The National Cemetery Administration was recently recognized by the Federal Consulting Group for providing outstanding customer service to Veterans’ families throughout the last decade. FCG is the federal government’s executive agent for the American Customer Satisfaction Index, a standardized measure of customer satisfaction in the U.S. economy. The index covers approximately 225 companies in 45 industries and 10 economic sectors.
NCA achieved the highest ranking of any group (public or private) on the latest index, for the fourth consecutive time in 10 years.
The 2010 survey was sent to next-of-kin of Veterans and family members laid to rest in national cemeteries over the preceding 12 months. Their responses earned NCA 94 of 100 possible points for overall customer satisfaction.
Why do we continue to top the charts? There are several reasons for our success. Yet to my mind, one trumps all the others: Every one of our employees understands there are no “do-overs” in our business. We know we have to do things right the first time, every time.
For most families, thankfully, the need to bury or memorialize a cherished loved one arises infrequently. So unlike other leading companies covered by the survey, we typically get just one chance to meet our customers’ expectations.
This was brought home to me again recently during a get-acquainted interview with a new employee, the widow of a Veteran buried in a national cemetery.
“In a week that was pretty much a blur from start to finish,” she told me, “the cemetery staff’s compassion and professionalism stood out clearly. I want to work at NCA because I know from personal experience that what we do here truly matters.”
We are grateful for the trust placed in us by Veterans and their families and continue to strive for improvement. Our goal remains 100 percent customer satisfaction. Some may say that’s unrealistic, but I say our Veterans—who have borne the Nation’s greatest struggles—deserve nothing less.
A career VA employee, Steve Muro was VA’s Acting Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs. He is also a Vietnam Veteran.
Topics in this story
More Stories
Army Veteran Malika Montgomery says one of the things that helped her live her best life with multiple sclerosis was surrounding herself with positive people.
Acknowledging the issues that Veterans face and working toward solutions is crucial for ensuring they have the support they need to thrive in civilian life.
Last year, Move United hosted 26 adaptive sports competitions in 22 states for 1,537 individual athletes. This year, that number is increasing to 35 events in 24 states for even more Veteran athletes.
You should check this out…
[…] Wonderful story, reckoned we could combine a few unrelated data, nevertheless really worth taking a look, whoa did one learn about Mid East has got more problerms as well […]……
Steve,
Thanks for your article. I do hope I won’t have to use these VA services anytime soon. And by the time I do need them, I will probably have run out of steam even if things weren’t “right”!! LOL
Below is an article, I thought you and others might find interesting and very touching.
I only wish we could do this more for our invisible Veterans. I can only applaud those who took collegial responsibility which shows the true brotherhood of Veterans.
It was sad about the Veteran’s death and how lonely he must have been in his last 20 years or so. But what truly made me cry was to see how one or two people can make a difference; and how that can kindness can multiply especially when it concerns a fallen brother; no matter who he was, where he lived, how he lived…he was part of the Veteran Family.
I like what was said, “…he was a hero because he said YES to his country.”
I can only pray and hope that these men and their acts of kindness and brotherhood continues to multiple so that no Veteran will leave this earth without an honorable and much deserved last benefit; a proper burial surrounded by his Veteran family; if no others.
I wish more Veteran organizations would reach out and find these “forgotten” poor souls. I also wish that when the VA does outreach and finds these homeless Vets that they do get their ID’s and somehow work with putting together a registry of homeless Veterans.
Because if and when they do succumb, for whatever reasons, that we know who they are; if there are any living relatives; and if not, make sure a Veteran Service Organization Coalition and the Patriot’s Guard will repeat the same for them as what was done for this old World War 11 Veteran.
Not sure; but my father’s younger brother was a Korean War Veteran and I was grateful that he had a military funeral and was buried in the Veteran’s Cemetery near Fredericksburg, VA. Like so many Vets; he did not speak of his traumas;and,like many Vets took to self-medicating and had a difficult life.
It was a simple funeral with taps played and the flag presented. I kept thinking how proud he would have been. His family was there, especially a step son he helped raised. This young man went on to be a mechanic in the Air Force who took care of Blue Angels planes. My uncle did the best he could for the cards he was dealt and never got helped for.
The grounds of the Cemetery was lovely; and I imagine they are only more beautiful since many years have passed.
I wish that the Department of Veterans Affairs of all the States would hold periodic workshops for those caretakers who are dealing with so much and to include those services of your office.
Again, thanks for your Service and working for the final benefit of our Veterans and their family members.
Appreciatively,
B.H.
Vetwife Advocate
An to Don Terry, Journalist, who has, for more than a quarter century, Don Terry has written about the era’s defining political and social issues.
This is the definition of service & support of veterans..one veteran at a time
There but for the grace of God, go you and I.
Joining to Bid Farewell to an Almost Unknown Soldier
http://www.chicagonewscoop.org/joi ning-to-bid-farewell-to-an-almost-unknown-soldier-2/ pictures
http://www.chicagonewscoop.org/joining-to-bid-farewell-to-an-almost-unknown-soldier/
By DON TERRY
February 5, 2011
A retired hospital chaplain, Ray Deabel speaks at 80 or so funerals a year, many for fellow military veterans. That is an honor. But sometimes only a handful of mourners show up. That is a shame. At the service for one World War II veteran a few years ago, only the chaplain and the funeral home director were there to say thank you and goodbye.
A member of the Patriot Guard Riders salutes as homeless Army Veteran Harold Lewis arrives at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in Elwood.
John Konstantaras/Chicago News Cooperative
“I’ve seen some lonely and sad situations,” Mr. Deabel said.
The Jan. 28 service for a nearly destitute old soldier named Harold Lewis was not one of them. A village of veter ans made sure of that.
As the sound of taps and the crackle of rifle fire drifted through the barren trees and over the snow-covered grounds of the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery near Joliet, more than 35 veterans stood at attention and saluted Mr. Lewis’s flag-draped coffin. Most of them had not heard of Mr. Lewis until 24 hours before his Friday morning funeral with military honors.
“We bury nothing but heroes out here,” Mr. Deabel told the gathering. “They’re all heroes because they said yes to their country.”
Mr. Lewis, 79, an Army veteran of the Korean War era, died, apparently by his own hand, on Dec. 17 in his cell-size room in a dreary men’s hotel on South Clark Street. He had lived there for the last 20 years. For most of that time, according to the hotel mana ger, Michael Bush, Mr. Lewis kept mostly to himself.
“He liked to read and watch old movies,” Mr. Bush said. “He loved John Wayne.”
Over the years, Mr. Lewis had few, if any, visitors except for a small group of veterans, led by a former Marine, Jim Proffitt, 61, and Jack Picciolo, 67, who served with an Army artillery unit in Vietnam.
Every Sunday, they delivered sandwiches to Mr. Lewis and other struggling residents of the hotel. It is part of the veterans’ regular route as they drive through downtown distributing food and clothing to the homeless.
Mr. Lewis rarely left his room. The veterans would deliver sandwiches to his door, which Mr. Lewis cracked open to take the food and exchange a few words.
Mr. Proffitt was delivering sandwiches to the hotel on Dec. 19 when he learned that Mr. Lewis had died two days earlier. Mr. Proffitt notified the Cook County medical examiner’s office that night that he and his friends would make sure their fellow veteran had a dignified burial, if Mr. Lewis had no next of kin.
“He might have been down and out, but he’s one of us,” Mr. Proffitt said. “He’s a veteran.”
Mr. Lewis’s body lay in the morgue for a month as medical examiner employees searched for relatives. They found no one and called Mr. Proffitt, who called Mr. Picciolo, who called Ed Tylka, a member of Mr. Picciolo’s Veterans of Foreign Wars post in Lockport and the director of the Ridge Funeral Home in Chicago.
Mr. Tylka picked up Mr . Lewis’s body and donated a coffin. Mr. Picciolo supplied dress slacks, a white shirt and a sport coat for Mr. Lewis to wear. The jacket was too big. “He only weighed something like 80 pounds,” Mr. Picciolo said. The funeral home supplied a jacket that fit, along with socks and underwear. The Veterans Administration paid for the burial plot.
Last Friday morning, five cars followed the hearse for the hourlong journey to the cemetery. When the procession arrived, more than 25 cars were waiting. News of the final salute had spread through the veterans community by word of mouth and an article in The Southtown Star.
“When we pulled in there, I couldn’t believe all of those cars,” Mr. Picciolo said. “We thought it would just be me, Jim and maybe a couple of other guys.”
Waiting to say goodbye to Mr. Lewis were members of the American Legion, the Marine Corps League, the Patriot Guard Riders, a couple of V.F.W. posts and the Friday unit of the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery Memorial Squad, volunteers who conduct military honors.
Friday is the busiest day at Lincoln. Last year, said the assistant squad leader, Mike Mahoney, 64, a Navy veteran, the Friday squad conducted 670 funerals, mostly for World War II and Korean War veterans.
A squad member, Bob Moore, 77, an Army veteran, presented the American flag that had draped Mr. Lewis’s coffin to Mr. Proffitt and repeated words he had spoken hundreds of times:
“On behalf of a great and grateful nation, the president of the United States, and the armed forces, it is an honor to present you this flag, for the honorable service your loved one provided his country.”
As the mourners began to leave, a volley of 21 shots echoed in the distance.
—–Original Message—–
From: Jack Picciolo [mailto:purrsfive@comcast.net]
Sent: Wednesday, February 09, 2011 5:51 AM
To: colonel-dan@sbcglobal.net
Subject: Homeless Vet Funeral
http://www.chicagonewscoop.org
Story on homeless vet buried at A braham Lincoln
Jack
__._,_.___
“Keep on, Keepin’ on”
Dan Cedusky, Champaign IL “Colonel Dan”
See my web site at:
http://www.angelfire.com/il2/VeteranIssues/
Change your email address when needed by signing in at
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/VeteranIssues/
Forward to other veterans, tell them to Sign up at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/VeteranIssues/join
__,_._,___