National Guard Photos: "We put the 'fun' in funeral"

[Punkface]

Taking a fuck around photo for fun is one thing. Was a very bad idea to take one with a casket with a flag draped over it though.

No mercy for the judgement handed down on them. That NCO should have reprimanded them instead of supporting them as well.

[cstone]

Just another example of me being old.

Why does everyone feel the need to photograph everything? Then, so many people today seem to feel the need to post said photographs online for everyone to see.

Does anyone remember the Nicholas Proffitt novel Gardens of Stone? There was a scene where some of the Old Guard during the Vietnam War were involved in five or six funerals every day at Arlington National Cemetery. Some of the soldiers said the following words under their breath, so that only the other members of the detail could hear: "Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, lets bury this stiff and get on the bus." Because it was said in a way that no one but the detail heard, IMO, it was not disrespectful, but represented the boredom and frustration of repetitive and uncomfortable work for young men in uniform.

I had this conversation with my daughter yesterday when she reminded me of a funeral I took her to a few years ago after a friend and co-workers son was killed in an automobile accident. She told me how upsetting it was and how she does not want to go to any more funerals. I reminded her that no one likes to go to funerals. We go to pay our respects to the dead and show compassion and fellowship for the family and friends who grieve. Learn to celebrate life by making your life worthwhile.

I would like people to stop posting all of their cute photographs and neato experiences online. I guess I will just learn to live with my disappointment.

[<MADDOG>]

Here's my viewpoint on the ARNG/Reserve (no, I'm not disparaging yanks):



In my day most were college kids (not all, there were a small amount of prior service) with poor disciple and training. The pic is fitting also, as back in the 90's, I had the "pleasure" of OPFOR'ng against some of these yahoos at Drum. Synopsis: they literally got in a line and charged!

These "weekend "warriors" are not cut of the same cloth as our active duty, and it shows even more so here.

Maybe times have changed, but I don't think so...

[ben4372]

Who knows what was on the minds of these young, underdeveloped brain youngsters. I promise you. Some have the folks that will hand down a overly heavy punishment have done much more disrespectful things. They likely don't have photos of it, but they did it too.

[Aloha_Shooter]

I hope it was gallows humor. Yes, it's disrespectful but I doubt it was intended to cause pain and anger like the hippies who spat on returning vets or Jane Fonda sitting on that AA gun. Give them some reflective duty or other NJP, learn from it and press on -- preserving COLA for federal civilian workers and entitlement EBT cards but reducing the COLA from veterans' (earned) retirement pay is just as disrespectful IMO but it doesn't have a fancy photo to wave around.

[Mick-Boy]

Wall-to-wall counseling clearly needs to make a comeback in the WI NG.

[Ronin13]

Wasn't the casket empty for the photo?

Doesn't matter- if these fuckwads were overseeing your father's funeral, and making comments and gestures like these moronic buffoons, would you expect them to treat your father's funeral with the honor and respect it deserved? If I saw these yahoos walking up on one of my loved one's or battle buddy's funeral I'd have a very big problem. They are nothing more than a disgrace to the uniform.

[Irving]

I wouldn't draw a connection between training and a real funeral, and then be upset about something that didn't happen.

[Ronin13]

I wouldn't draw a connection between training and a real funeral, and then be upset about something that didn't happen.

Train how you fight. And mix in what that chick said about how someone is getting a jacked up flag for having an outdoor funeral when it's chilly... It seems these kids aren't taking this assignment seriously. I don't care what they do out of uniform, but while in it, I expect them to be professional.

[Scanker19]

I wouldn't draw a connection between training and a real funeral, and then be upset about something that didn't happen.

Exactly. It wasn't even a casket that was to be used in an actual funeral. If people are getting mad about a training casket then we need to contract a hearse the draw them from TASC rather than, "who has a truck?"

Morbid release will happen at all levels of funeral service. If people got mad at every almost, near-fuck up, everything that can go wrong will, that happens with funerals then every one would be mad.

Because regardless of what happens at practice, everyone is as professional as they can be at the real service.

They should more mad at the way the VA handles the remains after the service.