National Memorial Ladies Rep: We're Not Allowed to Say 'God Bless You' at Funerals
A veterans group from Texas is speaking out after filing claims that the Department of Veterans Affairs is preventing them from saying the words "God" or "Jesus" during funeral ceremonies at the Houston National Cemetery. Gretchen spoke to Marilyn Koepp,
secretary of the National Memorial Ladies, a volunteer group whose aim is to attend every soldiers' funeral at that cemetery.
Koepp said she was told members of her organization can no longer say "God Bless You" at funerals when approaching family members of the deceased. Koepp said she has not seen evidence that this is a rule, but is not aware that this rule is enforced anywhere else in the country.
Koepp said, "It's very hard for me to be at the funeral of one of our veterans, especially when it's a homeless veteran, and that is why we're really there - so no one is ever buried alone - and we just make that decision that we will say 'God Bless You', and how can someone tell us, 'no you can't'."
