Returning the flag

Dear Friend,

Last July, the Sanchez family reached out to me for help obtaining a flag for their deceased father, Master Chief Ambrosio Sanchez. He was interred at the Arlington National Cemetery on July 1, 2021. There was a major thunderstorm, and the American flag honoring Master Chief Sanchez was soaked.

The funeral director offered to have the flag dried, flown at Arlington, refolded, and shipped to the family. But a year went by, and the family had still not received the flag. After numerous unsuccessful attempts to retrieve the flag on their own, the Sanchez family contacted my office. As soon as we received their request, my office worked with the Department of the Army to make sure the family finally received Master Chief Sanchez’s burial flag.

PHOTO: Master Chief Ambrosio Sanchez, Courtesy of the Sanchez family.

After my office successfully navigated this process, the Sanchez family said, “We would like to express our deepest gratitude to Senator Heinrich and the staff for helping to find our father’s burial flag. The flag arrived at our home in Albuquerque the week of July 18. Having his flag returned is a blessing, and it gives us closure for our dad.”

I featured the Sanchez family’s story and others in the latest edition of my Veterans Newsletter. I hope you can take a moment to read and share the newsletter to learn more about all the ways that my office can assist veterans and their families.

PHOTO: U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich’s Winter 2022-2023 N.M. Veterans Newsletter.

The Constituent Services Representatives in my offices in New Mexico have helped hundreds of veterans and families. It is one of the most meaningful aspects of serving you in the U.S. Senate. We can assist with filing a claim with the VA, requesting military records or replacement medals, receiving GI Bill benefits, and applying for VA loan assistance.

Whether you or a family member is having trouble with a federal agency, please don’t hesitate to contact my office by calling (505) 346-6601 or by visiting the Helping You section on my website.