Wecome home Marine.

[Rich46yo]

Tonight I took part in a detail honoring a fallen military member making his last trip home. As a vet and the father of an active service member it was very personal to me. We lined up by the airplane and saluted as his brothers carried him to the vehicle that would transport him to his family. The gunny who shook hands with us and thanked us was crying as he did so, so deep is the brotherhood of the USMC.

But to me its all one family. Marine, Army, USAF, Navy, Coast Guard....for a period of your life you are involved in something bigger then yourself. Standing with brothers and sisters you'd take a a bullet for. This one paid the ultimate price, and men and woman in uniform were there to care for him and make sure he received the honor he/she deserved.

I looked up at the terminal window and watched the people wondering if they had any squealing idea what it all meant. I wondered if they were even worth it. Frankly I feel bitter each time we have to do this and I see those people up in those windows looking on who will return to their comfortable lives where THEIR kids are safe and they all enjoy the gifts of freedom without regard for those who fight and die for it.

Im deeply affected by these ceremonies and honored that I can be a part of them. But I get embittered too. I look up at those windows and cant help but think these people arent worthy of the price these troops pay for them.

[MrKrabs]

 

[Lab Rat 3947]

 

[JunkyII]

Doesn't matter what the civilian population thinks, we are there to protect them, not to change the way they live.

  to the honored dead and the family who also sacrificed.

Fallen, not Forgotten.

[Dichotomy]

 

Rich,

Just remember there are those of us who never served that have nothing but the utmost respect and admiration for those of you who did.

My son, 'Squid', is in the Air Force.  My father did Navy, my uncles served in various branches including one who went down with the Saratoga.  My grandfather served with Patton and was wounded in France getting him home right before the BOB. 

My parents thought that our family had done enough and never encouraged me to sign up.  I wish they had very deeply.

[TheBug]

....who went down with the Saratoga. 

 

[Serenity]

Were you with the Patriot Guard? Or a different group?

I always enjoy being a part of the Patriot Guard rides. Being able to show the families that their fathers, sons, etc. may be gone, may be decades removed from the service, but they are never forgotten as our brothers.

[USCH]

First off  . Second they are worth it. Maybe they don't see just what's going on. Or maybe they would like to just not relive the pain from the day there child didn't come home safe.
Ya we do have some grade A tools living in the great US OF A.. But we also have Service members like your fallen soldier, and family members like myself who never go one day without thinking of how great a sacrifice that soldier made.
Keep your head up. And next time you look up at the windows think of how many people on the other side have suffered the same pain as the family that will now experience it.

Not all the people on the other side are clueless. Again I  you for what you do. It was people such as yourself that got me and my family through when we needed it most.

[Groth]

 A sincere salute to him and his family.
 Both my sons served, one did two tours in combat, first tour I ended up w/bleeding unclers in hospital...the vivid nightmares may yet be made into movies/stories.
 My father was Combat Marine Officer..Choisan... would walk in his sleep and 'check' the house...
 MOST Americans do not know, or care, how close they come to this line.
 Let us hope it does not get closer.
           Peace unto them and theirs,
                                                       JGroth

[jolly22]

 

[Puma44]

 

[oldskool65]

All our governments make decisions that lead us into conflict with others , some of us agree some disagree about the issues but above all this our armed forces do their demanding and dangerous task bravely and for the most part with honour and compassion ,and when a fallen warrior returns to the people he or she died for nothing less than a true hero's welcome is appropriate
So from a non combatant
THANKYOU

[jeep00]

Doesn't matter what the civilian population thinks, we are there to protect them, not to change the way they live.

  to the honored dead and the family who also sacrificed.

Fallen, not Forgotten.

 

[GScholz]

 

[ImADot]

I looked up at the terminal window and watched the people wondering if they had any squealing idea what it all meant. I wondered if they were even worth it. Frankly I feel bitter each time we have to do this and I see those people up in those windows looking on who will return to their comfortable lives where THEIR kids are safe and they all enjoy the gifts of freedom without regard for those who fight and die for it.

Im deeply affected by these ceremonies and honored that I can be a part of them. But I get embittered too. I look up at those windows and cant help but think these people arent worthy of the price these troops pay for them.

If I were standing at that window, you would see this non-veteran at attention with his right hand over his heart.