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The following story is in honor of our men and women who serve our nation in our stead....protecting our cherished freedoms, rights, and well-being. Never forget. The pilot, telling his story in first person, is indeed powerful!
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', he said.
He 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 attendants voice when he asked me if there was anything I could do.
'I'm on it', I said. I told him that I would get back to him.
Airborne 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 this following 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 plane side. 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 plane side to watch the remains being loaded for the final leg 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 XXXXXX, a soldier who recently lost his life. Private XXXXXX is under your feet in the cargo hold. Escorting him today is army Sergeant XXXXXXX. 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 were 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.
I respectfully ask that all of you reflect on this event and the sacrifices that millions of our men and women have made to ensure our freedom and safety in these United States of America.
Remember our Troops in Prayers, Daily. And when you vote, vote wisely.
For all who exalt themselves will be humbled,
but all who humble themselves will be exalted.
-Luke 18:14b-
Sleep well tonight, my friends, one and all. Travis
Set it free. Share it...it is the best of who we are, after all. Truely one thing to share your knowledge, your intellect, your opinions, your skills, etc. ....but it is another whole class to share of yourself: your precious time, your feelings, your heart and soul. Even small portions of heart and soul can enrich our life recipe and be our best "uncovered" dish to bring to the feast of others. Too often I notice many who stop at the convenience store to pick up a litre bottle of pop to be their contribution to the gathering (Alert!: simile, not a social comment here lol). It is quick, fizzy, sweet.....and easy, but, by analogy, not natural, not prepared by ones own hands, not imbued with the care and attention of "home made". No mess, no fuss, no follow-up (no dish to retrieve, clean, put away).
Though scary to present your own dish, your own creation, your soul laid bare...others might not like/care for your effort, or taste, or presentation...at least you get the feedback on some part that is honestly you; and, just maybe, some comments lift your spirit, connect you with others, allow discovery of kindred souls, and opens a universe of possibilities based on the depth of who you truely are and not some whimsical or wished for version. For, as an old woodsman, I know if I were to receive directions based on where I "wish" I were...I'd surely not get to where I really wanted to go! So hard to stay grounded in reality when your "reality" seems to suck, at the moment! Easier to want "easy", "sweet", and maybe even "fizzy"!
I have tried (really I have!) to live "in the moment". I have noticed, however, that if I am not genuine (see that sharing of heart and soul thingy above)...there is no value to living in the moment...or at least no reality to the moment. I do need reality to my moments....not for the drama, but for the honest grounding I get. Lord knows, after this many years on the planet, I do know plenty of ways to escape or dodge reality....but , I miss those connection opportunities if I'm not in a real moment.
Let's see, where was I going with all this?? Oh yeah, sharing heart and soul...it is a good thing! Need to do more of it! Need to, finally, put away the "escapism" from youth (though, grudgingly admitting it served me well in coping with things beyond my youthful control). And encourage my friends, acquaintances, total strangers even to share more of same.
Well, that was more fun than lunch. Next!
Actually, it's not so much that the voices in my head are idiots...they're just not dreamers. Too pragmatic, priggish even. No room for that romantic fantasy of finding someone who truely commits to the relationship AND the person as inseparable. Even many of my friends here on Boomer are skeptical that such can exist. But I don't dream of a smothering, joined at the hip kinda thing...I am a Saggatarius, after all! (Spoiler alert!!: I don't buy into astrology, though the description is so close, I get chills...sometimes...) Seems that two folks who are so smitten with each other...at least for a starting period...would be capable (and desirous) of forging a life to fit that shared image of the future, while allowing for the fact that growth does occur independently for each. I don't believe it's growing "apart" so much as a failure to celebrate and embrace each other's growth for what that growth brings into the storehouse of enriched experience. It is only growing "apart" if one keeps the growth, the nuance, the enriched "difference" (viva le differance!) to themselves (kinda selfish, anyway, huh?).
If relationships are doomed to short lived time-frames, they might as well come with "expires on" dates, so all know...the first party to open the "fridge" door and discover something that doesn't suit them, can toss the offending other, and no one is surprised.
I've stopped listening to those voices, they are idiots! Me? For my part, I choose to dream...that I might one day live that dream. I think things happen when you are engaged with life, out there living it, head up, aware, alert, positive...seeking the adventure, and renewal each new day brings. I hope I have the humor to match the worst life can throw, and the love for celebration of the best....and friends to share this roller coaster of thrills.
Yes, I've stopped listening to those voices...they led me to places I didn't want to go. If I were busy doing their bidding, I wasn't busy getting on with life's adventures.
Ya know, I'm not sure why this came out, but feel better already...think I'll get on with my day! All the best, Travis
All I Have Is Today - Robert Earl Keen I woke up in another strange place by a 40 acre parking lot with every kind of sign
I was talking to another strange face who was tellin’ me that he didn’t have the time Chorus: All I want is behind that mountain; All I need is the other way
All I am is a lost soul, searchin’ All I have is today I was walkin’ through the sands of silver to the Saphire canyon on the River of Jade
I was followin’ a gold sun settin’ when suddenly the light began to fade…
Chorus: I was ridin’ in a black Tornado with the top pulled down and the lights on dim.
I heard angels singin’ in the darkness, singin’ some Southern gospel hymn…
Chorus: I was thinkin’ ‘bout a man and woman who were tryin’ to make a livin’ out of shiny wood and steel.
I should tell ya if I haven’t told ya, this is exactly how I feel…
Chorus:
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