Posted on 05/25/2009 8:18:33 AM PDT by STARWISE
Heather Golczynski and her 8-year-old son Christian hold tightly to the memory of Marine Staff Sgt. Marc Golczynski.
Choking back tears, Christian Golczynski accepted the flag from his father's casket.
Photographer Aaron Thompson described this moment as "the most emotionally moving event I may have ever witnessed and may ever witness in my life."
*snip*
Just days before he left for his second tour, Marc sent a letter to his family that would be his epitaph.
"Due to our deep desire to finish the job we started, we fight and sometimes die so that our families don't have to. Stand beside us because we would do it for you. Because it is our unity that's enabled us to prosper the nation," Marc wrote.
(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...
My husband said he stopped when he was driving by and gave Ray a few bucks to help pay for paint. We try to donate each year. We’re so proud of Ray.
“Me too. The contrast is stark.”
You forgot one (or already summed it up with the rest?), Golczynski was a real man...
Now that one. . .
Just dam. . .
These men and women have sons, and we’ll see a new generation rise up soon enough. All is not lost, but I believe is getting rare.
God bless this little one, and keep his heart.
Whoa! I had no idea he’d lived around here either, Brian!
Like HiJinx, I pray that Christian and his Mom are recovering from their loss.
I have yet to see that picture without shedding a tear. That tear isn’t just for Marc and his family who misses him greatly, but for all of our military Fallen and their families.
All gave some; some gave all. God bless all of them.
Do you know what they say when they hand over the flag? My Dad was a WWII vet and they said something to my Mom when they handed the flag to her at his funeral. I’ve never had the heart to ask her.
This or a version of this is said.
“As a representative of the United States Army, it is my high privilege to present you this flag. Let it be a symbol of the grateful appreciation this nation feels for the distinguished service rendered to our country and our flag by your loved one.”
Awww geez monitor all blurry...
Thank you. Don’t know what else to say right now.
bump!
That’s gotta be rough duty, to be the one who hands over the flag.
I am not sure I understand this picutre.
Is she keeping vigil
With a computer?
This was traditionally the concept of the flag folding. Like so many traditions, it became controversial, the reading and/or mention of the tradition was abolished.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“WHY THE AMERICAN FLAG IS FOLDED 13 TIMES”
Have you ever wondered why the Flag of the United
States of America is folded 13 times when it is
lowered or when it is folded and handed to the
next of kin at the burial of a veteran?
Here is the meaning of each of those folds and what it means:
The first fold of our Flag is a symbol of life.
The second fold is a symbol of our belief in eternal life.
The third fold is made in honor and remembrance of the
veterans departing our ranks who gave a portion of
their lives for the defense of our
country to attain peace throughout the world.
The fourth fold represents our weaker nature, for as
American citizens trusting, it is to Him we turn in
times of peace as well as in time of war for His
divine guidance.
The fifth fold is a tribute to our country, for in the
words of Stephen Decatur, “Our Country, in dealing
with other countries may she always be right; but it
is still our country, right or wrong.”
The sixth fold is for where our hearts lie. It is
with our heart that we pledge allegiance to the Flag
of the United States of America, and to the
Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God,
indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
The seventh fold is a tribute to our Armed Forces, for
it is through the Armed Forces that we protect our
country and our flag against all her enemies, whether
they be found within or without the boundaries of our
Republic.
The eighth fold is a tribute to the one who entered
into the valley of the shadow of death, that we might
see the light of day, and to honor mother, for whom it
flies on Mother’s Day.
The ninth fold is a tribute to womanhood; for it has
been through their faith, their love, loyalty and
devotion that the character of the men and women who
have made this country great has been molded.
The tenth fold is a tribute to the father, for he,
too, has given his sons and daughters for the defense
of our country since they were first born.
The eleventh fold, in the eyes of a Hebrew citizen
represents the lower portion of the seal of King David
and King Solomon, and glorifies in their eyes, the God
of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
The twelfth fold, in the eyes of a Christian citizen,
represents an emblem of eternity and glorifies, in
their eyes, God the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit.
When the Flag is completely folded, the stars are
uppermost reminding us of our Nation’s motto, “In God
We Trust.” After the Flag is completely folded and
tucked in, it takes on the appearance of a cocked hat,
ever reminding us of the soldiers who served under
General George Washington, and the Sailors and Marines
who served under Captain John Paul Jones, who were
followed by their comrades and shipmates in the Armed
Forces of the United States, preserving for us the
rights, privileges, and freedoms we enjoy today
~~~~~~~
Furor After Ceremonial Flag-Folding Readings Pulled From Military Funerals
Tuesday , October 30, 2007
A group of congressmen has asked the Department of Veterans Affairs to retain the tradition of reciting the significance of each fold in the flag-folding ceremony at military funerals.
“The flag folding recitation is a longstanding tradition which brings comfort to the living and honor to the deceased,” Rep. Heath Shuler, D-N.C., writes in his letter Tuesday signed by 11 other congressmen. “The recitations accompanying each fold pay tribute to the service and sacrifice of our veterans and their families, the nation they proudly serve, and the beliefs that they hold dear.”
Veterans Affairs has a policy that allows for a full military funeral, which includes the playing of taps and the folding of the flag in respectful silence. Upon request, family can have honor guard read special recitations, which include religious symbolism.
A complaint was filed to the White House after one of those recitations was read incorrectly. Steve L. Muro, the director of the National Cemetery Administration’s field programs office, ordered cemetery directors to stop the readings.
Click here to read the memo (pdf).
“There are no federal laws related to the flag that assign any special meaning to the individual folds of the flag,” Muro wrote in a memo obtained by FOXNews.com.
“The National Cemetery Administration must not give meaning, or appear to give meaning to the folds of the flag by endorsing or distributing any handouts on ‘The Meaning of Each Fold of an Honor Guard Funeral Flag.”
The stopping of the recitations has caused a furor among veterans. Members of the American Legion have been flooding national headquarters since the decision, according to Ramona Joyce, an organization spokeswoman.
“To me, it’s a slap in the face for every veteran, every member of the Memorial Honor Detail and every family of the deceased veteran,” said Rees Lloyd, a member of the American Legion’s Memorial Honor Detail for services at Riverside National Cemetery in California.
At issue are secondary meanings attached to the folding of the flag. As the honor guard makes the 13 folds — traditionally representing the original colonies — they recite “the first fold of our flag is a symbol of life, the second fold is a symbol of our belief in the eternal life, etc.”
A complaint about the recitation for the 11th fold — “in the eyes of a Hebrew citizen, represents the lower portion of the seal of King David and King Solomon, and glorifies, in their eyes, the God of Abraham, Issac and Jacob” — garnered a complaint and prompted the ban.
The Sept. 27 ban was an effort to create uniform services throughout the military graveyard system, spokesman Mike Nacincik said, adding the 13-fold recital is not part of the U.S. Flag Code and is not government-approved.
“We definitely think it is a matter left up to the families,” Joyce said. “It’s a nice ceremony; we’ve been doing it for years. Our honor guards have been doing it,” she said.
“It’s respectful and it’s something the family should be able to choose to have done if they so wish for their veteran,” Joyce continued.
Lloyd thinks it’s a matter of political correctness gone wild.
“The entirety of this issue is an absurdity that shows political correctness and secular cleansing run amok,” Lloyd said. “This is about families of deceased veterans putting to rest their loved ones. No one should interfere with their choices.”
The 12th fold recitation is geared to Christians, saying the fold “represents an emblem of eternity and glorifies, in their eyes, God the Father, the Son and Holy Ghost.”
In the Legion’s burning ceremony for the dignified disposal of unserviceable flags, a chaplain invokes the name of God with lines like “as they yield their substance to the fire, may your holy light spread over us and bring our hearts renewed devotion to God and country,” Joyce said.
“When we got back from the war, we didn’t ask for a whole lot,” said Bobby Castillo, 85, a World War II Navy veteran. “We just want to give our veterans the respect they deserve. No one has ever complained to us about it. I just don’t understand.”
Lloyd and Castillo are part of a 16-member detail that have performed military honors at more than 1,400 services. They were preparing to read the flag-folding remarks at the Riverside cemetery when graveyard staff stopped them.
Charlie Waters, parliamentarian for the American Legion of California, said he’s advising memorial honor details to ignore the edict.
“This is nuts,” Waters told the Press-Enterprise by telephone from Fresno. “There are 26 million veterans in this country and they’re not going to take us all to prison.”
Nacincik said that while the flag-folding narrative includes references to God that the government does not endorse, the main reason for the new rules is uniformity.
“We are looking at consistency,” Nacincik said. “We think that’s important.”
Rabbi Yitzhak Miller of Temple Beth El said he understands the ban.
“It is a perfect example of government choosing to ignore religion in order to avoid offending some religions,” Miller said. “To me, ignoring religion in general is just as problematic as endorsing any one religion.”
Shuler’s letter urged Veterans Affairs to change its mind.
“Please reconsider the policy and allow the Memorial Honor Detail volunteers to perform the traditional flag-folding recitation if requested by the family of the deceased,” he wrote.
Lloyd said the honor guard would decide whether to defy the ban next Tuesday, when it will serve at more military funerals.
“We are going to abide by the wishes of the families,” Lloyd said. “Not some bureaucrat in Washington, D.C. Period.”
http://www.foxnews.com/printer_friendly_story/0,3566,306186,00.html
~~~~
The flag is folded and is then presented to next of kin,
“As a representative of the United States Army, it is my high privilege to present you this flag. Let it be a symbol of the grateful appreciation this nation feels for the distinguished service rendered to our country and our flag by your loved one.”
(Generally, the flag is given to the next-of-kin as a keepsake after its use during the funeral service. When there is no next-of-kin, the flag is presented to a friend making a request for it).
More good men are stepping up. See tagline.
As I recall she was listening to music she & her husband had enjoyed together, and looking at pictures of him on her computer. The soldier keeping vigil over........the two of them.......through the night before her husband’s funeral considered it an honor.
You’re welcome. I’ve heard this twice, once at my dad’s funeral and the other time at my father-in-law’s funeral.
To be totally honest, I hope never to hear it again.
Makes sense.
My uncle was buried at Arlington 20 years ago. IIRC, the army officer who handed my Aunt the flag said something along the lines of “on behalf of the President and a grateful nation, please accept this flag in in honor of your husband’s service to his country”
It still kills me to hear taps being played.
I gotta get off this thread. I’m bawling like a baby.
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