS.  THIS DETAIL MUST
HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO FOLD AND PRESENT THE FLAG TO THE NEXT OF KIN
AND PLAY TAPS.  A LIVE BUGLER IS PREFERRED AND ALL ATTEMPTS WILL BE
MADE TO HAVE ONE PRESENT FOR TAPS.  HOWEVER, IF UNAVAILABLE, A
QUALITY RECORDING IS AUTHORIZED.  MY EXPECTATION IS THAT THE
SITUATIONS WHERE THE MINIMUM NUMBERS OF MARINES ARE USED WILL BE FEW
AND BY EXCEPTION.  COMMANDERS WILL MAKE EVERY ATTEMPT TO PROVIDE
MORE THAN THE MINIMUM DETAIL SIZE AS DICTATED BY OPS/PERS TEMPO.
4.  REF (A) TASKS THE COMMANDING OFFICERS OF OUR RECRUITING
DISTRICTS (MCD'S) WITH THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR COORDINATING FUNERAL
SUPPORT WITHIN THEIR DISTRICT BOUNDARIES.  THIS RESPONSIBILITY
INCLUDED THE AUTHORIZATION TO ASSIGN ANY UNIT, BASE, OR STATION, NOT
IN THEIR OPERATIONAL CHAIN OF COMMAND, TO PROVIDE THIS SUPPORT.  THIS
AUTHORIZATION HAS NOT CHANGED.  IN THE PAST, MOST OF THIS TOTAL
FORCE MISSION HAS BEEN TASKED TO OUR INSPECTOR-INSTRUCTOR STAFFS AND
MARFORRES UNITS.  WITH THE EXPECTED INCREASE IN FUNERAL SUPPORT
REQUIREMENTS IN CY 2000, EVERY MARINE CORPS UNIT MUST PARTICIPATE IN
THIS MISSION.  UNITS OR COMMANDS WHICH HAVE NOT TRADITIONALLY BEEN
ASSIGNED FUNERAL SUPPORT HONORS IN THE PAST, SUCH AS SCHOOLS
COMMANDS, MARADMINDETS, AND THE OPERATING FORCES, WILL PLAY AN
INCREASING ROLE IN THE FUTURE.  THERE ARE NO EXEMPTIONS.  BASES AND
STATIONS, IF UNABLE TO SUPPORT A REQUEST FOR MILITARY FUNERAL
HONORS, WILL REQUEST ASSISTANCE FROM THE FORCE COMMANDER WHO WILL
THEN TASK THE APPROPRIATE MEF COMMANDER TO PROVIDE SUPPORT.
OPERATING FORCES WILL NOT BE TASKED DIRECTLY.
5. THE FOLLOWING ACTIONS ARE REQUIRED:
  A.  COMMANDING GENERAL, MARINE CORPS RECRUITING COMMAND (MCRC).
ENSURE THE CO'S OF RECRUITING DISTRICTS COMPILE A COMPLETE
LISTING OF ALL MARINE UNITS WITHIN THEIR BOUNDARIES CAPABLE OF
CONDUCTING FUNERAL HONORS IAW PARA 2002.5 OF REF A.  THE LIST SHOULD
CONTAIN THE UNIT NAME, ADDRESS AND PHONE NUMBERS DURING WORKING
HOURS AND AFTER WORKING HOURS.  WHEN LISTING MSC COMMANDS, ONLY THE
COMMAND HEADQUARTERS OF BASES AND STATIONS NEED BE LISTED, IE, CG,
MCB CAMLEJ, COMCABEAST ETC.  DO NOT LIST SUBORDINATE UNITS OR MEF
COMMANDS.
  B.  ALL BASES AND STATIONS (HEADQUARTERS ONLY), MARADMINDETS,
SCHOOLS COMMANDS, SEPERATE UNITS, AND ALL RESERVE DISTRICT
COMMANDERS ARE DIRECTED TO CONTACT THE CO OF THE APPROPRIATE MCD
TO ENSURE YOUR CAPABILITIES TO SUPPORT FUNERAL HONORS ARE KNOWN.
IF UNSURE OF WHICH MCD YOUR UNIT FALLS UNDER CALL COML: (703)
784-9429/30 OR DSN 278.
  C.  DC M&RA:  DEVELOP A PLAN OF ACTION AND MILESTONES (POA&M)
NLT 1 APR 2000, TO EFFECT THE LONG TERM GOAL OF DIRECT HQMC TASKING
OF FUNERAL SUPPORT REQUIREMENTS VICE USE OF MCDS.
6.  THERE ARE NO EX-MARINES.  THERE ARE ONLY MARINES.  THOSE OF US
WHO CURRENTLY ARE HONORED TO WEAR THE UNIFORM MUST CONTINUE THE LONG
LINE OF OUR PREDECESSORS IN UPHOLDING THE INTEGRITY OF THESE WORDS.
OUR SUPPORT OF FUNERAL HONORS FOR OUR MARINES WILL SPEAK LOUDER THAN
ANY WORDS.
7.  SEMPER FIDELIS, J. L. JONES, GENERAL, U.S. MARINE CORPS,
COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS.//
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