What happens when a soldier/marine etc dies? My grandad was a firefighter and to be honest, when one of them dies like that in the line of duty, I believe they are entitled to the same honour and respect as a serviceman who is KIA...
I do not have a problem with the local station he worked at performing a full funeral. It’s when the whole damn city shuts down.
My comment was regarding the statement that thousands (or hundreds) of people were paid to attend. An honor guard is different, very different.
I don’t believe the Marine Corps shuts down when a fellow Marine’s life is lost. Marines don’t get paid to travel to area bases to pay respect. Some might attend in an official capacity as a part of a ceremony, i.e. a bagpiper, as part of a missing man formation overhead, and I’m sure their need to participate warrants being paid. And from what I know, the Marines rate their salary on rank and service. If there’s some grief pay or otherwise, I’d be surprised. I’ve never heard that. In fact, during our time on active duty, we often traveled to the “civilian” services *because* my husband felt there should at least be a few fellow squadron mates in attendance — even considering he’d already spoken to the family at the service held on base.
On a side note, I can’t even fathom the Marines having Union protection. What a riot that would be! But if *anyone* deserves to bleed the coffers of the gestapo, of our tax money, it *should* be the Marines.
“when one of them dies like that in the line of duty, I believe they are entitled to the same honour and respect as a serviceman who is KIA...”
Nonsense. A firefighter is doing a hazardous job, just like a farmer or a coal miner. He isn’t picking up a gun and literally saving the nation from a malevolent enemy hell-bent on killing us all.
Military folks are not paid by the hour, do not get overtime and are on DUTY 24/7 unlike many cops and firefighters, that won't eat a donut without being paid.
There are exceptions to the rule {like 9-11} and being a cop or firefighter is no picnic, but they chose it.
The vast majority of cops, unlike TV never fire their weapons away from the target range and their biggest confrontation is breaking up bar fights and domestic events.
Where do you get this? Get real...
These people do a job like anyone else and they get paid really, really well, and have top shelf government benefits...
They have *nothing* to do with military veterans or veteran combat deaths...
Gezzzz