My agency the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA,) is based upon naval and marine
tradition. Many members both Civilian and Corp. Officer are either retired
military or former military, so tradition to military customs and courtesies
are not a stranger to most of us.
As a retired Air Force member, I am
accustomed to working with service members from other organizations and
countries. So it would be natural out of respect and curiosity to learn about
the differing customs and courtesies of my brother and sister services, and
those of countries we are aligned with. In some respects it is like high school
rivalry and in others it is a time proven manner from which those of a
differing nation or branch of service find commonality, alliance and compassion
with each other.
It was an honor to have
served in the military for almost a quarter of a century, and to have served
with some of the most dedicated and patriotic individuals on the planet. It was
also an honor, privilege and at the same time heart wrenching and solemn
experience to have placed the caskets containing the remains of fallen service
members on my aircraft, for their final ride home. Although I did not
personally know these individuals, they are my brothers and sisters who have
fallen during the call of duty. They are the true hero’s… I often bear the
burden of survivor’s remorse having transported these service members back to
the United States to their families.
I
say this as NOAA is a service based organization that is located at
MacDill AFB, FL. When a fallen service member is transported to MacDill for
their final ride home to their family. We as an organization will line-up with
all other organizations and units on the base, along the route to pay our respects
to a fallen comrade.
There are those with-in who never having served in the
military, do not understand the custom or courtesy as retiree’s like myself do.
We simply nudge them and at times geode them to participate and stand as close
to attention as they can when the motorcade passes by. In hopes that in some
small way the sacrifices and ultimate price these Americans paid, will rub off
on them and they will understand that freedom is never free.
Kurt E. Larson, MSgt USAF
(Ret.)
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