Fallen Comrade Ceremony

Saturday morning at Bagram...

The "big voice" came on over the loudspeakers and let us know about the ceremony. I'd heard of them, they are quite an event here. I am not sure of its origin, but was glad to take part.

When soldiers are killed, there is a ceremony at the base. Their coffins are placed on the back of a truck with their unit sitting on the sides around it. It is driven down Disney Road (not after Walt, but after a soldier who was killed much earlier in the war) very slowly as it makes its way to the airfield to unload the coffins to be sent back to the US. All the traffic is stopped and the base usually quietens down. Outside of the ceremony being given a name which still sends many of the people in the US into cold shivers as they try to shake their legacy of fear of the Soviet Union, and the somber parade down Disney drive, there were other strange and touching pieces to the whole event.

Everyone who isn't "mission critical personnel" is supposed to show up. Soldiers and civilians alike head out to line the road from the beginning of the drive down to the airstrip. In many places, the line is several people deep as there are more than 15,000 on the base. As the truck approaches, the soldiers pop to attention and salute with the civilians placing their hand over their hearts. A pick-up follows the flatbed carrying the unit and coffin. This truck looks like it should be following Brangelina somewhere as there are cameras sticking out in all directions. I'm told that there is a short video that is made for the family and presented. I didn't think it belonged there, which is odd, since I felt like photos of the coffins should be available to the public.

The event stuck different people in different ways, some had tears, others went straight back to work, while others began chatting as soon as the corner was turned. I like the idea...it was a way of honoring death without glorifying it.

Perhaps what the world needs is more of these ceremonies, where they reached across both sides. But more importantly, bringing those who are responsible for war and its conduct to attend. It would be a nice addition to the Geneva convention. Just imagine if all the politicians, generals, and military industrial complex CEOs were all there as well as the leaders of the hate-preaching madrasas, the heirarchy o f the Taliban and their families in this instance, to line up beside the soldier's friends and comrades and family regardless of the side, so that each side could understand what the other was going through.

The problem with war now is that it has grown so distant, from the way we kill, by bombs, missles, or IEDs to the fact that no-one making decisions is connected to those following the orders anymore, on either side. Perhaps there is something to be said for the small militias and fiefdoms in days gone by. It would be interesting to compare the levels of violence.

Peace...