This was send to me via email.







I checked this and it is a true story. Have your kleenex handy.




This time I wish to share with you a story I received a couple of
weeks ago. It was relayed to me as a story from an airline captain
about a recent flight.

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 on
his own. 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 attendant's 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.

In-flight 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 onboard 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 what follows 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 planeside. 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 planeside to watch the remains
being loaded for the final flight 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 XXXXX, a soldier who recently lost
his life. Private XXXXX is under your feet in the cargo
hold. Escorting him today is Army Sergeant XXXXX. 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..

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A final thought.....

Over the years the meaning of Memorial Day has faded too much from
the public consciousness. From a solemn day of mourning, remembrance,
and honor to the men and women who died in providing the freedoms we
enjoy, it has been reduced to a weekend of BBQ's, shopping bargains
and beaches where only token nods toward our honored dead is given,
if at all. Too many don't know what the day stands for.

So, let's not forget those who made the ultimate sacrifice. They are
remembered in all our prayers. Also, let's not forget a prayer for
the safety of all service men and women, whether they serve at home
or overseas.