Local Homeless Veteran Receives Military Funeral

Alabama Mobile U.S. Air Force veteran Aubrey Vallia Jr. is the first homeless veteran in Mobile to be served by the Dignity Memorial Homeless Veterans Burial Program. The program has existed in other parts of the country since 2000 but was organized in the Mobile area just this summer.

by WKRG Staff

Published: Tue, October 20, 2009 - 4:08 pm CST Last Updated: Tue, October 20, 2009 - 4:42 pm CST

MOBILE, Alabama - It's estimated that there are over 150,000 homeless veterans across the U.S..
Many pass away with no family or money to see to a proper burial.
One group made sure that a homeless veteran from right here in the Port City got the honor that his Vietnam war service merited.
News 5 photojournalist Gary Arnold takes us to Biloxi where Air Force veteran Anthony Vallia was given full military honors.

With more than 150,000 homeless veterans in the U.S., many whose remains are unclaimed at their death risk burial in pauper’s graves. Through the Dignity Memorial® Homeless Veterans Burial Program, one Mobile-area veteran won’t be among them.
U.S. Air Force veteran Aubrey Vallia Jr. (1945 – 2009) is the first homeless veteran in Mobile to be served by the Dignity Memorial Homeless Veterans Burial Program. The program has existed in other parts of the country since 2000 but was organized in the Mobile area just this summer.
Through the Dignity Memorial Homeless Veterans Burial Program, Vallia will receive a chapel service at 2 p.m. Monday, Oct. 19 at Radney Funeral Home, 3155 Dauphin St. in Mobile, and a graveside service with military funeral honors at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 20 at Biloxi National Cemetery with interment following.
Vallia, 64, is a Vietnam-era veteran with no home, no money, and no legal next-of-kin to make his funeral arrangements. That’s when Radney Funeral Home stepped in to see to it that Vallia receives a burial befitting a veteran of our nation’s armed services.
“The Dignity Memorial Homeless Veterans Burial Program is a cooperative effort designed to ensure that veterans who are homeless, indigent and have no family receive the honors in death that their service in life merited,” said Leslie Hanke, manager of Radney Funeral Home and chairperson of the Dignity Memorial Homeless Veterans Burial Program in Mobile. “We’re honored to be able to give Mr. Vallia the dignified military service he deserves,” she said.
Vallia will receive a chapel service Monday afternoon, complete with military funeral honors, including the folding and presentation of the American flag and the playing of taps. The American Legion Post 250 will provide the military funeral honors, and the chaplain of the Mobile Police Dept. will officiate the service. In lieu of family, the Gulf Coast Veterans will receive Vallia’s American flag.
A military chaplain will officiate the Tuesday morning graveside service, which also will include military funeral honors at the Biloxi National Cemetery.
The Dignity Memorial Homeless Veterans Burial Program is a cooperative effort among Dignity Memorial funeral, cremation and cemetery service providers, Biloxi National Cemetery, the Alabama Dept. of Forensic Science, American Legion Post 250, American Legion Post 164, Gulf Coast Veterans, Barrancas National Cemetery in Pensacola, Fla., Mobile County Commissioner’s Office, the Mobile Police Dept., Mobile Fire and Rescue, the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, the Mobile Chaplaincy Board and local veterans organizations and veterans advocates.
Through the program, Dignity Memorial funeral and cemetery providers provide preparation of the body, transportation, clothing, casket and coordination of the funeral service. Biloxi National Cemetery will provide the opening and closing of the gravesite, a grave liner, a headstone or marker and the graveside ceremony.

The Dignity Memorial Homeless Veterans Burial Program is one of many efforts of the Dignity Memorial network to honor and support our nation’s veterans and active military. Other initiatives and programs include the Veterans Planning Guide, the Dignity Memorial Vietnam Wall, educational veterans seminars and special pricing for members of veterans service organizations.

Radney Funeral Homes are proud Dignity Memorial providers in Mobile. The Dignity Memorial network of more than 1,600 funeral, cremation and cemetery service providers is North America’s most trusted resource for funeral and memorialization services. Dignity Memorial providers offer an unmatched combination of products and locations serving families with care, integrity, respect and service excellence.

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Caring Says:

Wed, Oct 21, 2009 at 1:06 pm

This was a very warm and caring excercise but who was there for him when he was hungry, cold, hot, and homeless. I think that we waited a little to late to show him respect. Our veterans should be taken care of until the end not at the end.

tallbird Says:

Wed, Oct 21, 2009 at 10:31 am

Personally I believe that everyone should be treated with at least a modicum of respect and decency; everyone. I just think that our veterans deserve more than that, because we ask more from them than we do most other folks (police and firefighters fall into that category too) and with rare exception they willingly do more than we ask.

FastFred Says:

Wed, Oct 21, 2009 at 10:05 am

Well let’s see…We can supply illegal aliens with housing/food stamps/and health care at tax payers expense.So we treat those who break our laws better than those who were willing to sacrifice their lives to make this country what it is,than we have those that sit on their “butts"and contribute nothing and are willing to steal tax payers money to live on when the majority are capable of working.NOW…I fully understand the situation,the politicians are putting our tax dollars in the wrong places and pretty much care nothing about our seniors and Vets while we take care of law breakers and people that could be working.

dementfsu Says:

Wed, Oct 21, 2009 at 3:50 am

..as a members,, of the al post 250,,sal…so proud of this burial service..!!....

tallbird Says:

Tue, Oct 20, 2009 at 6:53 pm

I spent years working with the VA to find homeless vets so we could get them any benefits coming to them that they likely knew nothing about. We found them under bridges and in cardboard boxes and in other places you dont even want to know about. I have to agree with the postings. The situation is just heartbreaking. Many suffer from PTSD cause directly from their service and they just cant go get help. They simply arent able.
Thank you to organizations like this that offer dignity at the end. If you know of a vet or hear of a vet in need please contact your local VA office.

Lilyannah Says:

Tue, Oct 20, 2009 at 5:25 pm

I agree! we pay the people who get us in to war for the rest of their life. but pay the ones who do the fighting nothing. makes no since.

rmseek1234 Says:

Tue, Oct 20, 2009 at 5:16 pm

I think it wonderful that these organizations are coming together to make sure our vets have a proper burial. However,it absolutely sickens me,that our government cares so darn little for the ones who serve our country,that they would even ALLOW a vet to go homeless and without. Yet, they bend over backwards to provide for those whose only “service,” is well…breeding. Disgusting!!!!!

God Bless your soul Mr.Vallia, and thank you for your service,sir.