U.S. Contractor Fired for Military Coffin Photo

Reuters ^ | 4-22-04 | By Sue Pleming

[Oldeconomybuyer]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. contractor and her husband have been fired after her photograph of 20 flag-draped coffins of U.S. soldiers going home from Iraq was published in violation of military rules.

"I lost my job and they let my husband go as well," Tami Silicio, who loaded U.S. military cargo at Kuwait International Airport for a U.S. company, told Reuters in an e-mail response to questions.

The Pentagon tightly restricts publication of photographs of coffins with the remains of U.S. soldiers and has forbidden journalists from taking pictures at Dover Air Force Base, the first stop for the bodies of U.S. soldiers being sent home.

The military says the policy is in place to protect the privacy of families of those killed, but critics have said the rules are aimed at sanitizing the war for the public.

The Seattle Times printed Silicio's photograph last weekend and again on Thursday. The picture shows soldiers tending to 20 coffins completely covered with American flags on April 7 inside a military cargo plane at the Kuwait airport.

Silicio, who was raised in the Seattle area, was not paid by the newspaper for the picture, which a friend in the United States, Amy Katz, passed on to the newspaper. Katz said she had since found an agent to sell the photograph.

STRICT POLICY

Silicio's former employer, Colorado-based Maytag Aircraft Corp., a subsidiary of Mercury Air Group Inc. "Maytag deeply regrets these actions and fully concurs with the Pentagon's policy of respecting the remains of our brave men and women who have fallen in service to our country," said Maytag President William Silva.

The Pentagon has declined to comment on Silicio's case but spokesman James Turner said the policy of media coverage of war dead has been in effect since 1991.

"The principal focus and purpose of the policy is to protect the wishes and the privacy of the families during their time of greatest loss and grief," he said.

Katz said Silicio, whose own son died from an illness, took the picture to show the "respectful death ritual" for slain soldiers and not to make money or become famous. Other contractors and soldiers had taken similar pictures, she said. Katz said her friend believed she was in Kuwait to "stand in for the parents who can't be here for the living and the fallen."

"Tami Silicio was only pledging allegiance to our flag and to our heroes laying beneath it," she said.

Violence has escalated over the past month in Iraq and the death toll among U.S. soldiers has risen quickly. Since the start of the war in March last year, more than 700 U.S. troops died in Iraq, Pentagon figures show. More than 100 have been killed this month alone.

The Seattle Times stood by its decision to use the photograph. Managing Editor David Boardman said it was unfortunate Silicio was fired but she was aware of the consequences when the picture was published.

"This person is not an anti-war activist," Boardman said. "Her motivation was to share with the American people and families of service people both alive and dead how these bodies are being handled and the honor and respect they are given."

[Fifth Business]

"Her motivation was to share with the American people and families of service people both alive and dead how these bodies are being handled and the honor and respect they are given."

Noble intentions do not excuse the act. She should shut up and learn from her mistake.

[Cultural Jihad]

"Her motivation was to share with the American people and families of service people both alive and dead how these bodies are being handled and the honor and respect they are given."

Even so, there is no news in the fact that Americans honor and respect their war dead.

[RussianConservative]

Maybe picture of flag drapped coffins of dead soldiers bad for PR in year of upcoming elections?

[Camerican]

As much as I support the action in Iraq, I do believe that the restriction on photos/filming of coffins is an attempt by the White House and Pentagon to sanitize the war. There is no privacy issue with flag draped coffins if they don't bear soliders' names. I think it's insulting that the public is expected to be this stupid and accept that kind of an argument.

[RussianConservative]

From what i read of US news, it would seem the public does accept with little question on tactics or ifs and whys. Whether one believes war should have happened or not, is one thing, but US there and to leave now is to leave new Islamo state (should have figured on that ahead of invasion). But to be verbotan to question tactics on ground and see image of dead soldiers, that is of sound of what Soviets did in Afghanistan....everyone knew war was fought but only "victory" pictures allowed. Dead quietly return and bury so no one see them.

[sheltonmac]

That line about respecting the privacy of families is B.S. Since when can we tell who's in a particular coffin based on any of the pictures we have seen so far?

It's ironic really. We can look at all the pictures we want of concentration camp victims stacked in heaps or people leaping from the World Trade Center, but God forbid we see the flag-draped coffin of a U.S. soldier.

It's nice to know this war has been sanitized for our protection.

[hermgem]

Every business owner or corporation has the absolute right to prohibit and enforce violations of photagraphy on company premises.

[sheltonmac]

Every business owner or corporation has the absolute right to prohibit and enforce violations of photagraphy on company premises.

I would agree 100%. I just think the Pentagon's policy is ridiculous, if not unconstitutional.

[wrathof59]

The flip side should also be considered, i.e. the liberal media, among others" would start taking these photos and plastering them to stories political in nature, thus reducing the honor of the "fallen soldier" to smack politcal attacks. They would fall into the quicksand of propaganda, and would no longer be held with the respectwhich should be duky accorded to those who paid the supreme sacrifice.

On a personal note, my step son is in the Army in the middle-east right now, if he should become a casualty of war, the last place I would want to see the photo of his casket (or any one else's son or daughter for that matter) splattered on the front page of The Nation as a prop against the sitting President. IMHO

[madison10]

Every business owner or corporation has the absolute right to prohibit and enforce violations of photagraphy on company premises.

Remember, Americans are not the only ones who would see the photos of our military dead. Can you see the benefit that such photos would have in the hands of Al-Jazeera? It is not worth the dishonor to those who have sacrificed for our country just so we can check the honesty of the Pentagon.

[Columbine]

It's ironic really. We can look at all the pictures we want of concentration camp victims stacked in heaps or people leaping from the World Trade Center, but God forbid we see the flag-draped coffin of a U.S. soldier.

No, we do not see these pictures. The networks decided to protect us by not showing photos of people leaping from the WTC.

After all, they don't want to shake the American public out of their lethargy.

[shiva]

A U.S. contractor and her husband have been fired after her photograph of 20 flag-draped coffins of U.S. soldiers going home from Iraq was published in violation of military rules

I'm glad they fired the b*tch!

[Izzy Dunne]

her photograph of 20 flag-draped coffins of U.S. soldiers going home from Iraq was published in violation of military rules.

The rules apply to everybody but me.
The rules apply to everybody but me.
The rules apply to everybody but me.
The rules apply to everybody but me.
The rules apply to everybody but me.
The rules apply to everybody but me.
The rules apply to everybody but me.

[Prince Charles]

A U.S. contractor and her husband have been fired after her photograph of 20 flag-draped coffins of U.S. soldiers going home from Iraq was published in violation of military rules.

Liberals and leftists respect no rules.

[Khurkris]

Look for these photos to appear on anti-war protestor signs this weekend.

[Pagey]

Silicio, who was raised in the Seattle area, was not paid by the newspaper for the picture, which a friend in the United States, Amy Katz, passed on to the newspaper. Katz said she had since found an agent to sell the photograph.

Well, she could've taken the picture, kept it to herself and not given it to a friend. She knew what she was doing when she gave it to her,case closed.

[HenryLeeII]

I think her motivation was probably a little more of the green variety. We all know the military handles its dead with honor and respect, and she's not claiming to have done this as an anti-war or anti-Bush statement, so that leaves the lowest common denominator...

[HenryLeeII]

If Clinton were in office, we all know he would be laughing his way into every military funeral he could fit into his schedule as long as it meant face-time on television and a chance at a fake tear and a little "I feel your pain" statement, totally ruining the solemnity and privacy of the event for the families.

President Bush has visited many of the wounded, but has chosen not to publicize it for the matter of privacy and not using our honored soldiers as TV props. He has chosen to not attend funerals so as not to interrupt the families with his security entourage and the gawking media.

What makes you think the ban on showing the coffins is any different? We know the death counts in Iraq. We know Marines and soldiers have been killed and wounded. Why do we need this?

[HenryLeeII]

You're exactly right! The media has no sense of shame or principles, and would simply use the pictures for Bush-bashing propaganda. And God bless your stepson who is serving - may he return safely when his tour is over!