Veterans sacrifice their lives for the safety and freedom of others. This notion led Navy veteran Robert Eberlein to commit his life after service to ensuring that every veteran in his community is given a proper burial ceremony.
"This is a last way for us to honor them for their service to their country and their sacrifice," Eberlein told the South Bend Tribune.
Eberlein served in Vietnam and saw many honorable acts by fellow servicemembers. The way he and his fellow Vietnam veterans were treated when they returned from service was not how any servicemember should be treated. Eberlein wanted to make sure that the men he fought with got a proper military sendoff when they passed, so he joined a burial squad.
The veteran told the South Bend Tribune that burial squads usually include 10 individuals, which can be the chaplain, the team leader and a bugle player. Eberlein serves in his squad as the bugle player, which was a talent he acquired during his service.
Eberlein hopes his commitment to honoring fallen brothers and sisters in arms will inspire younger generations of veterans to do the same when they are his age.