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Murdered Vietnam veteran buried with honor in Cumberland County

The funeral services for Frank Carmichael Jr. were held at Wiseman Mortuary in Fayetteville and Rockfish Cemetery in Hope Mills. Carmichael was 71.

Posted Updated

By
Gilbert Baez
, WRAL Fayetteville reporter
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. — Family members, friends and loved ones gathered Monday afternoon to honor the life of a Vietnam veteran killed earlier this month outside of a Fayetteville business.

The funeral services for Frank Carmichael Jr. were held at Wiseman Mortuary in Fayetteville and Rockfish Cemetery in Hope Mills. Carmichael was 71.

"He was an excellent guy,” said Otto Thomas, Carmichael’s friend. “[He was really] bright and [he was really] sharp.

“[He was a] lady's man [with a] super smooth personality. He was dependable. If you need him, he'll be there for you."

Carmichael suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, which made him stay on the streets for long periods of time because he couldn’t stay confined indoors, Carmichael’s family said. His family said they believe the PTSD is one of the reasons he was given an other than honorable discharge from the Army.

On May 9, a passerby discovered Carmichael’s body outside a vacant bank on Ray Avenue, which is where he sought shelter while living on the streets.

Andrew Carmichael told WRAL News that his brother would live with his sister on occasion for days at a time. Frank Carmichael would then live on the streets for months. Andrew Carmichael said his brother would help other homeless people get food, shelter and clothing.

"He did a lot of stuff that we were a little surprised at,” Andrew Carmichael said of his brother. “He was dealing with them ghosts that he had from war, but he was a beautiful person, a beautiful soul, I would say.”

The service members at Carmichael’s funeral didn’t know him and he didn’t serve in their unit.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has a form for veterans to apply for a discharge upgrade. All branches of the military consider veterans to have a strong case for a discharge upgrade if they can show the discharge was connected to PTSD, a traumatic brain injury, sexual assault, sexual harassment or sexual orientation.

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