Robert Cebina has been eulogizing veterans at their funerals for a quarter of a century. He and members of the Monroe Post 1138 Honor Guard, veterans of foreign wars, have been busy in recent years holding memorial rites for members of the post.

Since 1997, the post commander has assisted the guard in firing volleys into the air and presenting American flags to surviving relatives of the deceased. He said consoling loved ones of veterans can be difficult, especially when the veteran was a fellow Ritual Squad.

“It doesn’t get any easier, especially when it’s someone you know or one of our own team members. It’s tough,” the head guard said this week.

One of the team members who died in 2021 was Stanley Fultz, 80, a longtime member and former co-owner of Fultz Gallery & Framing in Monroe. His funeral took place on December 17.

The Ritual Team performed at more than 120 funerals and memorial services in 2021, which far exceeded the 73 appearances made in 2020 when the COVID-19 crisis began, said fellow member John C. Durbin. of the guard. Many funerals have been delayed or not held due to the pandemic, Durbin said.

Many families didn’t hold funerals in 2020 because they couldn’t arrange them or adhere to social distancing protocols, Durbin said.

“This year (2021) has been one of our busiest years,” the Air Force veteran said. “It’s a tight-knit group. It takes a certain type of person to do what we do. Veterans are entitled to an honorary military departure.

There are 28 members in the team, allowing members to fill in when others are unavailable. Jeff Wycorowski, an Army veteran who served in Desert Storm, is the youngest member.

“Everyone has a duty and works as a team,” said Durbin, 82.

The team performed at more than 30 different venues last year, including cemeteries, churches, funeral homes and private venues, he said. The oldest veteran funeral the team has attended was Donald A. Toeppe Sr., a 97-year-old Marine Corps veteran who helped secure the Japanese-held islands of Saipan and Tinian during World War II. . The funeral of the youngest veterans was that of RV Allen, an Army veteran who died at age 41.

The team also provided a color guard for services held at Veterans Park on Memorial Day and other holidays. He also hosted patriotism and good citizenship presentations and flag folding demonstrations at area schools and participated in a military and veteran tribute at a high school football game. from Monroe last fall.

Cebina, a 75-year-old Air Force veteran, has a standard tribute he reads at every funeral. However, it sometimes mentioned any information about when and where the deceased had served, the conditions under which he had fought, and any significant medals or honors he had received in the military.

“I try to personalize it as much as possible” with information obtained from family or an obituary, he said.

Funerals have been held for veterans from as far back as World War II and the Korean War. Other funerals are held for veterans of the Vietnam War, when Cebina and Durbin served.

“We’ve had Desert Storm and Iraq War veterans who have died, but Vietnam veterans are the most common,” Durbin said.

He noted that it does not matter the weather conditions at the time of the funeral.

“We do it in all kinds of weather, whether it’s 95 or minus 5,” Durbin said.

He said the team logged more than 3,700 hours and traveled 28,000 miles in 2021 to perform.

“The farthest was at Flat Rock. But we also went to places like Petersburg and Maybee,” he said.

November was the busiest month, with 18 funerals and services held. So far in 2022, the guard has performed at six funerals.

Durbin and Dan Burchfield, another former commander, also act as spokespersons when Cebina cannot. The guard provides a seven-member team to shoot a volley in the air just before the Taps game to conclude the ceremony. sergeant. Jack Rose leads the team and George O’Dell often folds the flag which is presented to a surviving spouse or other family member.

The post has three buglers that can play echoing taps for services. They include Bill Lietaert, Jim Liedel and Paul Ford. Durbin said listening to the solemn music and the gratitude the families show the team is worth it.

“The taps just come to you,” he noted. “When we present the flags, just to see their eyes and the looks on their faces, it’s worth it,” he said.