honor gaurd

[Flying Pig]

^ I agree.  For a CAP member, sure.  For a vet who just has nobody, no family etc. and CAP is requested, I could see that.  But providing funeral service as a common practice, Im not for that.  At least where I am, many of the veterans organizations, VFW and American Legions provide a lot of the service.  I know they can be thin, or non existent in many places, but again, I don't think CAP needs to be in the business of providing military funerals.

There are MANY angles the military has.  The funeral I was in as a Marine was literally the 1st Sgt. walking through the barracks asking for volunteers to do a funeral detail a couple days later for a former Marine who had been killed in a car accident.  Several volunteered, and we spent the next day practicing for it.  6 casket bearers and a firing party.  We drove 2 hours to the location, and made it happen.  Where it can get dicy is when you far from a base.  When the military gets short is for vets.  For active duty members, there will be a military detail.

[stillamarine]

  At least where I am, many of the veterans organizations, VFW and American Legions provide a lot of the service. 

Years ago I went to a relatives funeral who had served 28 years in the Marine Corps. He lived in an area where there was no military presence.

The VFW provided a funeral detail and firing squad.

I believe the youngest member was about 75. There was no pop and snap, no sharpness, and it just plain looked bad. When the firing squad fired I thought one of them had a heart attack. They all wore varying stages of uniforms (looked like a CAP meeting ).

At the time I told my wife to never to allow that to happen at my funeral. I would be carried by a Marine Corps detail.  I have since changed that and told her that I want my pallbearers to be made up of half Marines and half Civil Air Patrol.


**disclaimer** This is in no way a dis on veterans. I am one and am proud of it, but I would rather be taken to my final resting spot in style, and not by someone who may be joining me in a few days. **disclaimer**

[afgeo4]

Not for nothing, but I'd like to find out how many military funerals Mr. Jimmydeano had attended.

[Timothy]

I commanded burial detail as an AFJROTC cadet at about 25+ funerals while in high school, at Riverside National Cemetery here in California. We were a recognized official cemetery team, and did 2-4 funerals a day, one day a month for about a year and a half. 

As mentioned previously, we did not provide the whole team... we worked as the pallbearing detail and trumpeter... sometimes a local veterans team provided the firing detail; sometimes there wasn't one. Coffin weight was not an issue; cemetery rules forbade anyone from carrying the casket... there was a chrome ceremonial "casket cart" that the team wheeled to the shelter.

When I graduated HS I put a team together at my new college ROTC unit and we worked as a firing detail attached to other pallbearer teams.

In both cases we never received anything but compliments and I was very honored to give that flag, and say those words. All this was back in 1997-98, and then 1998-2000, so i don't know if things have changed since then. We also weren't 14, we were a team comprised of mostly seniors and practiced constantly. I'll also note that these were "routine" burials and consisted mostly of deceased veterans of the Second, Korean, and Vietnam wars. We would never have done services for anyone in active or reserve duty.

Edit: Comments above aren't really meant to state either way about using cadets as HG, just my experience as one. I jumped at the chance and I will never forget it.

[jimmydeanno]

Not for nothing, but I'd like to find out how many military funerals Mr. Jimmydeano had attended.

7 more than I would have liked to have gone to.

One for my Stepfather (Navy - veteran).
One for a member of my squadron (Army - retired).
One for a close family friend (Army - retired).
One for a friend's grandfather (Air Force - retired).
One for my grandfather on my father's side (Army - veteran)
One for a family friend (Air Force -veteran)
One for a member of my current squadron (Coast Guard - retired).

As for my wife, she has gone to the 7 above and served on the HG for 48 of them.  She agrees with me about the no cadets thing.

[afgeo4]

Not for nothing, but I'd like to find out how many military funerals Mr. Jimmydeano had attended.

7 more than I would have liked to have gone to.

One for my Stepfather (Navy - veteran).
One for a member of my squadron (Army - retired).
One for a close family friend (Army - retired).
One for a friend's grandfather (Air Force - retired).
One for my grandfather on my father's side (Army - veteran)
One for a family friend (Air Force -veteran)
One for a member of my current squadron (Coast Guard - retired).

As for my wife, she has gone to the 7 above and served on the HG for 48 of them.  She agrees with me about the no cadets thing.

Well... I happen to live in a neighborhood that's rich with veterans and recently one of my neighbors passed away. He was a Korean War vet. Air Force. I spoke to his wife outside last week about it. She was upset because no one showed up to do the honors. The VA said they couldn't get a detail because there's a shortage.

I didn't know what to say to that. Maybe I'll have her write you and your wife asking for an explanation. You guys seem to have a better grasp of things, given your experience and all.

[jimmydeanno]

Somehow I knew it was going to be one of those responses.

But either way, I don't know as though she'd be happy with a group of 13 year olds doing either.  To each their own I guess.

Perhaps when I get "old and wise" my perception will change, but I doubt it.

[notaNCO forever]

 If they're on a Honor Guard they should be older then 13 and they'd need to be strong enough to carry a casket so I don't think it would look like a bunch of little kids were the ones doing it.

[afgeo4]

If they're on a Honor Guard they should be older then 13 and they'd need to be strong enough to carry a casket so I don't think it would look like a bunch of little kids were the ones doing it.

Agreed, I believe most of the cadets who'd be able to pull off Honor Guard details would be about 17 years old and above.

That's over the enlistment age for the military, so it wouldn't look odd at all. Most young men and women in the military Honor Guard are E-2 through E-5 anyway. Probably 18-22 years old.

[CAP006]

thanks all this helps but all we really need is the uniforms them selfs like the shirts jackets and all that

First dude, there's something called capitalization. Comma's are nice to.

Second. Why don't your cadets already have the short sleeve service uniform national issues?

Third. Try local Air Force JROTC units. Try local AFROTC units.

Yeah?  If national issues them, why dont your cadets have them?  Thats just insane

[DC]

thanks all this helps but all we really need is the uniforms them selfs like the shirts jackets and all that

First dude, there's something called capitalization. Comma's are nice to.

Second. Why don't your cadets already have the short sleeve service uniform national issues?

Third. Try local Air Force JROTC units. Try local AFROTC units.

Yeah?  If national issues them, why dont your cadets have them?  Thats just insane

You are aware of the Free Cadet Uniform program, that provides blues pants, a short sleeved shirt, a flight cap, and a belt to new cadets for free?

[afgeo4]

thanks all this helps but all we really need is the uniforms them selfs like the shirts jackets and all that

First dude, there's something called capitalization. Comma's are nice to.

Second. Why don't your cadets already have the short sleeve service uniform national issues?

Third. Try local Air Force JROTC units. Try local AFROTC units.

Yeah?  If national issues them, why dont your cadets have them?  Thats just insane

You are aware of the Free Cadet Uniform program, that provides blues pants, a short sleeved shirt, a flight cap, and a belt to new cadets for free?

AAFES doesn't issue the rest of the Honor Guard uniform which would be a large expense. The cadet specified service coats as one of the requirements (and it is for honor guard). Other things like service caps, white gloves and ascots aren't issued either. Also, all uniform items must be of high quality, fit and condition to be on Honor Guard and all must be exactly the same. That is no mix/matching of old/new service coats, all same shade of pants (matching the coat), and all same version of low quarters (no mix/matching leather with corofam).

[DC]

thanks all this helps but all we really need is the uniforms them selfs like the shirts jackets and all that

First dude, there's something called capitalization. Comma's are nice to.

Second. Why don't your cadets already have the short sleeve service uniform national issues?

Third. Try local Air Force JROTC units. Try local AFROTC units.

Yeah?  If national issues them, why dont your cadets have them?  Thats just insane

You are aware of the Free Cadet Uniform program, that provides blues pants, a short sleeved shirt, a flight cap, and a belt to new cadets for free?

AAFES doesn't issue the rest of the Honor Guard uniform which would be a large expense. The cadet specified service coats as one of the requirements (and it is for honor guard). Other things like service caps, white gloves and ascots aren't issued either. Also, all uniform items must be of high quality, fit and condition to be on Honor Guard and all must be exactly the same. That is no mix/matching of old/new service coats, all same shade of pants (matching the coat), and all same version of low quarters (no mix/matching leather with corofam).

If you take a look at 39-1 there is an Honor Guard uniform option without the service coat, and the service cap can be had for $10 brand new on eBay. The equipment is going to be expensive no matter what, but the uniform can be put together pretty cheap if you look hard enough.