Good evening once again.
Hope all is well back home and you are all being safe.
Hope things are good at the station.
Things here are getting better.
Sorry for the long letter last time and that it wasn't happy news.
Yet again another memorable situation has happened to me.
Something people always say to me I hope you never have to go through a, Remembrance.
Remembrance's are honorable services for soldiers who were killed in combat.
I told you last time we lost 5 soldiers in the first contact I've been in since I've been in country.
The remembrance basically lets you give your respect for the fallen comrades.
We had the ceremony a week after the engagement.
I said before, we go through rough times in life and this is so far the toughest one I've encountered.
Let me try to give you a brief summary of the way it goes.
It all starts off with the 5 soldiers pictures on a made up platform above their boots, with their weapon pointing down with the muzzle in the ground, dog tags hanging from the pistol grip and their helmet on the butt-stock of the weapon.
These guys were a group of 15 who worked along with us on a certain mission and knowing them for two months still made it as hard as if I knew them for
years.
We built a great relationship and having these guys gone made it as if they were our own and they were.
We stood in a platoon formation together all 30 of us to begin the ceremony and it starts off with the national anthem.
Then after the national anthem we stand at the position of parade rest for respect of the soldiers as the chaplain of the post gives scripture and invocation to start it off.
The post commander then comes up and says a few comments, talks about the things they have accomplished in their careers so far, gives a little summary of things they liked to do and where they come from and what kind of person they were.
After the respects the commander gives,
their friends come up.
They give more insight about what kind of person each soldier was and what their likes were and what kind of things they did together.
They also give there decorations they earned and schools they accomplished.
They get a little more deep than the commander usually does because they know them from first hand experience.
The whole time we are standing in formation makes you think of the day that it all happened.
Taking you back to second guessing your decisions that you made.
I thought that maybe if I went to the front first instead of the back I think I could of saved them as every soldier thinks if they would have moved faster and faster to get to their side for help.
There was nothing we could have done, just accept the fact that it was their time and this is our time to honor them.
The chaplain steps back up to the podium and gives the memorial meditation with the follow of a silent tribute for the men.
The benediction follows after the silent benediction and then the Last Roll Call.
The Sergeant in front of formation puts us at the position of attention and starts calling out their names.
He says each name three times until no answer, then he moves on to the next name waiting for a reply, wishing you would hear it in the time he calls it, making it harder and harder to keep your discipline.
The last name called out is the hardest because you know there is going to be no response.
This is where it got me.
I couldn't hold it in any longer.
The first tear ran down my face wishing and wishing that I would have done more.
Other soldiers around me are doing the sniffling and out of the corner of your eye the other soldiers coming to pay respect also break down.
After the last roll call you think you are going to be good, and then comes the Firing of Volley's.
You all know it as the "21 Gun Salute."
Our Sergeant puts us at the position of attention to render the salute while the firing party shoots their rifles three times.
The worst feeling you could possible have is now.
The first set of rifles go off and it all plays over in your head.
The second set of rifles goes off and you remember who was lost.
The third set goes off and you loose that disciplined order in formation.
Most of us lost it when the last set went off.
Then "Sounding of Taps" plays over the speakers and looking straight at the soldiers before you, makes you heart sink.
After the Sounding of Taps, we then march up in groups of five to pay OUR respects.
You step up in front of their boots, rifle, tags, and helmet, with there pictures, staring straight at you, giving the salute.
Some soldiers go and touch the dog tags and give words in their honor.
Some soldiers kneel before them and pray as I did,hoping the lord will heal the families of these hero's.
Others touch the helmets and give gifts like cigars, unit patches, platoon patch's.
You step back up in the five man row and render the salute again and march out of the way for the other soldiers to do the same.
After I paid my respects I stand in the back and just stare at the pictures, the memorial, for these soldiers while the "Gaelic Mourn," is playing in the background to sooth any heartache you have for these soldiers and the only thing you can do is hug your brothers, sisters at arms for comfort and security.
These soldiers were taken from friends, family, wives, children, all loved ones, especially their brothers and sisters at arms.
This moment makes you realize that you aren't here for the money, you aren't here because you have to be but you are here because of the people to the left and the right of you.
There is nothing that can take that away.
I'm sorry for all the bad news, but I would like to share with you and hope you understand the things these soldiers go through day in and day out.
We have warrior ethos that all soldiers live by; " I will always place the mission first, I will never accept defeat, I will never quit, I WILL NEVER LEAVE A FALLEN COMRADE."
They will always be with us.
Don't get me wrong...we do have great days and exciting news to bring but I'll save that for next week.
I hope you all have a great weekend and please keep these soldiers and families in your prayers.
That's the best thing anyone at home front can do to support us.
Thanks for your time.
