Volunteer State War Era Veterans Honor Guard

ARMY - MARINES - NAVY - AIR FORCE - COAST GUARD - MERCHANT MARINES

 

 
 

       

     

 

 

 

 

 

Tennessee Department of Veterans Affairs

 

Colonel Many-Bears Grinder

Commissioner

Commissioner Grinder joined the Tennessee Department of Veterans Affairs after retiring from the Tennessee Army National Guard in Nashville where she served as Director of Logistics while having previously served as the Director of Personnel, overseeing actions from the time an individual enlists in the National to the retirement process. As Director of Logistics, Grinder supervised more than 340 personnel across the state activities, facilities, equipment and support mission requirements. She was responsible for a more that $35 million budget and is a certified Defense Financial Manager, the Defense equivalent of a certified public accountant.

"I am honored to serve Governor Haslam, as well as the men and women who have served their country in the Armed Force in this capacity," Grinder said. "Although I will miss wearing the uniform, I will be able to continue my bond with service members, their families and survivors." Grinder holds a master's Degree in Strategic Studies from the Army War College and a master's in Human Resource Management from the University of  Tennessee, Knoxville.

She is a Bronze Star Medal recipient, and she is an Operations Enduring Freedom combat veteran. Commissioner Grinder ia a member of several military and veterans associations, including the Military Officers' Association, American Legion and the Vietnam Veterans of America.

 

Tennessee State Veterans Cemeteries

 

Old East Tennessee Veterans Cemetery-Lyons View

5901 Lyons View Pike

Knoxville, Tennessee  37919

Phone: 865-594-6776

Fax: 865-594-5181

Cemetery full for new interments

Spouses of interned only

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New East Tennessee Veterans Cemetery-John Sevier

2200 E. John Sevier Highway

Knoxville, Tennessee  37920

Phone: 865-577-3228 or 865-577-4881

Fax: 865-573-3630

 

Coming Home

Colonel Jack Roger Harris

First Internment at New East Tennessee Veterans Cemetery - John Sevier

 

 

Click on picture to view - Click on arrow to view additional pictures

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Middle Tennessee Veterans Cemetery

7931 McCrory Lane

Nashville, Tennessee, 37221

Phone: 615-532-2238

Fax: 615-532-2241

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West Tennessee Veterans Cemetery

4000 Forest Hill/Irene Road

Memphis, Tennessee, 38125

Phone: 901-543-7005

Fax: 901-543-7141

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War ERA Veteran Dates

World War II ERA Veteran - December 7, 1941 to December 31, 1946

Korean War ERA Veteran - June 27, 1950 to January 31, 1955

Vietnam War ERA - February 28, 1961 to May 7, 1975

Gulf War (includes: Gulf War Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom)

08/02/1990 – Open    

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American Hero Dying For Freedom
Isn't The Worst That Can Happen
Being Forgotten is! ...
 

 

Unknown Soldier Tomb

  http://www.usba.com/memorialday
 

Music sung by

LeAnn Rimes

www.ziplo.com/AmazingGrace.html

 

 

 

BRIEF HISTORY

The Volunteer State Veterans Honor Guard was founded in August of 1987 by Command Sergeant Major (Ret) Arnold R. Mullins, his wife Patricia L. Mullins and Chief Master Sergeant Raymond Thomas. The primary purpose of the organization is to honor all East Tennessee honorably discharged veterans who have served their country with honor in the United States Armed Services. The Volunteer State Veterans Honor Guard is a non-profit, volunteer member organization. The Honor Guard to date has operated from public support and private donations. We are chartered under the jurisdiction and laws of the State of Tennessee.

 

Charter Members of the Volunteer State Veterans Honor Guard (August, 1987)

 

 

 

 

HONOR GUARD

Since 1987 the Volunteer State Veterans Honor Guard has provided full military honors for over 5000 funerals for fallen comrades who have a

nswered the Last Roll Call. Volunteers in the Honor Guard have served an 18 county area of East Tennessee with full military honor ceremonies. Honor Guard volunteers visit area schools, nursing homes, churches and civil organizations, with a flag ceremony and patriotic program, which teaches Americanism and Patriotism.

Dedicated members of the Honor Guard volunteers contribute over 30,000 volunteer-hours per year. Honorably discharged veterans in the East Tennessee area receive proper full military honors at their funerals, if requested.  As a group of American military veterans, we have devoted our lives to the defense of this great country and the freedoms we enjoy today, and are determined to honor them and fulfill the promises made.  

By defending the freedoms and beliefs that we and our forefathers so strongly promote, our armed forces have protected and defended each and every citizen of this land.  We are all able to go to sleep at night, secure in the knowledge that we are free.  We can go about our daily lives without fear, thanks to the willingness of a group of men and women to stand in support and sacrifice for what is right.

 In turn they ask for nothing more than the basic respect each of us deserves and the added honor owed to a person who willingly defends another. Unfortunately even these basic returns are frequently denied, and our veterans end their lives alone and forgotten.

Several years ago we organized in protest to the regrettable occurrence of one of our brethren's silent burial - a burial which did not extend the honor and gratitude earned by the veteran in defense of this country. We developed a charter and designed a goal that proposes to attend and extend distinguished regards, free of charge, at the burial of any honorably discharged veteran having served in the armed forces.  The Veterans Honor Guard provides a vital service to families of deceased, eligible veterans by providing full military honors that the veteran has earned, but cannot receive from the federal government because of budget constraints. 

 

Honor Guard Vehicle

    

When you see this vehicle on the road, please pause for a moment

and say "Thank You" to a Veteran who has answered the final call to duty.

 

     

 

 

 

Department of

Veterans Affairs

 

America’s Wars

 

          Office of Public Affairs

          Washington, DC 20420

           (202) 273-6000

 

American Revolution (1775-1783)

Total U.S. Service members1                                      217,000

Battle Deaths                                                                   4,435

Non-mortal Wounding                                                      6,188

War of 1812 (1812-1815)

Total U.S. Service members                                        286,730

Battle Deaths                                                                   2,260

Non-mortal Wounding                                                     4,505

Indian Wars (approx. 1817-1898)

Total U.S. Service members (VA estimate)                106,000

Battle Deaths (VA estimate)                                           1,000

Mexican War (1846-1848)

Total U.S. Service members                                          78,718

Battle Deaths                                                                    1,733

Other Deaths in Service                                                 11,550

Non-mortal Wounding                                                       4,152

Civil War (1861-1865)

Total U.S. Service members (Union)                       2,213,363

Battle Deaths (Union)                                                 140,414

Other Deaths in Service (Union)                                224,097

Non-mortal Wounding (Union)                                    281,881

Total Service members (Conf.) 2                             1,050,000

Battle Deaths (Confederate) 3                                      74,524

Other Deaths in Service (Confederate) 3, 4                  59,297

Non-mortal Wounding (Confederate)                       Unknown

Spanish-American War (1898-1902)

Total U.S. Service members (Worldwide)                  306,760

Battle Deaths                                                                     385

Other Deaths in Service (Non-Theater)                         2,061

Non-mortal Wounding                                                     1,662

World War I (1917-1918)

Total U.S. Service members (Worldwide)               4,734,991

Battle Deaths                                                                53,402

Other Deaths in Service (Non-Theater)                      63,114

Non-mortal Wounding                                                204,002

Living Veterans                                                                     0

World War II (1941 –1945)

Total U.S. Service members (Worldwide)             16,112,566

Battle Deaths                                                              291,557

Other Deaths in Service (Non-Theater)                    113,842

Non-mortal Wounding                                                671,846

Living Veterans 5                                                    2,914,000

Korean War (1950-1953)

Total U.S. Service members (Worldwide)               5,720,000

Battle Deaths                                                                33,741

Other Deaths (In Theater)                                             2,833

Other Deaths in Service (Non-Theater)                       17,672

Non-mortal Wounding                                                 103,284

Living Veterans                                                        2,970,000

Vietnam War (1964-1975)

Total U.S. Service members (Worldwide)               8,744,000

Deployed to Southeast Asia                                     3,403,000

Battle Deaths                                                                47,424

Other Deaths (In Theater)                                           10,785

Other Deaths in Service (Non-Theater)                      32,000

Non-mortal Wounding                                                153,303

Living Veterans                                                       7,230,600

Desert Shield/Desert Storm (1990-1991)

Total U.S. Service members (Worldwide)               2,322,000

Deployed to Gulf                                                         694,550

Battle Deaths                                                                     147

Other Deaths (In Theater)                                                235

Other Deaths in Service (Non-Theater)                        1,590

Non-mortal Wounding                                                       467

Living Veterans 5, 6                                                 2,271,000

Global War on Terror (Oct 2001 - )

 

 America’s Wars Total (1775 -1991)

U.S. Military Service during Wartime                   43,185,893

Battle Deaths                                                              653,708

Other Deaths (In Theater)                                           14,560

Other Deaths in Service (Non-Theater)                    525,930

Non-mortal Wounding                                             1,447,281

Living War Veterans                                             17,835,000

Living Veterans (Periods of War & Peace)           23,698,000

NOTES:

1. Exact number is unknown. Posted figure is the median of estimated range from

   184,000 – 250,000.

2. Exact number is unknown. Posted figure is median of estimated range from 600,000 – 1,500,000.

3. Death figures are based on incomplete returns.

4. Does not include 26,000 to 31,000 who died in Union prisons. 

5. Estimate based upon new population projection methodology.

6. VA estimate does not include those still on active duty and may include veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Global War on Terror (GWOT), including Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) are ongoing conflicts. 

 

 

 

 

Updated Monday, 16 April, 2012

 

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