Editorial: Military honors are least a nation can do

Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2000 | 9:16 a.m.

Two developments -- an increasing rate of veterans dying and a downsizing of the military that meant fewer available personnel -- has led to about 9,000 requests for military honors at funerals being turned down nationwide. Fortunately for Southern Nevada, support from Nellis Air Force Base and veterans groups has ensured that military honors haven't been denied here.

Still, Congress did the right thing last year when it mandated that all veterans' burials should receive honors if requested. In an encouraging sign, the Sun's Ed Koch reported Monday that Western region members of the National Cemetery Association, a branch of the Veterans Administration, say that the new requirement is being implemented smoothly. The new law is estimated to cost $75 million this year, but this is a small price to pay to honor those men and women who served this nation.

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