New Jersey veterans make sure brothers and sisters are not left behind

On this Veterans Day, a New Jersey group is dedicated to giving veterans a proper burial.

The cremated remains or “cremains” of many war veterans go unclaimed and languish on funeral home shelves.  New Jersey’s Mission of Honor is dedicated to burying war veterans with military honors.  Jerry Skorch is chaplain of the group.

“We are now sanctioned by law, Governor Corzine signed in February of 2009 allowing funeral homes to relinquish those cremains to veterans organizations such as the Mission of Honor, for the purpose of proper military burial, and that’s what we provide,” said Skorch.  “We are all volunteers.”

Skorch says the group gives the veterans the respect they have earned from their service.

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“We provide a solid mahogany urn emblazoned with the logo of the branch from which they served, and we provide a full-size casket flag, five feet by nine feet.  Plus a cherry wood case for that flag,” he said.

Since July of 2009, the group has buried 51 veterans at a military cemetery near McGuire Air Force Base.

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