BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — On May 1, Earl Robbins passed away at the age of 83.
>>> STREAM CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE <<<
The associate pastor, father and Army veteran made his daughter Dr. Tammy Findlay-Bell proud.
“He fought for his country, but he fought for his community as well,” she said.
Findlay-Bell was born in El Paso, Texas while her father was stationed at Fort Bliss. The Korean War veteran returned home in the middle of the civil rights movement of the 1960s.
READ: Memorial Day weekend marks one of the busiest travel times
“To the men of power, he was still just a black guy,” his daughter said. “He never got that respect and the dignity of being a soldier returning home.”
When Findlay-Bell started caring for him two years ago. He had Alzheimer’s, and she had a difficult time finding all his military records, including his DD-214.
Even though she applied for a copy last year, it still hadn’t come through on the day he died.
READ: Veterans continue tradition of planting flags to honor fallen soldiers ahead of Memorial Day
Findlay-Bell tried to get Rev. Robbins approved for burial at Cape Canaveral National Cemetery and kept getting denied.
She said at one point she was told by the VA that her father didn’t even serve.
Late last week, she went through his belongings again and finally found his DD-214, the thing needed to get his burial at the national cemetery approved.
READ: CMG, Veteran Jobs Mission partner to help veterans, their spouses and partners find jobs
Findlay-Bell said she wonders why there isn’t a better way for the country to keep track of its veterans.
“It felt like, once again, (he was) not given his dignity and his just due,” she said. “And I wasn’t going to stop until we got that for him.”
READ: Central Florida veterans are in desperate need of mental health treatment
The VA confirmed that Robbins is set for burial at Cape Canaveral National Cemetery Wednesday morning.
A VA spokesperson said it will review its conversations with Robbins’ family to make sure the agents acted appropriately, and hopes the family understands the VA is required by law to verify eligibility.
This browser does not support the video element.
Click here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.