By The Sentinel-Record

On Oct. 13, representatives from veterans service organizations, including Disabled Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion, gathered to honor 32 veterans and one spouse as they were laid to rest with full military honors at the Arkansas State Veterans’ Cemetery in North Little Rock.

The program, Arkansas Veterans Memorial Tribute, spearheaded by the Arkansas Department of Veterans Affairs and assisted by the United States Daughters of 1812, Little Rock and Pine Bluff chapters, honored veterans who gave service to the country and were entitled to full military honors, a news release said.

The veterans served in all branches of the military and during different eras. Three peacetime, two Persian Gulf War, four World War II, four Korean War, and 19 Vietnam War veterans were honored,” Sheila Beatty-Krout, U.S.D. 1812 and head of the AVMT, the release said.

“People sometimes die without family to claim them,” Beatty-Krout said in the release. “This program works to marshal local, state and federal resources to assist in identifying unclaimed veteran remains. It takes effort and many hands to identity an unclaimed veteran. Coroners, funeral home directors and volunteers have been working to identify unclaimed Arkansas veterans’ remains.” Beatty-Krout said during the investigation four cremains were reunited with family.

Other organizations represented at the ceremony were Commander Randall J. Freeman, General Robert C. Newton Camp 197, Sons of Confederate Veterans; John Tatum, AR Society War of 1812; Dale Lovell, Sons of the American Revolution; Daughters of the American Revolution from chapters Akansa, Hot Springs Village, Provincia de la Sal, Benton, and Little Rock chapters Gilbert Marshall and Centennial.

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