Stop and Consider This

Granny

Gold Member
Dec 14, 2009
3,143
815
200
Rocky Top, TN
A bit emotional:

> MAY GOD BLESS THIS AIRLINE CAPTAIN:
>
>
> He writes:
> My lead flight attendant came to me and said, "We have an H.R. on this
> flight." (H.R. stands for human remains.) "Are they military?"
> I asked.
>
> 'Yes', she said.
>
> 'Is there an escort?' I asked.
>
> 'Yes, I already assigned him a seat'.
>
> 'Would you please tell him to come to the flight deck.
> You can board him early," I said..
>
> A short while later, a young army sergeant entered the flight deck.
> He was the image of the perfectly dressed soldier.
> He introduced himself and I asked him about his soldier.
> The escorts of these fallen soldiers talk about them as if they are
> still alive and still with us.
>
>
> 'My soldier is on his way back to Virginia ,' he said.
>
> He proceeded to answer my questions, but offered no words.
>
> I asked him if there was anything I could do for him and he said no.
> I told him that he had the toughest job in the military and that I
> appreciated the work that he does for the families of our fallen soldiers.
>
> The first officer and I got up out of our seats to shake his hand.
> He left the flight deck to find his seat.
>
> We completed our preflight checks, pushed back and performed an
> uneventful departure.
>
> About 30 minutes into our flight I received a call from the lead flight
> attendant in the cabin.
>
> 'I just found out the family of the soldier we are carrying, is on
> board', she said.
> She then proceeded to tell me that the father, mother, wife and 2-year
> old daughter were escorting their son, husband, and father home.
> The family was upset because they were unable to see the container that
> the soldier was in before we left.
> We were on our way to a major hub at which the family was going to wait
> four hours for the connecting flight home to Virginia .
>
> The father of the soldier told the flight attendant that knowing his son
> was below him in the cargo compartment and being unable to see him was too
> much for him and the family to bear. He had asked the flight attendant
> if there was anything that could be done to allow them to see him upon our
> arrival. The family wanted to be outside by the cargo door to watch the
> soldier being taken off the airplane.. I could hear the desperation in the
> flight attendants voice when she asked me if there was anything I could
> do.. 'I'm on it', I said. I told her that I would get back to her.
>
> Airborne communication with my company normally occurs in the form of
> e-mail like messages.
> I decided to bypass this system and contact my flight dispatcher
> directly on a secondary radio.
>
> There is a radio operator in the operations control center who connects
> you to the telephone of the dispatcher.
>
> I was in direct contact with the dispatcher.. I explained the
> situation I had on board with the family and what it was the family wanted.
> He said he understood and that he would get back to me.
>
> Two hours went by and I had not heard from the dispatcher. We were
> going to get busy soon and I needed to know what to tell the family.
> I sent a text message asking for an update.
> I saved the return message from the dispatcher and the following is the
> text:
>
> 'Captain, sorry it has taken so long to get back to you. There is
> policy on this now and I had to check on a few things.
> Upon your arrival a dedicated escort team will meet the aircraft.
> The team will escort the family to the ramp and plane side. A van will
> be used to load the remains with a secondary van for the family. The family
> will be taken to their departure area and escorted into the terminal where
> the remains can be seen on the ramp.
> It is a private area for the family only.
> When the connecting aircraft arrives, the family will be escorted onto the
> ramp and plane side to watch the remains being loaded for the final leg
> home.
> Captain, most of us here in flight control are veterans. Please pass our
> condolences on to the family. Thanks.'
>
> I sent a message back telling flight control thanks for a good job.
> I printed out the message and gave it to the lead flight attendant to
> pass on to the father.
> The lead flight attendant was very thankful and told me, 'You have no
> idea how much this will mean to them.'
>
> Things started getting busy for the descent, approach and landing.
> After landing, we cleared the runway and taxied to the ramp area.
> The ramp is huge with 15 gates on either side of the alleyway.
> It is always a busy area with aircraft maneuvering every which way to
> enter and exit.
> When we entered the ramp and checked in with the ramp controller, we were
> told that all traffic was being held for us.
>
> 'There is a team in place to meet the aircraft', we were told.
> It looked like it was all coming together, then I realized that once we
> turned the seat belt sign off, everyone would stand up at once and delay
> the family from getting off the airplane.
> As we approached our gate, I asked the copilot to tell the ramp
> controller we were going to stop short of the gate to make an announcement to the
> passengers.
> He did that and the ramp controller said, 'Take your time.'
>
> I stopped the aircraft and set the parking brake.
> I pushed the public address button and said, 'Ladies and gentleman, this
> is your Captain speaking I have stopped short of our gate to make a
> special announcement.
> We have a passenger on board who deserves our honor and respect.
> His Name is Private XXXXXX, a soldier who recently lost his life.
> Private XXXXXX is under your feet in the cargo hold. Escorting him today
> is Army Sergeant XXXXXXX.
> Also, on board are his father, mother, wife, and daughter.
> Your entire flight crew is asking for all passengers to remain in their
> seats to allow the family to exit the aircraft first. Thank you.'
>
> We continued the turn to the gate, came to a stop and started our
> shutdown procedures.
>
> A couple of minutes later I opened the cockpit door.
> I found the two forward flight attendants crying, something you just do
> not see.
> I was told that after we came to a stop, every passenger on the aircraft
> stayed in their seats, waiting for the family to exit the aircraft.
>
> When the family got up and gathered their things, a passenger slowly
> started to clap his hands.
> Moments later more passengers joined in and soon the entire aircraft was
> clapping.
> Words of 'God Bless You', I'm sorry, thank you, be proud, and other kind
> words were uttered to the family as they made their way down the aisle
> and out of the airplane. They were escorted down to the ramp to finally be
> with their loved one.
>
> Many of the passengers disembarking thanked me for the announcement I
> had made.
> They were just words, I told them, I could say them over and over again,
> but nothing I say will bring back that brave soldier.
>
>
> I respectfully ask that all of you reflect on this event and the
> sacrifices that millions of our men and women have made to ensure our freedom
> and safety in these United States of AMERICA .
>
> Foot note:
> As a Viet Nam Veteran I can only think of all the veterans including the
> ones that r ode below the deck on their way home and how they we were
> treated.
>
> When I read things like this I am proud that our country has not turned
> their backs on our soldiers returning from the various war zones today and
> give them the respect they so deserve.
>
> I know every one who has served their country who reads this will have
> tears in their eyes, including me.
> Prayer chain for our Military... Don't break it!
>
> Please send this on after a short prayer for our service men and women.
> Don't break it!
>
>
>
>
> They die for me and mine and you and yours and deserve our honor and
> respect.
>
> Prayer: 'Lord, hold our troops in your loving hands. Protect them as
> they protect us. Bless them and their families for the selfless acts they
> perform for us in our time of need. Amen.'
>
> Prayer Request: When you receive this, please stop for a moment and say a
> prayer for our troops around the world.
>
> There is nothing attached.
> Just send this to people in your address book.
> Do not let it stop with you.
> Of all the gifts you could give a Marine, Soldier, Sailor, Airman, &
> others deployed in harm's way, prayer is the very best one.
>
> GOD BLESS YOU!!!
>
>
> A good exercise for the heart is to reach out and help another up!
>
> ~ Have a blessed day! ~
>
 
Good post.

I support our troops.
I do not however support many things our government does with them.
I volunteered for a few years to help returning vets having problems reintegrating into our society. It was tough, but I feel I really made a difference.
Some of them will be at my home for a Thanksgiving dinner.
My condition caused me to stop volunteering with them a year or so ago, but a couple of those I helped are now paying it forward for those having trouble.

One can pretty much despise the military and still love the troops.
Many cannot understand this, but I feel it helped me with several to deal with their resentment of the military for their disabilities.
 
Good post.

I support our troops.
I do not however support many things our government does with them.
I volunteered for a few years to help returning vets having problems reintegrating into our society. It was tough, but I feel I really made a difference.
Some of them will be at my home for a Thanksgiving dinner.
My condition caused me to stop volunteering with them a year or so ago, but a couple of those I helped are now paying it forward for those having trouble.

One can pretty much despise the military and still love the troops.
Many cannot understand this,
but I feel it helped me with several to deal with their resentment of the military for their disabilities.

An excellent response - you're absolutely right.
 

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