Topic: Soldier Returning Home

I flew to Atlanta yesterday and this was the first time that I'd seen this, the body of a soldier traveled with us on the flight, along with four other soldiers who escorted the body:

http://www.carolinahondas.com/members/roger-albums-dad-picture5799-soldier1.jpg

http://www.carolinahondas.com/members/roger-albums-dad-picture5801-soldier2.jpg

http://www.carolinahondas.com/members/roger-albums-dad-picture5800-soldier3.jpg

Everybody grab your brooms, it's shenanigans!

Re: Soldier Returning Home

Not a happy site.  We do this in my line of work as well.  Very somber moment too.  Did you dim the shades or did staff?

Re: Soldier Returning Home

These moments take your breath away.

This space for rent.

Re: Soldier Returning Home

NSF wrote:

These moments take your breath away.

Absolutely.  The ultimate sacrifice.

Bloomington, IN
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Re: Soldier Returning Home

Red Lemons Racing wrote:

Did you dim the shades or did staff?

Those were lines painted on the windows at the RDU airport. They made an announcement at the gate area so we could observe the coffin being loaded and gave priority to the escort soldiers when they were loading and unloading the plane so they could attend to it. One of the soldiers was a Staff Sergeant with about as many ribbons as I used to have when I was an E-6 (which is a good amount, at least six rows of awards) and looked to be in charge while the other three were junior enlisted with just an NDS. It was a very serious evolution and the pilot also went down to stand at attention as the coffin was being loaded onto the plane (he is the right-most figure in the line at the baggage loading conveyor).

Everybody grab your brooms, it's shenanigans!