About the Memorial Team

On 4 Feb 2002 at 2:00 p.m., USMC League member Byron Murray was laid to rest with full military honors, but it was not a Marine Corps team. Ken Anderson and Bill Snider discussed this and began to build our Detachment #993 Memorial Team.

A bit of history; The active component services provide these services for active and retired members. Lacking was providing Military Honors to the rest of the veterans. On July 1, 1999 the state of Missouri established The Military Funeral Honors Program (MFHP) and it provides either National Guard (NG) troops to performs Honors or funds for Veterans’ Service Organizations like our Detachment to provide the Honors.

The NG certifies teams for participation and funding, and training if requested. Today our Memorial Team has a rifle squad, a bugler; flag and flag folders and a Color Guard; all under an Honors Officer In Charge and in conjunction with our Chaplain.

"Honoring Those Who Served” is the Memorial Teams program for providing dignified military funeral honors to veterans of the USMC. There are two types of service: Chapel Service (required on Veterans Cemeteries) is provided outside the cemeteries chapel, and Grave Site Service (private cemeteries) is provided right along side the grave.

Upon the family's request, Public Law 106-65 provides the authority and upon the families request, we provide the service. When military funeral honors at a national cemetery are desired, they are arranged prior to the committal service, most often by the funeral home.

This uniform consists of the Marine dress blue trousers with NCO stripe where applicable, khaki web belt with Marine buckle, white aviator short sleeve shirt, black military shoes, plain black socks, white gloves and pistol belt, and the red over seas cap. Ribbons are as proscribed; name
tag over the right pocket, and over the name tag the Memorial Pin. The League crests are worn on the white shirt collar points, anchors inboard. This uniform is worn exclusively by the Memorial Team and only at Team functions. Most items are issued by the Detachment through the
Quartermaster. Tailoring of trousers, shirts and adding patches can be done at the Big & Tall shop at 3867 S Campbell . For winter wear we add the red satin jacket or black rain coat.

The Detachment Commandant is ultimately in charge but there is an Honors Team OIC annually appointed by the Commandant and approved by the membership. The OIC often works closely with the Chaplain. The OIC has a pool of volunteers who stand ready, and assignment is based on availability and qualifications.