Letter from an airline pilot

Letter from an airline pilot:
He writes: My lead flight attendant came to me and said, "We have an
H.R. On this flight." (H.R. Stands for human remains.) "Are they
military?" I asked.

'Yes', she said.

'Is there an escort?' I asked.

'Yes, I already assigned him a seat'.

'Would you please tell him to come to the flight deck. You can board
him early," I said..

A short while later, a young army sergeant entered the flight deck. He
was the image of the perfectly dressed soldier. He introduced himself
and I asked him about his soldier. The escorts of these fallen soldiers
talk about them as if they are still alive and still with us.

'My soldier is on his way back to Virginia ,' he said. He proceeded to
answer my questions, but offered no words.

I asked him if there was anything I could do for him and he said no. I
told him that he had the toughest job in the military and that I
appreciated the work that he does for the families of our fallen
soldiers. The first officer and I got up out of our seats to shake his
hand. He left the flight deck to find his seat.

We completed our pre-flight checks, pushed back and performed an
uneventful departure. About 30 minutes into our flight I received a
call from the lead flight attendant in the cabin. 'I just found out the
family of the soldier we are carrying, is on board', she said. She then
proceeded to tell me that the father, mother, wife and 2-year old
daughter were escorting their son, husband, and father home. The family
was upset because they were unable to see the container that the
soldier was in before we left. We were on our way to a major hub at
which the family was going to wait four hours for the connecting flight
home to Virginia .

The father of the soldier told the flight attendant that knowing his
son was below him in the cargo compartment and being unable to see him
was too much for him and the family to bear. He had asked the flight
attendant if there was anything that could be done to allow them to see
him upon our arrival. The family wanted to be outside by the cargo door
to watch the soldier being taken off the airplane. I could hear the
desperation in the flight attendants voice when she asked me if there
was anything I could do. 'I'm on it', I said. I told her that I would
get back to her.

Airborne communication with my company normally occurs in the form of
e-mail like messages. I decided to bypass this system and contact my
flight dispatcher directly on a Secondary radio.
There is a radio operator in the operations control
center who connects you to the telephone of the dispatcher. I was in
direct contact with the dispatcher. I explained the situation I had on
board with the family and what it was the family wanted. He said he
understood and that he would get back to me.

Two hours went by and I had not heard from the dispatcher. We were
going to get busy soon and I needed to know what to tell the family. I
sent a text message asking for an update. I Saved
the return message from the dispatcher and the following is the text:

'Captain, sorry it has taken so long to get back to you. There is
policy on this now and I had to check on a few things. Upon your
arrival a dedicated escort team will meet the aircraft.
The team will escort the family to the ramp and plane side. A van will
be used to load the remains with a secondary van for the family. The
family will be taken to their departure area and escorted into the
terminal where the remains can be seen on the ramp. It is a private
area for the family only. When the connecting aircraft arrives, the
family will be escorted onto the ramp and plane side to watch the
remains being loaded for the final leg home. Captain, most of us here
in flight control are veterans.. Please pass our condolences on to the
family. Thanks.'

I sent a message back telling flight control thanks for a good job. I
printed out the message and gave it to the lead flight attendant to
pass on to the father. The lead flight attendant was very thankful and
told me, 'You have no idea how much this will mean to them.'

Things started getting busy for the descent, approach and landing.
After landing, we cleared the runway and taxied to the ramp area. The
ramp is huge with 15 gates on either side of the alleyway. It is always
a busy area with aircraft maneuvering every which way to enter and
exit. When we entered the ramp and checked in with the ramp controller,
we were told that all traffic was being held for us.

'There is a team in place to meet the aircraft', we were told. It
looked like it was all coming together, then I realized that once we
turned the seat belt sign off, everyone would stand up at once and
delay the family from getting off the airplane. As we approached our
gate, I asked the co-pilot to tell the ramp controller we were going to
stop short of the gate to make an announcement to the passengers.
He did that and the ramp controller said, 'Take your time.'

I stopped the aircraft and set the parking brake. I pushed the public
address button and said, 'Ladies and gentleman, this is your Captain
speaking I have stopped short of our gate to make a special
announcement. We have a passenger on board who deserves our honor and
respect. His Name is Private XXXXXX, a soldier who recently lost his
life. Private XXXXXX is under your feet in the cargo hold. Escorting
him today is Army Sergeant XXXXXXX. Also, on board are his father,
mother, wife, and daughter. Your entire flight crew is asking for all
passengers to remain in their seats to allow the family to exit the
aircraft first. Thank you.'

We continued the turn to the gate, came to a stop and started our
shutdown procedures. A couple of minutes later I opened the cockpit
door. I found the two forward flight attendants crying, something you
just do not see. I was told that after we came to a stop, every
passenger on the aircraft stayed in their seats, waiting for the family
to exit the aircraft.

When the family got up and gathered their things, a passenger slowly
started to clap his hands. Moments later more passengers joined in and
soon the entire aircraft was clapping.

Words of 'God Bless You', I'm sorry, thank you, be proud, and
other kind words were uttered to the family as they made their way down
the aisle and out of the airplane.

They were escorted down to the ramp to finally be with their loved one.

Many of the passengers disembarking thanked me for the announcement I
had made. They were just words, I told them, I could say them over and
over again, but nothing I say will bring back that brave soldier.

I respectfully ask that all of you reflect on this event and the
sacrifices that millions of our men and women have made to ensure our
freedom and safety in these United States of AMERICA

Foot note:

I know everyone who has served their country who reads this will have
tears in their eyes, including me.

They die for me and mine and you and yours and deserve our honor and
respect.

Please
say a prayer for our troops...

'Lord, hold our troops in your loving hands. Protect them as they
protect us..bless them and their families for the selfless acts they
perform for us in our time of need.. In Jesus Name, Amen.'