THE RIGHT THING TO DO

1. THE RIGHT THING TO DO

2. WHAT IS MIAP? • Non-profit organization dedicated to veterans • Massive nation-wide effort to locate, identify, & inter unclaimed remains of forgotten veterans • Executed through combined efforts of: • Citizens • Volunteer service & veteran organizations • Funeral homes • State funeral commissions • State and National Veterans’ Administration agencies

3. . • MISSION STATEMENT • To provide honor and respect. • To locate, identify and inter the unclaimed cremated remains of American veterans through the joint efforts of private, state, and federal organizations to those who have served this country by securing a final resting place for these forgotten heroes

4. MIAP FOUNDER • Fred Salanti • National Director • Redding, Ca • Disabled Veteran • Major, US Army Infantry • Viet Nam Veteran

5. MIAP NATIONAL OPERATIONS COORDINATOR • LINDA SMITH • RETIRED DOD • US NAVY VETERAN

6. MIAP NATIONAL SPOKESPERSON • Heidi Voight • Noted activist & public speaker • From Milford, CT • Personal mission is to ensure no man or woman brave enough to serve is forgotten • We owe them a proper memorial with honor, dignity, and with love

7. MIAP NATIONAL CHAPLAIN • CHUCK TYLER • National Chaplain/Web Administrator • Set up Chaplain Corps in 50 states • Looking for MIAP volunteer Chaplains • If you feel it’s your calling • Meet requirements of ordained minister or experienced Chaplain.

8. AMERICAN LEGION AND AMVETS Partnered with MIAP • Adopted American Legion Resolution 24 in May 2007 by the National Executive Committee and AMVETS Resolution 09-19 in 2008 • Formally endorsed the MIA project • “Identify, Honor, and Inter Unclaimed Cremated Remains of Veterans”

9. INSPIRATION FOR THE PROGRAM • Remains found in storage unit • Nov ’06 • Idaho State Veterans Cemetery interred 21 veteran cremains & one spouse • Nov ’07 • 13 more veterans & three spouses laid to rest Rich Cesler, Idaho State Veterans’ Cemetery

10. OREGON’S FORGOTTEN HOSPITAL 3500 cremains found at an Oregon State Hospital

11. JEFFERSON BARRACKS SERVICE St. Louis, MO January 11, 2008 Six veterans’ cremains interred

12. JEFFERSON BARRACKS SERVICE MIAP/ALR/PGR PIPE AND DRUM CORPS

13. The shadow box was presented to the Funeral Home Director on behalf Of the deceased veterans. It now hangs in a place of Honor at the funeral home.

14. CALIFORNIA MIAP MISSION

15. MIAP UPDATE January 2009 • Over 300 volunteers + Approx 120 Group Volunteers (AL, ALR, VFW, MCL, VVA etc) • Number of states participating: 47 • Funeral Homes Visited : 648 • Veterans Identified: 571 • Veterans Interred: 387 • Cremains Located: 6642 New cremains located in: AZ, CA, IL, MI, MO, NM, NC, OR, WY, NH, VT, KY, IA

16. IDENTIFING VETERANS & DEPENDENTS • Check list of cremain files on premises • Check files for military information: • DD 214 (discharge paper) • Notice of Separation • Certificate of Honorable Discharge • Death certificate: Decedent ever in US Armed Forces? • Submit information for eligibility verification • Notification of eligible decedents • Coordinate interment service with full military honors

17. REMAINS INFORMATION FORM NAME OF FUNERAL HOME:__________________________ ADDRESS:_________________________________________ DIRECTOR’S NAME:________________________________ PHONE NUMBER:___________________________________ REMAINS LAST NAME:_____________________FIRST:___________MI:__ DOB:______________ DATE OF DEATH:_______________ SSN:________________________ PLACE OF BIRTH:______________ DATE OF CREMATION:___________ SIGNED LETTER OF CONSENT TO SCATTER FROM NOK OR DECEASED YES __ NO__ Photocopy death certificate and any military forms found in file. ________________________________________________________ COORDINATOR USE ONLY (Eligible remains found) CEMETERY:___________________________________ ADDRESS: _____________________________________ DATE:____________

18. MILITARY HONORS

19. MIAP OPERATIONS Yellow = Region 5 LT Green = Region 5A LT Blue = Region 3 Violet = Region 4 DK Green = Region 2 Orange = Region 1 DK Blue = Region 1a White = No Region

20. MIAP CONTACT INFORMATION National Director Fred Salantiducpho@miap.us National Operations Coordinator Linda Smith sailormom@miap.us Assistant National Coordinator Joe Smith joelinda2470@windstream.net Financial Frank (Bud) Thieme Jr.             bikerpapa@miap.us Chaplain/Web Administrator Chuck Tyler                             chucktyler@miap.us Secretary Board of Directors/Legal Action Committee Cheryl Egan                             cdegan@miap.us

21. MIAP CONTACT INFORMATION Veterans Organizations Coordinator Chris Brocksmith cgbrocksmith@cbrocksmith.com National Liaison To Funeral Directors David Malphrus malphrusintx@netzero.net National Spokesperson Heidi Voight hvoight@miap.us Funeral Director/Legal Action Committee Poul LeMasters, Esq. phl@rosenacker.com Grants and Corporate Sponsors Coordinator Terri Hanson thansen@miap.us

22. DEFINITION OF A VETERAN A veteran is someone who, at one point in his/her life, wrote a blank check made payable to the United States of America, for any amount, up to and including his/her life. Author Unknown

23. SUMMARY • This project has just begun • We desire to inter veterans and their dependents with the honor & respect they deserve • They served our great nation • It is now our great nation’s turn to serve them

24. Missing in America Emotions surround on me this day of despair At the Veterans memorial, sorrow wafts in the air We honor five soldiers and lay them to rest The armed forces tribute for America’s best.  Their comrades escort them to this hallowed place A disciplined march, in synchronized pace.  Seven Honor Guard set, arms shouldered to fire Three shots will ring out, all meant to inspire Each volley thunders as it moves through my soul The flood in my eyes, I no longer control.  Softly, the bugle mourns one final song Taps for these men, their day is now done. As I hold my flag high, to honor these men My heart starts to ache for what gathered us in.  The journey each took to this final place Is unbearably sad and should cause us disgrace.  Missing in Action, we all know this phrase A price our men pay for defending our ways.  But missing at home, these men should not bear Being left on a shelf with no one to care.  Their families are absent, they don’t know we’re here They’ve left these men stranded, year after year.  On funeral home shelves, their fate left unknown So our mission won’t end, till all are brought home We’ll honor their service and life since the war And place them with God to rest evermore.  Old Glory is folded and placed at their side We’ll remember forever, Americas Pride Missing in America, a project held dear Will find all these men and see them brought here They defended this Nation with courage and grit We owe it to them to never forget Don Blair

25. QUESTIONS? THE RIGHT THING TO DO