In order to save costs, Bush's regime has been sending the bodies of fallen soldiers, who were massacred in Iraq, home via commercial air freight, in the cargo belly of jets, just as if they were a Christmas package or something.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1539335/posts
No color Guards, no flag draped casket, no nothing...
I bet that makes the families feel real good, eh?
2006-12-16 02:52:24 · 8 answers · asked by Brotherhood 7 in Politics & Government ➔ Military
No, it is not respectful.
2006-12-16 02:59:55 · answer #1 · answered by superandrew7272 1 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Apparently many of you actually never took the time to read the entire Lent article...just the San Diego News 10 brief article which quoted no source,no source by name and the comment that the coffins when shipped home in the cargo section "because it might save costs..."it never said it was meant to save cost. Plus other contributors to this article (which the asker just happened to fail to mention was written over 1 year ago; in December of 2005 as the young soldier died in Nov 2005. How would the askser prefer they be return home...sitting in a first class seat?
She also failed to show all of the articles related to the fallen soldiers...one with photos of the flagged draped coffins being removed from the plane with an honor guard standing at attention and rendering a hand salute. Also some how this....person...failed to mention that every fallen hero is accompanied home by a member of his service (army, navy, etc) who has volunteered to travel with the soldier from Iraq or Afghanistan to the US air base in Germany and then to the states. He remains with the soldier even after the Chaplin and the Honor Guard's OIC arrives to take care of the service member.
Respect, integrity, honor and pride travel es with every fallen service member. Read all the information and view the photographs.
How do I know? During my time in the Army I was the Officer in Charge (OIC) of the Military Honor Guard more than once.
2006-12-16 04:00:57 · answer #2 · answered by iraq51 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Well for one thing all bodies both military and civilian are sent via airplane cargo hold. Would you like a corpse next to you on a flight? Second they are sent how commercial liner because not all military flights go directly to the deceased family. At the airport the coffin is handled by either DOD civilians or military personnel. Third when the body is being put to rest in the cemetery it is draped in the flag with an honor guard their.
2006-12-16 06:06:04 · answer #3 · answered by Nasty Leg 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
As a point of information, it isn't cost cutting, it actually costs more
to send them home by commercial aircraft.
That, I find appalling. I think the airlines should fly them home
for free. But that's just me!
In addition, there is generally a soldier either with the casket or
who arrives the day before the casket does.
MERRY CHRISTMAS and have a nice day.
Thank you very much, while you're up
2006-12-16 03:11:52 · answer #4 · answered by producer_vortex 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
My my my.....this has been a practice of ALL Presidents, both democratic and republican. So, you can't blame him. Besides, it isn't Bush's call...it is the call of the Defense Secretary and the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
All fallen soldiers receive full military honors unless the family specifically requests there not be any. This includes flag draped caskets and the like.
Read up on government and how it works, who makes the decisions.....and you'll be a smarter person for it!
BTW...the "freerepublic" website is a GREAT source for opinion and inaccurate reporting.
2006-12-16 02:57:29 · answer #5 · answered by mr_tasty_phlegm 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋
umm, actually, that's how all bodies are transported when they are flown somewhere for burial. My own Mother, a Navy Veteran in her own right, was flown home from Hawai'i in the cargo bay of a commercial plane.
Family members may request that a Detail be present on the tarmac, but the airport ultimately has final say as to whether they will be allowed out there. In my mother's case, they were not allowed on the tarmac, but she WAS met inside the cargo handling area by a Detail(led by my Brother's FIL, no less) and received her flag at that point. Personally, I didn't WANT anybody else oggling my mother's coffin. we much preferred her return home be as private as possible.
2006-12-16 03:01:35 · answer #6 · answered by Mrsjvb 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
My daughter (who flies medical evacuation) made more trips to Dover during the first three years of the war than she cares to talk about. I can tell you for a fact that the respect shown to our fallen solders is second to none in the world.
I would suppose it would be beyond you comprehension to understand that there was a military officer standing at attention saluting that solder when he was loaded aboard that plane, and then sitting in a selected seat directly above that solder as he is flown home.
If and when a fallen solder arrives at the airport where you live, go and watch!!! You will be quite surprised by what takes place.
2006-12-16 03:36:26 · answer #7 · answered by tom l 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
The Bush adm. was not prepared for this-very few of his adm. fought for our country had no clue....maybe they sent some faith based funding $$$$ to figure out what to do with dead soilders...this adm. has been so depressing...cowards and bunglers....
2006-12-16 03:05:38 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋