The family of a U.S. Marine slain during the Biden administration's botched withdrawal from Afghanistan had to scramble to raise money to see her remains taken to Arlington National Cemetery.
While a nonprofit organization ultimately stepped in to help, Rep. Cory Mills (R-Fla.), himself a decorated combat veteran who spent time in Afghanistan, has put the Pentagon on blast.
Sgt. Nicole Gee was among the 11 U.S. Marines slain along with one soldier and one Navy corpsman in an Islamic suicide bombing on Aug. 26, 2021, at the Hamid Karzai International Airport.
Just days prior to her tragic death, the 23-year-old with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit posted images to Instagram showing her helping evacuate Afghan citizens, stating in one post, "I love my job."
Lance Cpl. Joyner Seaman, who trained with Gee in 2018, told the Daily Beast, "She was truly a badass individual — and more importantly, she was the nicest person. She was a Marine's Marine."
She was survived by her husband, Jarod Gee, also a Marine.
TheBlaze reported at the time that there was some indication the families of the fallen would be seen to.
"We continue to mourn the loss of these Marines and pray for their families," Marine Corps spokesman Maj. James Stenger said in a statement. "Our focus now is taking care of the families of those who were killed and caring for our injured."
Unlike the thousands of Americans the Biden administration abandoned in Afghanistan, Gee's body made it back home to Roseville, California. However, when it came time to escort Gee's body to its final resting place in Arlington National Cemetery, the Pentagon, which is otherwise happy to pay for abortion excursions and sex-change mutilations, apparently cheaped out.
Fox News Digital reported that following the ceremony, the responsibility for getting her body to Virginia fell on the family.
According to Rep. Cory Mills, the price tag for seeing this through was "a staggering $60,000."
Mills indicated he learned this during a meeting with the Gold Star families of the "Fallen 13" last week, adding he was "enraged to learn that the Department of Defense had placed a heavy financial burden" on Gee's loved ones.
Fortunately, the group Honoring Our Fallen, which provides programs and services to the families of fallen service members, ultimately stepped in to shoulder the cost.
Mills' office told Fox News Digital the option for the Pentagon to refuse to pay to transport Gee's body was enabled by an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act, which states the secretary of defense can provide a fallen service member's next of kin "a commercial air travel use waiver for the transportation of deceased remains of [a] military member who dies inside a theater of combat operations."
"Typically, our fallen heroes are flown back home for a solemn service and then laid to a final rest at Arlington Cemetery with the utmost respect and honor," said Mills. "It is an egregious injustice that grieving families were burdened to shoulder the financial strain of honoring their loved ones. This is an unacceptable situation that demands immediate rectification."
Mills reiterated on Twitter, "At no time should our Gold Star families be financially responsible for burying their loved ones and American heroes."
Fox News Digital indicated the Pentagon has yet to respond to requests comment.
SGT NICOLE GEE KIA 26 AUG 2021youtu.be
The Marines who died alongside Sgt. Gee are: Staff Sgt. Darin T. Hoover, 31, of Salt Lake City, Utah; Sgt. Johanny Rosario Pichardo, 25, of Lawrence, Massachusetts; Cpl. Hunter Lopez, 22, of Indio, California; Cpl. Daegan W. Page, 23, of Omaha, Nebraska; Cpl. Humberto A. Sanchez, 22, of Logansport, Indiana; Lance Cpl. David L. Espinoza, 20, of Rio Bravo, Texas; Lance Cpl. Jared M. Schmitz, 20, of St. Charles, Missouri; Lance Cpl. Rylee J. McCollum, 20, of Jackson, Wyoming; Lance Cpl. Dylan R. Merola, 20, of Rancho Cucamonga, California; and Lance Cpl. Kareem M. Nikoui, 20, of Norco, California.
Navy Hospitalman Maxton W. Soviak, 22, of Berlin Heights, Ohio, and Army Staff Sgt. Ryan C. Knauss, 23, of Corryton, Tennessee, similarly died in the attack.
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