Mary Overton
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>>
>>
>>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!!!
>>
