About those WNG viral photos
 

I spent a lot of hours going back and forth with a group of Gold Star Mothers. This is the response to those photos, and her Chain of Command.

http://www.chicagonow.com/uncommon-s...uard-20140218/

Absolutely 100% correct.

First, she chose to participate in those pics, and to post them publicly. No one forced her to.

Jimenez is totally without redemption as a leader, if he knowingly allowed this to occur. I will take his attempted defense of her actions as demonstrated evidence of the same. SGT Jiminez, the maximum range of an excuse is zero meters. Based on your comments, I do not consider you to be leadership material.

The TAG is bound by the UCMJ to investigate and if necessary, punish the individuals under his command who were involved. I hope that the other TAGs with soldiers behaving disrespectfully in these pictures are also investigated and their soldiers held accountable for their totally inappropriate and inexcusable actions. If they do so, then their duty will have been fullfilled.

She should obviously be removed from the detail, along with her fellow pranksters, and frankly, assigned to the most horrible duty possible, under close supervision by a real NCO. And smoked on a regular basis.

This is a total breach of faith with our fallen brothers and sisters.

TR

A very well thought out response thank you for sharing it. The Stars and Stripes article should at the very least be required reading for every individual who serves on a burial detail. Our nations fallen Warriors deserve a lot better than this, I want to believe that this is an isolated incident and not the norm.

Great article/letter. Thanks for sharing. The link to the Stars and Stripes article on the Mortuary Affairs unit provided in the letter had a statement that pretty much summed up the whole situation.

“We know what we do is important,” said Staff Sgt. Charles Ellis, 48, of Brookhaven, Miss., who leads the company’s two teams of mortuary affairs specialists. “We also know that what we do isn’t about us. There’s something wrong if there’s attention on us.”

Thank you for highlighting that statement.
 

As sometimes happens, I do try to be civil when engaging someone whose opinion I find ridiculous. Right now, that is the case with a commentor on the article. Because I could not find a 'nice' way to address it, I wimped out and stepped around it. You've now armed me with the perfect response for the next one. Which, given the mentality of too many is sure to come.

I never served but I'm shocked that anyone would ever show that level of disrespect for the fallen, let alone by someone in uniform. I get gallows humor when dealing with a really shitty situation but there is nothing fun about a funeral, especially a funeral for a young person who left this world far too soon.

It looks like there are two soldiers in the back on the left who appear really uncomfortable with the behavior of their peers. If that's the case I feel for them as they are now tied to this mess.

What's in the water lately. I thought the picture earlier this week of an airman pretending to french kiss the MIA/POW symbol was a new low and now we have this.

It show s the state of affairs of todays leadership. Seeing that the CinC of our armed forces has absolutely NO leadership abilities, that type of behavior and attitude 'trickles' down to the troops.

In short, the monkeys are running the zoo.

You are so right!

Excellent message and thank you very much for sharing your post with all of us here. Thank you also for your son’s service and sacrifice, and all that you continue to do. We as a nation are forever in debt.

Thank you for your son's service and for his and your sacrifice. Thank you for all that you and all the other GS mom's continue to do, and for sharing this great article.
I also agree with CDRODA396 when he quotes the article in Stars and Stripes on the Mortuary Affairs Unit; “We know what we do is important,” said Staff Sgt. Charles Ellis, 48, of Brookhaven, Miss., who leads the company’s two teams of mortuary affairs specialists. “We also know that what we do isn’t about us. There’s something wrong if there’s attention on us.”

Getting a little nervous...
 

Christina Palladino from WISN-Milwaukee, the one who broke the story is on her way to my house to interview me about this. Seems the post went viral.

Right now, I'm wishing for some of the famous "Quiet Professional" mindset...calm, cool and collected under pressure.

Any tips or suggestions? They'll be here in less than an hour :eek:

Be calm. Pause to collect you thoughts after she asks the questions. Be polite. Don't get emotional, unless the situation requires it.

Thank you for your service to our fallen brothers and sisters.:lifter

A british war vet suggested on a british newspaper discussion thread this lot should all be sent over to Afghanistan and posted to a forward operating base as a lesson..not so much on what is humor but rather on having some humility and self respect.

I disagree. Fire the lot with bad conduct discharges. They have no honor.