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Born at the Crest of the Empire

Monday, December 12, 2005

Picture of the Day - Freight.
















Alot has been made of the decision to ship home American casualties as freight on commercial airliners. To some degree, I'm kind of glad that the numbers aren't (yet?) high enough for specialized planes like those that came back from Viet Nam, but still.

The man in that casket died serving our country. You can tell the men in the depot are trying their best to instill some dignity in it,

But this is not how heroes should come home.

UPDATE: Just a couple of quick notes after recieving good comments. The freight leg is the last leg of the journey. Most of the deceased are brought back to Dover and accorder full honor guard. It is only on the final leg to their hometown where this was taking place. Also, I did not mean to accuse anyone directly involved in the handling of the bodies of doing so disrespectfully. As is often the case, this is bad policy that is being enacted in the best way possible by the "people on the ground." Lastly, here is the Stars and Stripes article articulating the army's defense.

posted by mikevotes at 5:45 AM

17 Comments:

  • Amen, Mike.

    By Blogger JUSIPER, at 10:24 PM  

  • Not too much dignity in a forklift.

    By Blogger Neil Shakespeare, at 11:42 PM  

  • Disgraceful. Thanks for the photo.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 9:43 AM  

  • Thanks for posting this story, I hope everyone will take time to contact their elected officals and let them know 'this treatment of our Military men and women who have give their lives, only to be treated as cannon fodder will not be accepted.

    Also thanks for your vist and comment over at my site.

    By Blogger AB5SY, at 10:14 AM  

  • I agree with you, Mike. The administration can spend $300 billion in Iraq and hand out lucrative contracts without oversite to companies like KB&R, but they can't spend the extra money to bring our soldiers back to their families in a proper manner.

    Shameful, but not surprising from this administration.

    By Blogger Kathy, at 12:11 PM  

  • Simply shamefull. As is the treatment of our wounded who return home to shoddy medical care, and a lack of phycological counseling. With the republican congress and President cutting funding for the Veterans Administration, these vets will suffer for decades. And the toll for America will be great. These are some of the problems when men who showed such distain for the military in their youth (Cheney, Bush, Wolfowitz, DeLay, Santorum) come to control it.

    By Blogger Yukkione, at 3:03 PM  

  • Thanks for the opportunity to steal this from you - I can only imagine what heat the television station received for reporting this. Have you heard about any repercusions?

    I also responded on my site to the Fox story on military speeches by the president.

    By Blogger Site Manager, at 3:30 PM  

  • I agree, this picture is horrifying. I am dating a member of the armed forces who is heading to Iraq soon, and it is upsetting to me.

    But on the other hand, I am also the daughter of a retired airline baggage handler. I was equally appauled to hear of delivery of caskets through the baggage system like this, in general. But it is how it is done for anyone who delivers the dearly departed via commercial airlines. It's not just unsettling from a miliary point of view.

    I talked to my Dad about this - (who is also a retired Marine), he said they always handled bodies with dignity and respect, with strict rules on how to place the casket in the plane, which direction, etc. I don't know the details, but I know it is something the airline workers handle with dignity and distinction. My father said it was common that miliary folks accompany the body home, and meet it as it comes off the plane, etc. This has happened even with military deaths in years past.

    In his 35 years doing this, he said he always said a prayer for the deceased. I did for this person, too, after hearing my father's point of view.

    I hope this brings peace to any who find this image disturbing.

    Bottom line for me - BRING THEM ALL HOME NOW AND ALIVE!

    By Blogger Kris Schultz, at 11:08 AM  

  • What is the proper way to bring the deceased home? Surely we shouldn't transport the coffin in the passenger compartment! Is it the fork-lift that offends? There is so much more to be offended at in this war.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 11:50 AM  

  • It is a comforting myth to believe these poor kids died serving their country, otherwise their deaths are seen as an even-more useless, meaningless waste of life. The last thing any parent wants to hear is that their child died for nothing.

    If by "their country" it is meant Halliburton, the giant oil companies, and the giant "defense" industries who's life-blood is war and death, then yes, they died "serving" their country, but not defending it, as our military should be intended for. They did not die protecting the security of the American people.

    This type of treatment of American military dead by the 5-deferment-Cheney/A.W.O.L.-Bush regime should come as no surprise to anyone.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 1:27 PM  

  • Obviously there's no money to be made in transporting the dead or there'd be more fanfare. If this administration could figure out a way to spin these shameful deaths into a perceived "win" for the Republican side, we'd be watching parades of coffins down Pennsylvania Avenue. At least until someone said "ENOUGH!"

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 2:12 PM  

  • It’s bad enough that our soldiers’ remains are being flown in in the dead of night from overseas. But to then be sent the rest of the way as freight, with luggage and goods?? That seems the utmost in disrespect for those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country – as well as totally hypocritical for an administration that’s constantly urging us to “support our troops” (but there’s nothing new about that).

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 5:43 PM  

  • ALL of the bodies are flown into Dover AFB and are received by a military Honor Guard. However, since most people want their son/daughter/father/mother to be buried in their own hometown, the bodies are reshipped to the closest available airport. I can't see what offends you all so much. The casket appears to be a nice one, certainly not a CONEX box, it is draped with an American flag, and it being received by no less than two US Marines. You do realize that caskets are heavy, don't you? A forklift is the only practical means of moving the casket until it is placed in the charge of the local funeral home. I can assure you that the Marine will receive a full military funeral, complete with Marine Honor Guard, and folded US flag. I know this, as I was once a member of a US Air Force Honor Guard. Try to understand that the US military is half the size it was in 1992. There are not now, nor have there ever been, enough transports to fly every single body to the destination of the family's choosing.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 10:40 PM  

  • Good point, Anthony. I saw that description last night on Olberman. They are brought on military aircraft to Dover where they are met with full ceremony and Honor guard. It is the last leg to their homes that is at issue.

    And, did you ever see the news about the fake bugles that were being used at some military funerals? This was some time ago, but the bottom line was that there was a shortage of bugle players for the number of funerals that required military honors, so the Pentagon bought a bunch of these Bugle bodies with electronic players inside that played taps and a soldier would stand with the thing at his lips while it played. I don't think that's going on anymore because of the outcry.

    BUT, I WANT TO SAY GOOD COMMENT ANTHONY. THAT'S EXACTLY THE KIND OF COMMENT I LIKE. RATIONAL, WELL REASONED, SUPPORTED. YOU SHIFTED MY OPINION A LITTLE.

    Thanks,

    Mike

    By Blogger mikevotes, at 7:46 AM  

  • I agree with Mike and Anthony. As a former Red Cross volunteer in Germany (my ex was in the Army during peace time) I understand where many are coming from but it is not feasible to put the coffins in the passenger compartment. Would you rather sit next to a coffin in a plane or a living being??

    This is the only way they can be brought back unfortunately.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 12:08 PM  

  • Why can't they go first class or maybe on air force 1, if its good enough for the president its good enough for them and the president doesnt get picked up by a forklift he has legs and they should too maybe cyborg legs that still work when they're dead and they can walk home from dover handing out cindy sheehan flyers

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 12:59 AM  

  • more to the story here.
    http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=32840&archive=true

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 1:36 PM  

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