The Fallen
by Brandi S
Standing on the flight line with a sharp salute, tears blur my eyes. My thoughts bounce around my head like a pin ball machine. Was he married? Did he have any children? How is his mother handling the grief? I don’t even know his name, I should know his name if I am to honor him properly. I should have reprimanded that Airman today for complaining about sleeping on a cot instead of a bed. Here I stand alive and well as this man, no boy is being shipped home to his mother in a wooden box. People all around me complain about work, life, living conditions. A war is waging, lives are being lost, yet it is still part of humanity to find inconsequential matters to be huge catastrophes. Slowly dropping my salute I march into the belly of the C-5. The Chaplin begins his prayer, and with it the Airman’s name. A name I silently whisper across my lips, blessing all those that knew and loved him. There were many other ceremonies just like this one. They never got any easier, they never got any less memorable. This is the part of my Air Force life I don’t ever want to forget. I want our fallen to be remembered forever.
Hands rise in a 3 second salute A perfect vision of patriotism passes in 13 alternating stripes of Red Blood Shed White Courage 50 Stars of our States of Union in a sea of Blue Vigilance, Perseverance, Justice Hands lower in a 3 second salute Silent tears for the Unknown Hero Thoughts, Prayers for the family and friends Let’s send him home boys