Delta Airline Employee Honor Guard

[Carolina Cast Bullets]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_VGxfmDmEo

I don't know for sure but it certainly appears in this video that Delta Airlines employees are forming an Honor Guard upon return of fallen Soldiers.

If this is true and I have no reason to not believe it, it will be a long day before I fly any other Airline when/if I should find it necessary to fly anywhere.

BRAVO ZULU Delta ! ! ! ! !

Jerry
Carolina Cast Bullets
US Navy Veteran

[Carolina Cast Bullets]

I sent an email to Delta Air Lines about this video. The employees are in fact Delta employees who perform this service on their own time but with the blessings of Delta.

Jerry
Carolina Cast Bullets

[Alvarez Kelly]

The honor guard knew how to render honors. I would bet most, if not all, were in the military at one time. They are offering honors to a fallen member. Having run into similar things before, it is often something the volunteer honor guard member feels compelled to do.

There were also uniformed service members present. I'm sure they were the official escorts. The military escorts go with the fallen member to his final resting place. That's when the next of kin determines what, if any, military honors are needed or even allowed.

I like what Delta has "allowed," I hope I never become as jaded as WILCO appears to be in this thread.

[Bad Water Bill]

I do not care if there is a sign saying DELTA.

In the age where the bean counter rules over common sense and respect for our military it is refreshing to see where a corporation will permit anyone not actually on the clock(therefor covered by insurance and a big safety net) to even dare to use such equipment or the time to render respect to our fallen troops.

If Delta was trying to use this as an advertisement wouldn't they have had their employees all wearing clothing with DELTA spelled out in big letters.

Thank you DELTA for taking care of our fallen troops.

[waksupi]

I suppose Wilco would have preferred the soldier be unloaded with the peanut wrappers and empty cans and bottles. No need to make any effort for respect.

[Baja_Traveler]

I suppose Wilco would have preferred the soldier be unloaded with the peanut wrappers and empty cans and bottles. No need to make any effort for respect.

Thats exactly what I was thinking!

[Alvarez Kelly]

I didn't say or imply the video was shot at the final destination. And I know better. You sir, have your opinion, and we all know what an opinion is worth.

I am very familiar with honor guards. I was a member of an honor guard unit while on active duty. I've done a lifetimes worth of funerals, thank you very much. There are not enough honor guard units available of any kind to handle all the requests.

The active duty escorts stay until the funeral, unless dismissed at the families request. The final destination is often far from an airport. Offloading caskets is often done publicly, since it has to be done in the facilities available. Is an honor guard necessary or even appropriate at every transfer? Maybe, but it is not even practical. These employees are offering their own respects. To believe they are simply cooperate drones is disrespectful to them, and to be honest, to me. Yes, you come off as jaded. Corporations often do good things because they want to do good things. Sometimes it's not all about the bean counters.

[Bad Water Bill]

I guess the guy in the pickle suit and this OLD swab jockey lack the vast knowledge and experience that another member here has.

But what do I know as I do not have his many year more of cynical outlook.

Heck I am only 77 so what do I know about showing respect to fallen troops,be it the skipper and executive officer of our squadron,the pilot that rode his plane in rather than bail out and let the plane hit a full grammar school,the 2 pilots that hit the fantail or the one that went in off the bow.

When a friend had a heart attack and died on the street in Chit Kaga my # was the only #on his phone. It took me 3 MONTHS and the help of a very high ranking CPD to get that vet of the 101st removed from the county morgue to Abraham Lincoln Military.

When they finally laid Larry to rest it would not have offended me if vets from the Chit Kaga sanitation department wanted to lead a parade in their garbage trucks. I do not NIT PICK about someones intentions UNLESS you are a member of the Westboro Baptist Church.

Show us where we should place you. I know where friend Alvarez and I stand and so tell us how much disrespect you have because a corporation filmed scenes of a fallen soldier returning home.

Did anyone see that video being played at the super bowl or was it possibly presented to the family and one of the family members shared it.

I do not know the answer nor do I care.

R I P

[Alvarez Kelly]

Moving our fallen has always taken place in public. It's just easier to see it now in the age of instant communication. Obama may have eased restrictions for Dover AFB, but once the fallen have moved from there toward their final resting place, they transit the nations airports, large and small.

You have your mind made up WILCO. Don't let the facts get in your way.

Listing all the honor guards available doesn't mean they are actually available. There is far more demand than supply. Been there, done that.

[WILCO]

To the members of Castboolits.com that have been following this thread,

Please be advised that I’ve changed my position regarding the usage of honor guards by Delta Airlines. I came to this conclusion after much reflection, based upon input from the membership here. My original objection, was the appearance of commercialization and profit, at the expense of our sacred fallen. I now know better. To those who were possibly offended by my earlier point of view, I offer up my sincerest apologies, as it wasn’t my intent to upset the membership. I am openly calling upon the moderators to please restore the integrity of this thread, so that the point of the OP may be given the just discussion it deserves. Failing that, I’m requesting all those that posted rebuttals, to please delete them accordingly.

Thank you all for your understanding regarding this matter.

Sincerely,

WILCO

[imashooter2]

Spoken like a gentleman. Done.