I cryed when aI read this.... please forword it as requested. Charlene.....Oklahoma Strangers Are Friends.....Not Yet Met To See GOD'S Wonders.....Travel 2011 34ft TARRA Class A Motor Home
> >November 11 (Veteran's Day) will be upon us before we know it - please fwd >this. > > >Letter from an airline pilot: >>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 pre-flight 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 co-pilot 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 ArmySergeant 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: >>I know everyone 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. >>'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.. In Jesus Name, 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!!! >
