The Post formed the Nathan Kent Foundation as our involvement with repatriating US Veterans grew. Nathan Kent was the first Veteran that TH02 became involved with. Initially the Commander and Adjutant/Finance Officer did not understand what all is involved in the process of getting a deceased Veteran repatriated to the family in the US. We went through the process and it became very apparent that there are costs in this procedure. Initially, do to our inexperience we just continued to reach into our own pockets and paid to complete this process.

When we became involved with the second Veteran we solicited funds from the membership to assist the family to get their family member home. I as the Finance Officer more closely kept the records of the costs involved. At the beginning all of the donations and expenses were tracked and kept separate from the Post accounting.

It was believed that we could recuperate some of the costs from the family of the Veteran. This is not always possible. It was a lesson learned.

We then re-engaged with John Pryor. John was the Veteran who was in a Paupers grave. This situation with an American Veteran ending up in a Paupers grave troubled us deeply. The Commander decided that as a Post we should never allow another American Veteran to be buried in a Paupers Grave here in Thailand. We took this to the members of the Post and it was quickly established that the Post and members of the other Veterans organization agreed. As long as we have the resources, we will continue to assist our Veterans no matter what the financial capability is of the family.

Hence the Nathan Kent Foundation was formed. As a Post the foundation will bear the costs. As we work through the process we will inform the family of the various costs but we will bear the responsibility. After the process is completed we will accept any donation that the family can provide. We make it clear that the family is under no obligation.

We have been very fortunate by the generosity of both our members and the generosity of the other Veterans located here in Thailand and around the world. To date TH02 has repatriated ten US Veterans to their families to be interned. seven of these Veterans have been interned into a National Veterans Cemetery.