Funeral Detail - 9 September 2006 Second Funeral

Published on September 13, 2006 By chiprj In Blogging

The second funeral on Saturday was a two man detail. I guess I should call it a two person funeral since it was the firing team leader that came to assist me on that one and she is not a man. HAHA! The second service was being run by the same funeral home as the first funeral that day. There was just enough time between turning in the weapons from the first service and getting out to the chapel that I was able to grab a quick snack on the way.

I got there before the firing team leader and had planned to sit in my car and enjoy the A/C for a few minutes but just as I pulled up, I saw an Army officer walk in to the chapel. So, I headed in to see if he was involved with the ceremony and in what capacity. The man from the funeral home that was at the first funeral was talking to the officer when I walked in and he introduced us. The officer was a Chaplain and he would be conducting the service. He told me that this was a memorial service and that the body had already been buried, so he didn't expect a lot of people.

The firing team leader, now bugler, arrived and we placed the bugle next to the organ at the back of the chapel. The next of kin, a niece, arrived shortly after and I was introduced by the Chaplain.

The service was short with a small group of family and friends. The bugler told me that she felt sad that there were so few people in attendance. I explained that there might have been more at the funeral/burial and this was just the people left that wanted to attend or hadn't been able to attend previously. Although, I did have to agree that the idea of empty seats at a funeral, specifically my own, does make me feel a bit sad.

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