U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Talk to the Veterans Crisis Line now
Skip to main content
The image is of a hearse being escorted by several veteran motorcycle riders.

Last updated

The Final Salute/Final Mile Program

Share Print

Provide a Motorcycle Escort for unclaimed Veterans to Florida National Cemeteries. Our mission is to Honor the fallen, and their service to our country. Support from the James A. Haley ELT and Community Partners have grown this program exponentially with over 25 unclaimed Veteran Escorted to their final resting place.

This innovation is replicating across multiple facilities as its impact continues to be validated. See more replicating innovations.

Adoptions:

5 successful, 1 in-progress

Partners:

Veterans Experience Office

The image is of a hearse being escorted by several veteran motorcycle riders.

Tags:

Chaplain Care Continuity of Care Employee Experience Veteran Experience Veterans Benefits
Contact Team

Overview

Problem

Veterans passing away at Veterans Affairs facilities or VA authorized care facilities without the availability of next of kin to assist in a dignified burial.

We have not been able to identify a standardized practice for care of deceased unaccompanied Veterans.

We are needing assistance from staff responsible for all inpatient facilities that have pot ... See more

Solution

The Final Mile Promising Practice has organized local Veterans Service Organizations with VA staff members to work together for the ceremonies and dignified internments of Veterans that have passed away without the presence of their family being present.

Results

The community around VA facilities are communicating and participating more to provide better care of Veterans that have passed away. Staff members morale is also being improved knowing that proper care is being given to Veterans in life and in their passing.

Metrics

  • To date, with just five facilities participating, over 50 Final Mile ceremonies have been performed.

Diffusion tracker

Does not include Clinical Resource Hubs (CRH)

Statuses

FL: C.W. Bill Young Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (Bay Pines)
  • Started adoption on 03/2019.
FL: James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital (Tampa, Florida)
  • Started adoption on 02/2019.
FL: Lake City VA Medical Center (Lake City, Florida)
  • Started adoption on 06/2021.
FL: Orlando VA Medical Center (Orlando)
  • Started adoption on 06/2022.
KS: Robert J. Dole Department of Veterans Affairs Medical and Regional Office Center (Wichita)
  • Started adoption on 12/2022.

FL: Gainesville Sixteenth Street VA Clinic (Gainesville 1-16th Street)
  • Started adoption on 06/2021.

There are no unsuccessful adoptions for this innovation.

Multimedia

Videos

Vets helping vets: Unclaimed Marine gets rolling final tribute

Implementation

Departments

  • Admissions
  • Social work
  • Patient advocates
  • Chaplaincy
  • Logistics
  • Administration
  • Patient services
  • Benefits

Core Resources

Resource type Resource description
PEOPLE
  • Veteran Experience Office

Files

Contact

Comment

Comments and replies are disabled for retired innovations and non-VA users.

VA User (Information Technology Specialist) Innovation adopter posted

Robert J Dole VA has adopted the Final Mile process.

VA User (EXECUTIVE SECRETARY) Innovation adopter posted

The Robert J Dole VA Medical Center in Wichita, KS is in-progress of adopting this innovation!

Email

Email with questions about this innovation.

About

Origin story

This practice was first implemented by staff at the James A. Haley VAMC in Tampa, FL. In February of 2019 Dave Allen, a Biomedical Information Systems Specialist at JAHVA, noticed a hearse on the loading dock located in the rear of the facility. The driver informed Mr. Allen that he was there to transport an unclaimed Veteran. Immediately following this inte ... This practice was first implemented by staff at the James A. Haley VAMC in Tampa, FL. In February of 2019 Dave Allen, a Biomedical Information Systems Specialist at JAHVA, noticed a hearse on the loading dock located in the rear of the facility. The driver informed Mr. Allen that he was there to transport an unclaimed Veteran. Immediately following this interaction, Dave devoted himself to ensuring that unclaimed Veterans receive dignified funeral services. Several weeks following Mr. Allen’s discovery, the Final Mile practice received initial support from James A. Haley VAMC facility leadership. As this practice formed, Mr. Allen worked closely with the Decedent Affairs Office at his facility. Additionally, he engaged a funeral home and the local chapter of the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association as potential processional partners. Following three months of intensive planning and coordination, the program began to honor Veterans.

Original team

David Allen

Biomedical Engineering Tech

Nicolas Morales

Veteran Experience Office, Program Support

Robert Lynch

Veteran Experience Officer

Search tags

Chaplain Care Continuity of Care Employee Experience Veteran Experience Veterans Benefits