Cover Stories

An Honorable Procession

Philadelphia's Honor Guard provides Veterans a dignified farewell

Honors escorts practice the proper way to fold a U.S. flag.

Saying a final farewell to a friend is often difficult. Residents of the Philadelphia VA Medical Center's Community Living Center (CLC), however, have found a way to say a last goodbye to fellow Veterans that honors their lives and service in a unique and dignified manner.

"Our honor guard evolved from our residents' requests," explains Bettyanne Corkery, nurse manager for the Heroes' Crossing hospice and palliative care unit at the facility. "We used to drape a flag over the body of Veterans leaving us for the last time, but our residents came to us and said they wanted to do more."

The medical center used to take deceased Veterans out through a back door. "We didn't want to be upsetting anyone," Corkery says. CLC residents, however, preferred to know when their fellow residents had passed on. "We want to form an honor guard," they told her. "We want to say goodbye to our fellow Veterans with dignity and grace."

"When I am notified of a death, I call the honor guard together," explains Gerry Donlon, a U.S. Army Vietnam Veteran who is president of the Residents Council and chief coordinator for the program. "We have white gloves and hats that indicate we're part of the guard. We go to the deceased's room, and we stand guard in the hall until the ambulance or the hearse comes.

Honors escorts practice the proper way to display a U.S. flag over a patient gurney.

"Then we proceed forward, along with the family, and the speaker system for the hospital plays patriotic songs, including Taps. When we get to the lobby, we stop and I say a prayer. We fold the flag military style and hand it over to the family members, we render a final salute, and then the Veteran is taken to the hearse. You'd be surprised how many pictures are taken throughout the whole procession."

Medical center staff and others who want to take part in the ceremony accompany the procession. Most honor guard members use wheelchairs for mobility.

"Everyone knows that when they hear the music play, one of our Veterans is leaving the building," Corkery tells us. "They stop for a second and honor that Veteran. The families are so touched."

While other VA facilities have honor guards, Corkery believes Philadelphia's program is unique because it is Veteran driven. "They have sessions in which they talk about what works and what doesn't, and they recruit new volunteers themselves," she explains. "It has evolved into the most beautiful ceremony, and they are constantly tweaking it."

"When you see all eight members of the honor guard get a call at two in the morning, and everyone shows up, you know there's personal satisfaction," says Donlon.

"It's been an honor for me to be a part of how it's evolved. It's so beautiful," Corkery concludes. And Donlon adds, "I'd like to see every CLC (throughout VA) do this. I really would."