Full Honors for all KIA
Troy’s Note- This has been a long time coming. Do discriminate against enlisted soldiers in the 21st Century military was inexcusable and needed to be changed. I am glad to see DOD finally step up and make this change. We all bleed the same blood, we all make the same sacrifices. To provide the full honors to guys that decided to take a commission over soldiers who would rather be enlisted never made sense to me. The class system of our military ended ended back in the days of brown khakis and M-1 rifles.
From the Associated Press
WASHINGTON – Starting next year, the Army will provide full military honors for all soldiers killed in action when they are laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery.
The change in policy means funerals for enlisted soldiers now will also include the horse-drawn caisson and other honors previously given only to certain soldiers such as officers and Medal of Honor recipients.
Army spokesman Paul Boyce said Tuesday that the full honors also adds an escort platoon, a colors team and a band, whereas standard honors uses a firing party, bugler and chaplain.
The policy change applies only to Arlington because it is unique in having a caisson.
“Arlington National Cemetery is an expression of our nation’s reverence for those who served her in uniform, many making the ultimate sacrifice,” Secretary of the Army Pete Geren said in a statement released by the Army. “This new policy provides a common standard for honoring all soldiers killed in action.”
Though the full honors will be offered to families, it takes more time to arrange such services and so those who want the funerals more quickly are likely to decline. The full honors also will be arranged for members of the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps, if requested, officials said.
It will take effect early next year.
Kenneth Johns
December 18th, 2008 at 1:02 amIt is about time this was done. It is long overdue. Every American soldier killed in action is a hero in the truest meaning of the word. Our Nation owes it to our honored dead to show full military respect for their service and their sacrifice.