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For a Soldier

From an mass email... but a good read.

 

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 beforewe 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 hat 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 aSecondary 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 tomake 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 ArmySergeant 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:  
I know every one who has served their country 
who reads this will have tears in their eyes, including  me. 

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