A somber moment in time

The below was stolen from a friend of mine out here, Mike Andrews. I've added and removed things to fit my experience, but I have to give credit where due.

We arrived early today at the Kilo ramp of the airfield and watched as a crowd gathered outside of the gate. A C-5 Hercules aircraft sat on the ramp with its cavernous rear entrance facing the terminal. There was an odd silence amongst the Army, Navy, Marine, Air Force, and international service members, broken occasionally by the roar of a jet engine or the harsh sound of helicopter blades as NATO troops left for operations. Today, however, was not about the living, it was a day to remember the fallen.

We fell into formation, two sets of four ranks of US troops stretching for well over 200 yards, in the sweltering heat of midday in Kandahar. The international armed forces fell in behind us, each by their country, but today we were all there for one reason: to honor our departed brethren. The sun reflected off of the tarmac, making it feel much hotter than the 95 degrees that was indicated on the thermometer mounted to the wall of the terminal. We stood in silence and watched as four Marines uncased the United States and Marine Corps flags and two ranks of Marines formed facing each other on either side of the extended ramp protruding from the rear of the aircraft awaiting its precious cargo.

“Ceremony, atten-HUT!”

The sound swept across the airfield like thunder as all of us in the US ranks snapped to attention. The echoing calls to attention in heavily accented English and many other languages followed as each element behind us locked to in turn.

“Left, face!”

The phalanx of warriors that we had become turned as if as one and marched smartly to fall in behind the Marines that were already standing sentry along the strip of runway that was now hallowed ground. As we covered in behind the Marines, I could tell this was not like the many other formations I had been part of. The look on the faces of those across from me - almost vacant, deep in thought and retrospect. I began to feel a tightening in my throat as the sweat from the noon sun rolled down my face.

“Parade, rest”

We all snapped from attention, and the Chaplin from our unit read a passage from Ecclesiastes and said a prayer. He then read the names of the fallen: a 19 year old Lance Corporal, survived only by his mother and a 21 year old Navy Corpsman survived by his estranged parents. The two that would have been considered boys in the US, fought and died as men in Afghanistan. So many experiences they never got to live, so many hopes and dreams dashed in an instant. All of that was replaced now by a cold metal case carefully wrapped in the flag of the country for which they loved and defended to the bitter end.

The command of attention rang out and bagpipes began to solemnly play the Marine Corps Hymn. We were given the order to present arms and almost in unison the entire group slowly raised their right hands to shield our eyes in a final sign of respect. As the twelve Marines carried two flag draped coffins down the ranks and into the belly of the plane, I fought back the urge to cry. The somber tones of a bugle sounded the first notes of Taps and I heard a groan, as if the aircraft was joining in, as the tail ramp slowly raised and the final journey of these two began. The explosive sound of the door crashing shut came as the final notes drifted across the runway. We dropped our salute after the flags were marched past us. The Marines left first, then our foreign allies and then we slowly marched from that place, no longer meant for mourning, but for the operation at hand. While time stood still for a moment that day, the war did not.

A sobering experience to say the least. I am glad I participated and paid my respects, but I don't know how many more of these I could weather before the reality of it all starts to take its tole. I know I will be back to pay my respects at another time for another fallen brother, but I wish so deeply that this opportunity would never present itself.