On behalf of my own son, Private Baxter T. Corey, deploying into a very hot spot in Afghanistan as Infantry division in late February, 2011... I forward this to you and ask for your prayers for the safety of my little soldier!!!
Wagging Tails in the Dog Park! Deanna and the Dog Park Gang: Nugget, Shuai Li, Mable, Mouse, Myrtle, Madison, Caleb and Maxine >From the mountains of CA Begin forwarded message: > From: Nancee Bayles <[email protected]> > Date: January 31, 2011 1:05:09 PM PST > To: [email protected] > Subject: [yorkieviews2] Airline Captain > Reply-To: [email protected] > > > >> >> >> >> >> >> "Some people wonder all their lives if they've made a difference. The >> Marines don't have that problem.” - Ronald Reagan >> >> 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... Don't break >> it! Please send this on after a short prayer for our service men and >> women. Don't break it! 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.' >> >> Prayer Request: When you receive this, please stop for a moment and say a >> prayer for our troops around the world. >> >> There is nothing attached. >> Just send this to people in your address book. >> Do not let it stop with you. >> Of all the gifts you could give a Marine, Soldier, Sailor, Airman, & others >> deployed in harm's way, prayer is the very best one. >> >> GOD BLESS YOU!!! >> >> >> >> >> >> >> > > Nancee Bayles > [email protected] > Everyone is entitled to my opinion! > > > >
