open for grief?

[bigbadmax]

We have lost another 6 soldiers in Afghanistan and the media frenzy is more evident than usual.

Whenever we loose a serviceman/woman to terrorism, we openly mourne them by lining the streets for the coffin(s) and place flowers etc outside the parent unit.

Today I heard an Anti war protester saying that we should not do this as it encourages the war and more deaths. Do The U.S.A mourne like we do in the U.K? Is it wrong to mourne and should we not do so?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-17305341

[tenni]

Max
I am sorry that more of your soldiers have died. I think that your country should most definitely mourn the deaths of your citizen soldiers. It can grow difficult when the numbers become great. Each Canadian soldier who died and their body was returned to Canada arrived at the same military base. The family greeted the casket along with dignataries such as the Minister of Defence or the Chief Commander of the Canadian Military etc. The casket was driven along a highway to Toronto where the autopsy was performed. For each death, Canadians lined up along the overpass bridges with flags and other mementos regardless of the weather.(can get damn cold standing in the wind in winter) That was appropriate. The road was named the Highway of Heroes and I don't remember the length but it may have been 100 km long stretch. The media covered each final journey both as the body left Afghanistan and pictures of the family meeting the casket(if the family accepted it) as well as the convoy to the autopsy.

I did not support my country being in Afghanistan but I strongly support this action as well as former soldiers being treated fairly by my government. The government doesn't always treat soldiers who have fought for Canada (Britain) properly and citizens should stand up to demand that they are treated properly.

[Brian]

Canada has lost 158 soldiers in Afghanistan since 2002, although the primary (Canadian) mission is over and so I think there only a few soldiers in country at this time.

When a deceased soldier is repatriated they fly into the air base at Trenton Ontario about 150 km from Toronto, and I believe autopsies are done in Toronto. So it has become tradition to line the overpasses of highway 401 from Trenton to Toronto as the escorted hearsts go by. They call that part of the highway the "Highway of Heroes" now.

There is a lot of anti-war sentiment in Canada, but I have never heard anyone suggest that lining that highway encourages more war.

I think the US is different. For the longest time it was illegal (I believe, correct me if I am wrong my American friends) to photograph/video a soldier being repatriated. Whereas it is most often broadcast nationally here in Canada. And I am not sure that deceased soldiers are flown into one single location like they are in Canada. So I don't know that a similar tradition has started among civilians in the US. I bet there is an on-base ceremony and tradition though, for and by service members, that is extremely solemn, and beautiful.

- Drew :paw:

[elian]

I'm sure people mourn here but they seem to do it privately, the media .. for some reason .. does not show caskets of soldiers much anymore.

[nutme]

All American servicemen/women killed in combat, or died from other circumstances, are flown into Dover Airforce Base in Dover, DE. From there, the bodies are transported to either Arlington National Cemetary or if chosen, to the home town. The respect given to the deceased, in transport through the local towns is something to behold. I have witnessed ceremonies done by the United States Marine Corps, both in Arlington and in local towns, and one would know immediately the respect and honor to the fallen soldier is immense.

[bigbadmax]

we have lost 404 good men and women, I remember marching at the November ceremonies (rememberence sunday) last year.

One of my friends was asked...having been injured, do you blame the MOD? his answer was, nope, id go back tomorrow if I could as would anyone marching today. Very true what he said, all military personel would love to go back as its a way of life, not a chore to serve. Military personell are a-political, they serve the government in power and dont decide themselves where to serve, but go where they are told.

The worst thing....the majority of the six were 20yrs old,one 19,one 33 and one 2days away from his 21st birthday...what a damn shame.

[bigbadmax]

All American servicemen/women killed in combat, or died from other circumstances, are flown into Dover Airforce Base in Dover, DE. From there, the bodies are transported to either Arlington National Cemetary or if chosen, to the home town. The respect given to the deceased, in transport through the local towns is something to behold. I have witnessed ceremonies done by the United States Marine Corps, both in Arlington and in local towns, and one would know immediately the respect and honor to the fallen soldier is immense.

correct if im wrong....god I hope I am!

Didnt Dover get into trouble for cremating(?) odd limbs etc and then throwing them on landfill?

[nutme]

correct if im wrong....god I hope I am!

Didnt Dover get into trouble for cremating(?) odd limbs etc and then throwing them on landfill?

No need for correction; it happened. The stories didn't get all that much play here, and I believe it was only a month or two that this got revealed, but in reading you get the notion that this was not of whole bodies but rather more of "unknown" pieces. I know it sounds grim but it is not a talking point to run with.

[slipnslide]

Canada has lost 158 soldiers in Afghanistan since 2002, although the primary (Canadian) mission is over and so I think there only a few soldiers in country at this time.


We forget about the ones who come back. I know one soldier who is suffering from PTSD. He's become violent at home so his wife has left him because it wasn't safe. Yet, the government is doing next to nothing for him. I dated someone who worked with veterans. She had awful stories about what these men and women go through trying to get help and support after they return.

[nutme]

[QUOTE=slipnslide;224754]We forget about the ones who come back. I know one soldier who is suffering from PTSD. He's become violent at home so his wife has left him because it wasn't safe. Yet, the government is doing next to nothing for him. I dated someone who worked with veterans. She had awful stories about what these men and women go through trying to get help and support after they return.[/Q

The US military and the VA, for discharged vets. is focusing with much effort on PTSD. Even cases going back to WW2, for those still surviving, and it is a major effort to comfort and treat these cases. When psychological treatments are not enough, payments of compensation are given in monies, housing and an eye to reintergrate back to regular society. As a sidebar to this, so many returning vets from Viet Nam were so shackeled of seriously bad memories that they became a major component of homelessness, crime and general malcontent attitudes once back. They too have had all their cases reviewed anew and are being helped. This also includes TBI (traumatic brain injury) which is a sub-class of PTSD and classified on a different level for treatments and compensations. It may sound like a building falling on your head, it does include that, but it is more of a psychological impact that goes beyond PTSD and has further complications of treatments. A penny saved by the government cutback for the vets, is a pound of foolishness, and a real bender to see these vets acting like they came home in 1971.

[DuckiesDarling]

Max, in answer to your question, yes we openly mourn those we lose. Unfortunately, we also attrack the idiots like WBC when we do it. The last person lost right close to me was Sammie Phillips and they had a huge following for his funeral in Radcliff. But across the USA when soldiers remains come home they honor them in their hometowns and rightly they should. No matter anyone's thoughts on the war or the action in which the soldier lost their life, they were a soldier, serving their country and they should be honored for it. My hats off to you in the UK for what you all do to honor your fallen soldiers. Keep doing it, they deserve it and in no way does mourning the loss encourage further losses. May the souls of all our fallen soldiers rest easy in knowing they did their duty with honor.