From: "Rich Gauszka" 

"jeff"  wrote in message
news:43a04e36$1{at}w3.nls.net...
> Rich Gauszka wrote:
>> Last month in Indiana a similar blunder happened. I'm hoping these are
>> isolated occurrences as it's the last thing a deceased soldier's family
>> needs is to see is the body arriving as freight
>>
>
> This story may be getting spun a bit - yes, the body arrives as freight,
> because that's how they all arrive, and have for years. But that does not
> mean that they aren't being treated with dignity. Oh, and because it's the
> law - and has been for some time.
>
> The below incidently is incorrect. That's the procedure for the funeral,
> not the arrival.
> --
> Dead heroes are supposed to come home with their coffins draped with the
> American flag -- greeted by a color guard.
> --
>
> For information on the process go read:
> http://www.mudvillegazette.com/archives/003933.html
> The top story is a good one (read the whole thing at the link provided),
> and the current story we are discussing comes in near the bottom of the
> page.
>
> I indeed would be interested in hearing from the escort officer of Matthew
> Holley.
>
> This explains what happens and why:
> http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?article=33689§ion=104
>
> I suspect B. Boxer is playing this one up a bit for political puposes.


Yeah - I assumed that the body arrived without the required escort from
Dover but that part could have been omitted to sensationalize the story. I
did find this out about the transportation requirements.

http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=33689

Shari Lawrence, deputy public affairs officer for Army Human Resources,
said military aircraft are prohibited, legally, from providing services
already available through commercial flyers, as spelled out in laws
governing noncompetition between the military and the private sector.

"We don't expect everyone to be happy about that," she said.
"We do have families who get upset, and we tell them it's OK to be mad
at us. . But it's part of public law."

Defense officials said every body that leaves Dover is accompanied by an
escort, either a servicemember or a member of the deceased's family.

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