Veterans honoring veterans.

That’s the goal Chaplain Kenneth Thibodeau has had the past 57-plus years he has been sharing sympathy letters with families of recently deceased veterans throughout the country. But last month he ran into a roadblock with the Pikes Peak National Cemetery, which, The Gazette learned, won’t pass along letters to family members during a service.

“I can’t put it into words the sadness I have over all this,” Thibodeau, 75, said last week from his Colorado Springs home. “It is totally inappropriate and wrong.”

Thibodeau — a Vietnam era Air Force veteran and chaplain for American Legion Post 5 in Colorado Springs — has sent out countless sympathy letters to military and non-military cemeteries, and hand delivered others to funeral homes wherever he was living at the time.

“I cleared the letters with the American Legion and with the VA in Washington D.C. and I’ve never had a negative response on any of the letters or cards I’ve sent out all these years,” Thibodeau said.

“I’m very articulate about what I write and send. I know it is appropriate and appreciative.”

There are three different letters Thibodeau sends out: One for Christians, non-Christians and Jewish veterans.

The Christian letter starts out saying, “Your loved one has embarked on the ultimate journey, Heaven Bound, to the Savior, Our Most Blessed Lord, Jesus Christ!

“We wish to take the opportunity to express our most heartfelt condolences at the passing of your loved one, a friend and veteran, who so PROUDLY SERVED our country when called upon to do so, with HONOR and great distinction.”

He goes on to talk about eternal life, and that death is not a tragedy but a transformation.

“I’ve never had an issue with a cemetery until now,” Thibodeau said. “I’ve only gotten tons of complements from the military and the families. A lot of people even call me up and say thank you for writing.”

The Gazette spoke with Skyler Holmes, director of the Pikes Peak National Cemetery, who chose not to comment, instead saying via text, “I believe you have received an official response from the National Cemetery Administration and I can’t comment outside of that response.”

Les’ A. Melnyk, chief of public affairs and outreach for VA’s National Cemetery Administration, responded via email.

“Dr. Thibodeau (or anyone from his or another support group) was told he can deliver a letter of condolence to family members during the service at the cemetery,” Melnyk wrote. “However, we cannot allow a cemetery employee to deliver letters or other items on their behalf.”

Thibodeau said this is new information and appears to be a shift in policy.

“I called more than a dozen VA cemeteries at random … not a one had heard anything about this,” Thibodeau said.

Two other topics were mentioned in Melnyk’s email.

He said that to protect privacy, his organization doesn’t provide mailing address, which is something Thibodeau confirmed he had asked for.

Melnyk also said Holmes was correct when he told Thibodeau the cemetery can’t forward mail because it “is an unauthorized use of government funds.”

When asked if cemeteries have forwarded letters in the past, Thibodeau answered this way: “I don’t know if they have an issue or not. But if the letter arrives late, I believe they have been forwarded if they have a forwarding address.”

Tribodeau said he reached out to multiple people in Washington D.C., including the secretary of Veteran Affairs, for clarification and a way forward. He hasn’t heard back in more than three weeks.

“It is not right to bar us from getting these letters and messages to the families,” he said.

Chaplain Kenneth Thibodeau, 75, has been sending sympathy letters to families of deceased veterans for more than 57 years. (David Bitton/The Gazette)

David Bitton, The Gazette