Soldiers learn to render final respects
to fallen Soldiers

Sgt. Alexander Burnett

11th ADA Bde. Public Affairs

The loss of a Soldier is never easy to bear for friends, family and comrades. The funeral for servicemembers is a matter of grave importance and discipline for Soldiers involved, so much that it requires official certification.

Soldiers from the 11th Air Defense Artillery Brigade certified for military funeral service in front of Bldg. 2476 Feb. 25.

Eight teams certified: four seven-man teams and four two-man teams. Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 43rd ADA, and 5th Bn., 52nd ADA formed one two-man and one seven-man team, respectively; and Headquarters and Headquar-ters Battery, 11th ADA Bde., made up the other four teams.

All certifying Soldiers conducted intensive training for this certification. The seven-man teams are responsible for being pallbearers and the funeral firing squad. They trained on facing movements, drill and ceremony, rendering the appropriate honors, uniformity, firing a three-round volley in unison and folding the colors, said Spc. J.R. Cox, an all-wheel vehicle mechanic with HHB, 11th ADA Bde.

“All the things we trained on are things most of us learned early in our military careers, doing it decisively, deliberately and disciplined was where we needed practice,” said Cox. “When giving respect to a fallen Soldier, every movement has to be in unison and it has to be perfect.”

The two-man teams were responsible for presenting the folded colors to the spouse or family member of the fallen Soldier and thanking them, said Cox.

The certification consisted of a complete funeral rehearsal featuring one seven-man team and one two-man team.

 Soldiers must render honors to the fallen Soldier as the casket passes, properly remove the casket from the vehicle, march and carry the casket to the display stand, fold the colors, present the colors, thank the family and fire the three-round volley to certify.

Each step must be performed perfectly and each team is graded as a whole, said Sgt. Maj. James Lewis, the brigade operations sergeant major.

All teams certified that day. They began funeral detail Monday and will conduct this duty for three months.

“I find this is a great honor, to give a fallen comrade or retiree the respect they earned while serving the United States Army,” said Cox.