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'HONOR' The Fallen


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‘Honor’: Powerful video telling story of Marines who take care of their fallen

 

 

 

If only we treated our living heroes with the same honor, respect and measure of precision as we do the fallen.

 

Earlier this month, the Military Warriors support Foundation posted on its Facebook page a powerful and moving video captioned “U.S. Marine Body Bearers, 8th & I.”

 

According to the U.S. Marine Corps’ official website:

 

Bravo Company is home to the Marine Corps Body Bearer Section. The section is comprised of 15 Marine infantrymen whose primary mission is to bear the caskets at funerals for Marines, former Marines, and Marine family members at ArlingtonNationalCemetery and the surrounding cemeteries in the National Capitol Region. On occasion, they are called to travel to locations all around the country to support funerals for senior statesmen, heads of state, and former Presidents of the United States.

 

 

 

Although they’re not out in the field huffing and puffing under a 50-pound load, their service is nonetheless arduous.

 

The road to becoming a Body Bearer is not an easy [one]. Each member has to demonstrate that he has the bearing and physical strength to carry out this mission. A typical day for a Body Bearer includes several hours of ceremonial drill practice and intensive weight training and conditioning. The remainder of the day includes infantry knowledge and skills proficiency training.

 

 

 

But far beyond the physical challenges facing these Marines is the measure of dedication they give to each of the dead. Hence the video’s title, “Honor,” which was produced by USMC Sgt. Bryce Burton.

 

 

Thank you to all who have served.  :salute:

Edited by Whatshername
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Interesting story.  My career marine nephew is getting ready for his 7th deployment.  Ironically enough, the very tattoo on his calf that bears a scar from a sniper's bullet during his last deployment, may cost him his career.  Marine regulations and red tape concerning tattoos and authored by those in the know, might demand he be separated from service AFTER THIS DEPLOYMENT, leaving him 4 years shy of retirement.  Barring support from his chain of command, a grave travesty could be laid at the feet of this American hero.  Thank you for the original post, WHN.....sorry I temporarily hijacked your thread.  I saw those dress blues and it struck a chord.  :peace:

GO RV, then BV 

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Great video - thank you Whatshername. I truly believe that being part of the honor detail is a small way to give back to all the service men/women who dedicated themselves to our country. I'm on our state's National Guard Funeral Honors team.  I recognize the hours of practice that these men have done.  I personally have about 125 funerals that I have done in the last 3 years.  While ours are often times simpler (Congressional funding will only allow 2 or 3 man teams, so we are limited to the playing of taps and doing a 2 or 3 man flag fold), I know the emotion is still there. This is an emotionally tough detail.

Shab's - I can relate to what your talking about. This whole PC thing in the military - right down to the tattoo policy - is getting nuts. He should at least be "grandfathered" in for his tattoo, as long as it's not something that's lewd or hateful - or at least given the opportunity to remove or alter it to stay in the regs.  Sometimes there is just no common sense.  I think we can agree on that one.

" Essayons" my brother.

 

:salute:

 

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21 hours ago, tankdude said:

Shab's - I can relate to what your talking about. This whole PC thing in the military - right down to the tattoo policy - is getting nuts. He should at least be "grandfathered" in for his tattoo, as long as it's not something that's lewd or hateful - or at least given the opportunity to remove or alter it to stay in the regs.  Sometimes there is just no common sense.  I think we can agree on that one.

" Essayons" my brother.

Yes, we do agree on that point, Tank.  There is nothing lewd or hateful about his tattoo either.  Been a while since I last saw it.....but I believe it's a sun / yin and yang combination.  As for removing it.....I don't see that happening.  Remember he's a battle hardened marine....principle is priceless compared to retirement money. 

"Let Us Try" my brother.  :peace:

GO RV, then BV

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If we excluded any soldier who has a tattoo we would not have much of a military left .

Tattoos Were and are a right of passage... Sailor Jerry for example by Mr. Collins

As a friend of mine said...you are given what to wear form your first day until the day you retire....his tattoo was a sense of pride and individualism.  

Shabs please keep us informed on this....this is so wrong to do to a man who has served as he has.

Edited by SnowGlobe7
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2 hours ago, SnowGlobe7 said:

If we excluded any soldier who has a tattoo we would not have much of a military left .

Tattoos Were and are a right of passage... Sailor Jerry for example by Mr. Collins

As a friend of mine said...you are given what to wear form your first day until the day you retire....his tattoo was a sense of pride and individualism.  

Shabs please keep us informed on this....this is so wrong to do to a man who has served as he has.

Will do.  First and foremost, I pray for another safe return for him and his crew from this deployment.  I couldn't imagine defending my country honorably, then getting cut loose upon my return for something so insignificant.  What would a guy say?......."Thank You very much Uncle Sam."  :shrug:

GO RV, then BV 

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Marines' new tattoo policy will be more flexible, but won't allow sleeves

 

Marines will have more flexibility under the service’s upcoming updates to its tattoo policy, but they still will not be allowed to get sleeve tattoos, said Commandant Gen. Robert Neller.

Neller said he hopes the updated tattoo policy will be released within 30 days. It will seek to consolidate existing tattoo guidance in one document and to clarify which tattoos are allowed.

“Having talked to them, I don’t think most Marines understand what the policy is,” Neller told Marine Corps Times on Wednesday.  “I don’t think they understand what they can do. They just know they can’t get a sleeve.”

Marines still won’t be able to get sleeve tattoos — which typically cover the arm from shoulder to wrist — under the latest updates to the tattoo policy, but they will have some flexibility on what is an acceptable tattoo, said Neller, who declined to get into specifics of the changes until the updates are released.

“We’re actually going to try to provide pictures to clarify what we mean when we say ‘a quarter of a body part,’ or whatever it is,” he said.

The Army updated its tattoo policy in April, stripping limits on the size or number of tattoos soldiers can have. Leaders said the more lenient rules were based on input from soldiers.

"Society is changing its view of tattoos, and we have to change along with that," then-Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ray Odierno said at the time. "It makes sense. Soldiers have grown up in an era when tattoos are much more acceptable and we have to change along with that."

Neller was initially surprised at how often the topic of tattoos came up when he talked with Marines, he said. Most of the questions he has received have come from Marines who want to get a sleeve tattoo.

“I ask them why,” he said. “They go, ‘Because I want to memorialize a friend.’ I respect that. Marines don’t ask for much, so when you can, you want to give them something."

But the Marine Corps isn't "a rock and roll band," he added.

"We’re Marines," Neller said. "We have a brand. People expect a certain thing from us and right now, if you’re in PT uniform, you can be completely tatted up under your PT uniform. That’s not enough? You can still get certain size tattoos on your arms and your legs. How much do you want?”

Since he first started fielding questions on the Marine Corps’ tattoo policy, Neller has studied up on the issue, “So now I understand it pretty well,” he said.

The latest tattoo guidance will explain how getting tattoos will affect Marines’ chances of getting a special duty assignment and becoming warrant officers and commissioned officers, Neller said. The issue is bigger than the Marine Corps because local, state and federal law enforcement agencies that Marines may want to join have strict rules on what tattoos are permissible, he said.

While he knows that tattoos are an important issue for Marines, Neller wants he force to concentrate on its mission, he said.

“I’m trying to keep everybody focused on what’s important, which is getting ready to be trained and ready to go fight if we have to go fight,” Neller said.

Jeff Schogol covers Marine Corps leadership, gender integration, aviation, and Pacific-based Marines for Marine Corps Times. He can be reached at jschogol@marinecorpstimes.com.

MARINE TIMES

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13 hours ago, George Hayduke said:

Marines' new tattoo policy will be more flexible, but won't allow sleeves

 

Marines will have more flexibility under the service’s upcoming updates to its tattoo policy, but they still will not be allowed to get sleeve tattoos, said Commandant Gen. Robert Neller.

Neller said he hopes the updated tattoo policy will be released within 30 days. It will seek to consolidate existing tattoo guidance in one document and to clarify which tattoos are allowed.

“Having talked to them, I don’t think most Marines understand what the policy is,” Neller told Marine Corps Times on Wednesday.  “I don’t think they understand what they can do. They just know they can’t get a sleeve.”

Marines still won’t be able to get sleeve tattoos — which typically cover the arm from shoulder to wrist — under the latest updates to the tattoo policy, but they will have some flexibility on what is an acceptable tattoo, said Neller, who declined to get into specifics of the changes until the updates are released.

“We’re actually going to try to provide pictures to clarify what we mean when we say ‘a quarter of a body part,’ or whatever it is,” he said.

The Army updated its tattoo policy in April, stripping limits on the size or number of tattoos soldiers can have. Leaders said the more lenient rules were based on input from soldiers.

"Society is changing its view of tattoos, and we have to change along with that," then-Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ray Odierno said at the time. "It makes sense. Soldiers have grown up in an era when tattoos are much more acceptable and we have to change along with that."

Neller was initially surprised at how often the topic of tattoos came up when he talked with Marines, he said. Most of the questions he has received have come from Marines who want to get a sleeve tattoo.

“I ask them why,” he said. “They go, ‘Because I want to memorialize a friend.’ I respect that. Marines don’t ask for much, so when you can, you want to give them something."

But the Marine Corps isn't "a rock and roll band," he added.

"We’re Marines," Neller said. "We have a brand. People expect a certain thing from us and right now, if you’re in PT uniform, you can be completely tatted up under your PT uniform. That’s not enough? You can still get certain size tattoos on your arms and your legs. How much do you want?”

Since he first started fielding questions on the Marine Corps’ tattoo policy, Neller has studied up on the issue, “So now I understand it pretty well,” he said.

The latest tattoo guidance will explain how getting tattoos will affect Marines’ chances of getting a special duty assignment and becoming warrant officers and commissioned officers, Neller said. The issue is bigger than the Marine Corps because local, state and federal law enforcement agencies that Marines may want to join have strict rules on what tattoos are permissible, he said.

While he knows that tattoos are an important issue for Marines, Neller wants he force to concentrate on its mission, he said.

“I’m trying to keep everybody focused on what’s important, which is getting ready to be trained and ready to go fight if we have to go fight,” Neller said.

Jeff Schogol covers Marine Corps leadership, gender integration, aviation, and Pacific-based Marines for Marine Corps Times. He can be reached at jschogol@marinecorpstimes.com.

MARINE TIMES

Thank you for the information, George.  Interestingly enough, my nephew has full sleeve tattoos on both arms.  He accomplished that goal long ago, before it became an issue with regulations.  I wish he had explained the leg tattoo issue to me a bit more.  I would like to be more informed as to his particular situation.  :peace:

GO RV, then BV

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Shabs - I was overseas working with the Army when the tattoo policy became an issue.  It seemed at the time Army Intelligence (I know, there is a joke in there somewhere) figured out that a lot of tattoos were gang related or neighborhood related or racist in nature.  And, of course the Army over reacted and banned just about everything.

The pendulum did eventually swing back with some common sense from both brass and troops.  

The Marines are just now finishing up their policy (they usually are just a little bit slower than Soldiers) which will also reflect a common sense approach.

The one thing the lifers didn't consider with their knee jerk reaction ban was the Pacific Islanders and their ancestral and tribal tattoos.

But now, we be all one big happy inked up family looking for some trigger time... God Bless the American Soldier:salute:

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  • 1 month later...

My title to this video was gonna be Honor The Fallen ... this thread was here first. So this is where it needs to be placed. The miracle and hope for the future of The United States of America is that this Soldier is an 11 year old boy. We who are older can learn lessons from this young man. Oorah.

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On May 27, 2016 at 9:37 PM, new york kevin said:

My title to this video was gonna be Honor The Fallen ... this thread was here first. So this is where it needs to be placed. The miracle and hope for the future of The United States of America is that this Soldier is an 11 year old boy. We who are older can learn lessons from this young man. Oorah.

What an inspiration!  Thank you for sharing this, Kevin :)

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On ‎3‎/‎29‎/‎2016 at 9:41 AM, Shabibilicious said:

Yes, we do agree on that point, Tank.  There is nothing lewd or hateful about his tattoo either.  Been a while since I last saw it.....but I believe it's a sun / yin and yang combination.  As for removing it.....I don't see that happening.  Remember he's a battle hardened marine....principle is priceless compared to retirement money. 

"Let Us Try" my brother.  :peace:

GO RV, then BV

I think we should all contact our reps and get this thing looked into,this is just not right

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  • 1 month later...

Those who have served in the military took an oath to protect and defend the Constitution from ALL enemies foreign and domestic.
 We honor the fallen by honoring the oath of service that they died carrying out.
The oath we took when entering the armed services is a blood oath it bound us to those who fell before, during and after our term of service.

Your DD-214 did not release you from this oath.

At this time in our history enemies foreign and domestic are attacking us.
It is time for all whom have taken this oath to stand up honor the fallen by not letting the Constitution become one of the fallen.

                                  
                                                                   To God Corps and Country Semper Fi
                                                                              Honor The Fallen
                                                             No Surrender No Retreat and No Compromise  
 

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On July 3, 2016 at 10:42 PM, Sentinel7 said:

Those who have served in the military took an oath to protect and defend the Constitution from ALL enemies foreign and domestic.
 We honor the fallen by honoring the oath of service that they died carrying out.
The oath we took when entering the armed services is a blood oath it bound us to those who fell before, during and after our term of service.

Your DD-214 did not release you from this oath.

At this time in our history enemies foreign and domestic are attacking us.
It is time for all whom have taken this oath to stand up honor the fallen by not letting the Constitution become one of the fallen.

                                  
                                                                   To God Corps and Country Semper Fi
                                                                              Honor The Fallen
                                                             No Surrender No Retreat and No Compromise  
 

:salute:

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