I spent my last 4 months in the Army as the NCOIC of the honor guard at Fort Huachuca. Some of the things we did while I was attached to honor guard included firing cannons at the inauguration of the soon to be impeached Governor of Arizona Evan Mecham, taking care of the bitch to fold in any kind of wind 20’ x 38’ garrison flag and provide the honor detail for veteran’s funerals.
The last time I attended a funeral with military honors was a couple of years ago for one of my uncles. The army sent two people to his funeral. They played Taps on a boom box, carefully folded the casket flag and presented it to my aunt. At Huachuca we did it a little different in 86-87. A burial detail consisted of 16 soldiers. A real bugler, an eight member rifle squad and a seven member casket detail. We had two burial details that traveled all over Arizona and New Mexico providing the honor guard at funerals. I personally handed 63 carefully folded casket flags with three expended cartridges tucked inside to the next of kin.
We took pride in what we did and drilled every day we weren’t on the road. A fact that was quite apparent the day we did a funeral in Phoenix at the same time the Air Force was doing another one at the same cemetery. I was embarrassed for the Air Force that day due to their unprofessional performance. We also spent some time talking about the symbolism involved in the ceremony. This was almost 30 years ago, and I’ve lost a few penguins of the iceberg since then. But I don’t remember any particular emphasis on Christianity. In fact I do remember a few Jewish funerals. That doesn’t mean it didn’t happen, but I do know that if it did the hard drinking crew I spent four months in charge of couldn’t have given a shit one way or the other.
The last time I attended a funeral with military honors was a couple of years ago for one of my uncles. The army sent two people to his funeral. They played Taps on a boom box, carefully folded the casket flag and presented it to my aunt. At Huachuca we did it a little different in 86-87. A burial detail consisted of 16 soldiers. A real bugler, an eight member rifle squad and a seven member casket detail. We had two burial details that traveled all over Arizona and New Mexico providing the honor guard at funerals. I personally handed 63 carefully folded casket flags with three expended cartridges tucked inside to the next of kin.
We took pride in what we did and drilled every day we weren’t on the road. A fact that was quite apparent the day we did a funeral in Phoenix at the same time the Air Force was doing another one at the same cemetery. I was embarrassed for the Air Force that day due to their unprofessional performance. We also spent some time talking about the symbolism involved in the ceremony. This was almost 30 years ago, and I’ve lost a few penguins of the iceberg since then. But I don’t remember any particular emphasis on Christianity. In fact I do remember a few Jewish funerals. That doesn’t mean it didn’t happen, but I do know that if it did the hard drinking crew I spent four months in charge of couldn’t have given a shit one way or the other.
Save a life. Adopt a greyhound.
![[Image: JUkLw58.gif]](https://i.imgur.com/JUkLw58.gif)
