Soldiers' caskets no longer 'luggage' after four years of it

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.suntimes.com/news/nation/331859,CST-NWS-bodies08.article

In an about-face by the U.S. government four years into the Iraq war, America's fallen troops are being brought back to their families aboard charter jets instead of ordinary commercial flights, and the caskets are being met by honor guards in white gloves instead of baggage handlers with forklifts.

That change -- which took effect quietly in January and applies to members of the U.S. military killed in Afghanistan, too -- came after a campaign waged by a father who was aghast to learn that his son's body was going to be unloaded like so much luggage.

John Holley said an airline executive told him that was the ''most expeditious'' way to get the body home.

''I said, 'That's not going to happen with my son. That's not how my son is coming home,' '' said Holley, an Army veteran from San Diego whose son, Spec. Matthew Holley, was killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq in 2005. ''If it was 'expeditious' to deliver them in garbage trucks, would you do that?''

[w4rma]

1. In other words Republicans didn't want Democrats making hay over it once Dems took power

a couple of weeks later.

[Hubert Flottz]

2. Meanwhile the AWOL deserter rates AF-one.

[TreasonousBastard]

3. I never understood the complaint, though...

since it's normal for airlines to carry human remains as cargo, and thousands of caskets are flown all over the world in the cargo bays without incident or complaint. How else does Aunt Harriet get from her Florida retirement community to the family plot in Ohio? Funeral homes make these arrangements as a matter of course and have deals with all the airlines.

Even Orthodox Jews, who are as careful with the dead as anyone, fly their remains as cargo as the only reasonable way to get them to the cemetary on time.

[monarch]

4. Yeah, but the soldiers are OUR "cargo"

and deserve full military honors. Aunt Harriet isn't.

[rpannier]

5. This is tragic, but I must admit I did laugh at this quote by the father

it was 'expeditious' to deliver them in garbage trucks, would you do that?''

on note: If it makes me terrible for finding it amusing I apologise. But he has a valid point.