US government refused to pay for the body of Sgt Nicole Gee died during the Afghanistan withdrawal in 2021

The family desperately searched for funding, before a non-profit finally stepped in to cover the $60,000 cost

 Edward Era Barbacena 

The Pentagon refused to pay for the body of a service member who died in the withdrawal of Afghanistan from being flown to her final resting place, with the family forced to fundraise $60,000. 

Marine Corps Sgt Nicole Gee died during the Afghanistan withdrawal in 2021 and was transported to Roseville, California for a ceremony but the Pentagon then denied the families request to move her to her final resting place, Arlington National Cemetery. 

Her family, one of the 13 Gold Star families in the U.S. withdrawn from Afghanistan, were forced to fund the transportation of her body to her final resting place. 

The family desperately searched for funding, before a non-profit finally stepped in to cover the $60,000 costs. 

The DOD new policy was part of the National Defense Authorization Act which allows the DOD to decline transporting service members. 

The non-profit that stepped into help, Honoring Our Fallen, arranged to transport her body via a private jet to her final resting place.