Veteran's Day Weekend, 2020

We don't hold funerals in combat zones.

Funerals are for the families back at the soldier’s home or final resting place. We, the “battle buddies”, have our own ceremonies to honor our friends, to remember them and mourn them.

When a battle is over, the first concern is for the living, for safety and security, and for the will and resources to fight again if we need to. But as things return to “normal”, as we begin to feel more secure, we eventually have a time when we gather to mourn our dead.

The basic elements are almost always the same. Of course, there is no casket or body. That was almost immediately evacuated. Instead, there are a pair of boots, a rifle with its bayonet pointed down between the boots and its butt-end towards the sky. ID tags, “dog tags”, laced over the pistol grip of the rifle, and our friend’s helmet on top.

We form up in front of this totem to our friend. Words are spoken, memories are shared. The focus is on continuing the fight and recovering, because we must.

Finally the senior NCO, usually the First Sergeant, calls us to attention, and begins the roll call. He starts with the names of several soldiers ahead of our fallen friend. They answer, “Here, First Sergeant!” And then the dread moment when he gets to the name of our friend. He calls the last name. No response. After a moment he calls the last name again, and the first name. No response. He calls a third time, with the rank, last name, and first name. No response. The First Sergeant now gently recites our friend's full rank and name, and announces “Killed in Action” and the date and place. It is final.

From this point, we line up and pay our last respects at the totem. This may be a slow salute, a quick prayer. Sometimes we kneel and touch. Sometimes we completely break down. It’s a private moment between us and our friend.

And then we file out and go back to our duties.

But we never forget.

Mike Holmes