Fort Hood Steps In After Shutdown Halts WWII Veteran’s Military Funeral

Fort Hood Steps In After Shutdown Halts WWII Veteran’s Military Funeral

As the government shutdown creeps along, now in its fourth week, services that have been placed on hold are beginning to affect people in all walks of life. Including deceased veterans.

A Final Wish
For Florencio Davila of Waco, Texas, his dying wish was to be buried with full military honors. After all, the World War II veteran, who passed away on Oct. 21, spent his life giving back, caring for other people. He never really asked for much.

However, the shutdown forced Davila’s family to pivot to other options. Davila’s granddaughter, Sonya Guerrero, said when she reached out to the U.S. Army to set up funeral arrangements, they didn’t get the response they were hoping for.

“As we were making the preparations, we were told due to the government shutdown, military funerals are not happening right now or taking place right now,” Guerrero told KSDK NBC 5 in Waco. “I was devastated. That was his one and only request, and to hear that was not going to take place, I couldn't let it not happen.”

Guerrero refused to take no for an answer. She called just about every government office she could think of for assistance. Finally, the Casualty Assistance Center at Fort Hood, Texas, came through to help make Davila’s final wish come true. In addition, the National Defense Act, passed into law in 2000, “authorizes military funeral honors to active-duty soldiers, retirees and veterans.”