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As you all know my father passed away Wedsnesday, and I am hoping one of you might be able to help or know someone who can help with a problem we have run into.

His funeral is arranged for this coming Wednesday, but we are running into red tape trying to arrange his burial at DFW National Cemetery in Arlington, Texas.

My father had Alzheimer's for the last 10 years or more of his 89 year life span, and my mother has a mild case now. We are missing some military papers that would smooth things, specifically his honorable discharge papers and his military ID stating he is retired naval reserve officer.

When they moved here to this retirement facility, I had preserved his certificate of satisfactory service from World War II and a xerox of a letter regarding his retirement from the Naval Reserves and thanking him for his service and a few other things I found, and there is a website that states these are acceptable substitutes. My husband just found an card for the Association of Retired Officers with a member number.

I remember him having a military ID when he'd take us to the Admiral Kidd (Kitt?) Club in San Diego for Sunday brunch, but as he began losing his mind, he lost his wallet with that ID and also squirreled away important papers in one of the thousands of books he had.

The person at the cemetery who schedules the commitment ceremonies is not accepting the papers we have as substitute for his honorable discharge.

My brother has started the process of getting the required papers but they probably won't be sent for some time, and I hate to think of him waiting in cold storage for his burial. Mom had her broken heart set on receiving the flag from his casket at the ceremony.

We will go ahead with the funeral, but not all of us can afford to come back for a commitment ceremony with full honors.

If anyone has any influence anywhere to get a copy of his honorable discharge from the Naval Reserves March of 1950 and retirement from the Retired Naval Reserves (?) in 1954 faxed to us on Monday, please have the kindness to get in touch with me for more particulars.

Thank you all for your condolences and prayers. They have meant a lot to us. He was a wonderful Daddy.