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Comment by Mar ProudSailorMom on December 8, 2011 at 5:09pm

Had to share this....SO FUNNY!!  (And I needed something really funny today! It's been 'one of those days'....!)

Comment by musicmom of a Sailor on December 8, 2011 at 2:57pm

Awesome.  Sometimes I despair of how humans treat each other so its wonderful to hear a story like this.  Restores my faith.....

Comment by cathyo Ship 11 Div 063 on December 8, 2011 at 2:53pm

Thank you for sharing that Badma.  Just beautiful.  Have any of you ever seen the movie Taking Chance?  Kevin Bacon is on the movie and he is the escort to a soldier named Chance.  It was such a beautiful movie.

Comment by T-Lynn on December 8, 2011 at 2:33pm

Thank you Badma

Comment by NitaSewBee on December 8, 2011 at 2:23pm

OMG.. this is so beautiful.. What compassion was shown this family and the respect  properly given to that young soldier.. I cried  trying to read this. thanks for sharing this. It was awesome what they did for this father so  the family could see their loved one.

 

Comment by BADma on December 8, 2011 at 2:10pm

 This was posted on fb .It is LONG so bear with me:

MAY GOD BLESS THIS AIRLINE CAPTAIN: He writes: My lead flight attendant came to me and said, "We have an H..R. on this flight." (H.R. stands for human remains.) "Are they military?" I asked. 'Yes', she said. 'Is there an escort?' I asked. 'Yes, I already assigned him a seat'.. 'Would you please tell him to come to the flight deck. You can board him early," I said. A short while later, a young army sergeant entered the flight deck. He was the image of the perfectly dressed soldier. He introduced himself and I asked him about his soldier. The escorts of these fallen soldiers talk about them as if they are still alive and still with us. 'My soldier is on his way back to Virginia ,' he said. He proceeded to answer my questions, but offered no words. I asked him if there was anything I could do for him and he said no. I told him that he had the toughest job in the military and that I appreciated the work that he does for the families of our fallen soldiers. The first officer and I got up out of our seats to shake his hand. He left the flight deck to find his seat. We completed our preflight checks, pushed back and performed an uneventful departure. About 30 minutes into our flight I received a call from the lead flight attendant in the cabin. 'I just found out the family of the soldier we are carrying, is on board', she said. She then proceeded to tell me that the father, mother, wife and 2-year old daughter were escorting their son, husband, and father home. The family was upset because they were unable to see the container that the soldier was in before we left. We were on our way to a major hub at which the family was going to wait four hours for the connecting flight home to Virginia . The father of the soldier told the flight attendant that knowing his son was below him in the cargo compartment and being unable to see him was too much for him and the family to bear. He had asked the flight attendant if there was anything that could be done to allow them to see him upon our arrival. The family wanted to be outside by the cargo door to watch the soldier being taken off the airplane. I could hear the desperation in the flight attendants voice when she asked me if there was anything I could do.. 'I'm on it', I said. I told her that I would get back to her. Airborne communication with my company normally occurs in the form of e-mail like messages. I decided to bypass this system and contact my flight dispatcher directly on a secondary radio. There is a radio operator in the operations control center who connects you to the telephone of the dispatcher. I was in direct contact with the dispatcher.. I explained the situation I had on board with the family and what it was the family wanted. He said he understood and that he would get back to me. Two hours went by and I had not heard from the dispatcher. We were going to get busy soon and I needed to know what to tell the family. I sent a text message asking for an update. I saved the return message from the dispatcher and the following is the text: 'Captain, sorry it has taken so long to get back to you. There is policy on this now and I had to check on a few things. Upon your arrival a dedicated escort team will meet the aircraft. The team will escort the family to the ramp and plane side. A van will be used to load the remains with a secondary van for the family. The family will be taken to their departure area and escorted into the terminal where the remains can be seen on the ramp. It is a private area for the family only.. When the connecting aircraft arrives, the family will be escorted onto the ramp and plane side to watch the remains being loaded for the final leg home. Captain, most of us here in flight control are veterans. Please pass our condolences on to the family. Thanks.' I sent a message back telling flight control thanks for a good job. I printed out the message and gave it to the lead flight attendant to pass on to the father. The lead flight attendant was very thankful and told me, 'You have no idea how much this will mean to them.' Things started getting busy for the descent, approach and landing. After landing, we cleared the runway and taxied to the ramp area. The ramp is huge with 15 gates on either side of the alleyway. It is always a busy area with aircraft maneuvering every which way to enter and exit. When we entered the ramp and checked in with the ramp controller, we were told that all traffic was being held for us. 'There is a team in place to meet the aircraft', we were told. It looked like it was all coming together, then I realized that once we turned the seat belt sign off, everyone would stand up at once and delay the family from getting off the airplane. As we approached our gate, I asked the copilot to tell the ramp controller we were going to stop short of the gate to make an announcement to the passengers. He did that and the ramp controller said, 'Take your time.' I stopped the aircraft and set the parking brake. I pushed the public address button and said, 'Ladies and gentleman, this is your Captain speaking I have stopped short of our gate to make a special announcement. We have a passenger on board who deserves our honor and respect. His Name is Private XXXXXX, a soldier who recently lost his life. Private XXXXXX is under your feet in the cargo hold. Escorting him today is Army Sergeant XXXXXXX. Also, on board are his father, mother, wife, and daughter. Your entire flight crew is asking for all passengers to remain in their seats to allow the family to exit the aircraft first. Thank you.' We continued the turn to the gate, came to a stop and started our shutdown procedures. A couple of minutes later I opened the cockpit door. I found the two forward flight attendants crying, something you just do not see. I was told that after we came to a stop, every passenger on the aircraft stayed in their seats, waiting for the family to exit the aircraft. When the family got up and gathered their things, a passenger slowly started to clap his hands. Moments later more passengers joined in and soon the entire aircraft was clapping. Words of 'God Bless You', I'm sorry, thank you, be proud, and other kind words were uttered to the family as they made their way down the aisle and out of the airplane. They were escorted down to the ramp to finally be with their loved one. Many of the passengers disembarking thanked me for the announcement I had made.. They were just words, I told them, I could say them over and over again, but nothing I say will bring back that brave soldier. I respectfully ask that all of you reflect on this event and the sacrifices that millions of our men and women have made to ensure our freedom and safety in these United States of AMERICA . Foot note: As a Viet Nam Veteran I can only think of all the veterans including the ones that rode below the deck on their way home and how they we were treated. When I read things like this I am proud that our country has not turned their backs on our soldiers returning from the various war zones today and give them the respect they so deserve. I know every one who has served their country who reads this will have tears in their eyes, including me. Prayer chain for our Military... They die for me and mine and you and yours and deserve our honor and respect. Prayer: 'Lord, hold our troops in your loving hands. Protect them as they protect us. Bless them and their families for the selfless acts they perform for us in our time of need. Amen. Of all the gifts you could give a Marine, Soldier, Sailor, Airman, & others deployed in harm's way, prayer is the very best one.

Comment by T-Lynn on December 8, 2011 at 12:27pm

HI

That video was awesome of the band. I have never seen such a wonderful performance.

Jeffiner, I have never forgotten that boy/ POW .  He has been in on my Positive List and I say my form of a prayer all the time.

Val - 5 days !!!!!

Cindy - congrats to your son. What an honor. I hope you can post a picture of him receiving that award.

JL - love the picture.  Look how much love they are putting that into that card.  I would like to add, how about adding this photo with the card, so your son sees the joy and love for him?

Keep  us posted how your son does in Settle layover please.

Hey Ang - we could do a road trip to Miss.  WE clean and gossip - she cooks and we all gossip :)

Trying to see that FB video .

Heard from my sailor last night.  He is bone tired, but so loves his new training. But he does not feel he will get a chance to come home for Christmas.  He reminds me that he did have 30 days home and all the fun we had.  I think he is trying to convince himself. If he cannot make it back , it will be the 5th Christmas in a row that he has not been home.  Yes, you all - I got his wish to come home on the Positive List.

 Ant M - any chance of you posting a pic of your kitchen sounds lovely.

Need to get - company just arrived.  And I should finish pinning the little dance shawl - the matching bag and the matching purse today .

Wish all to have a great day  hugs

Comment by Mississippi Mom on December 8, 2011 at 12:03pm

Ang.....I am the one who needs house cleaning!  I would be happy for you to come and "d-clutter" every bit of my house, especially my closet!  That is the one place that everyone (including me) carries anything that they don't have a clue what to do with, so it goes to Mom's closet!  It is absolutely horrible.  I have made myself a goal to clean that closet out after Christmas.  I have the week after Christmas off from work, and I want to get that closet cleaned and organized.  We'll see. Sometimes I am not so good with my goals. LOL!  Was suppose to have lots 25 pounds this year.  Let's just say I didn't quite reach it.  :)

Love those grandbabies fingerpainting!  Looks like they were having a ball creating that special card for their Uncle! 

Comment by navymom3 on December 8, 2011 at 11:07am

Cindy that is wonderful. Congrats to you and your sailor. That is something to be proud of.

Comment by Anti M on December 8, 2011 at 8:53am

jeffiner, we've had some real frigid air, wow, huh?  I'm jealous of your hot flashes.  I'm feeling ok, but my hernia pinches and stabs, so I am not as mobile as I would like. I did get the kitchen table cleared and then "dressed" for the holidays.  My little fake tree will have to do, I don't feel up to digging out the massive ornament collection.  I could do at least three different full sized theme trees, I have that many ornaments.

What adorable kids!  Yay for fingerpainting!

I appreciate the USO, so I give my nephew a "gift" of a monthly donation to them.  It isn't much, but it adds up.  They make it simple to donate.

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