Remembering Kim

Teagan found a flag at the playground this afternoon.  It was small, missing its stick, and frayed on the edges.  He began to fold the flag with his chubby fingers.  He folded one edge over the other, making little squares as he folded.  Seeing him take such care to fold his miniature flag over and over again brought back memories on this Memorial Day.  

I remembered sitting in a small, stark briefing room with three other Air Force Captains.  We were "escort officers" and we were "escorting" the remains of our friends, our fellow crew members, our squadron-mates who had died in a C-130 crash.  This tradition goes back to the Civil War, where a friend in the unit would bring a fellow soldiers' remains home to their family.  It was a supreme honor to do this.  

I was there for my friend, Kim.  We were pilots together at Dyess AFB, Texas.  As an "escort officer," I learned the protocol of folding the flag and of how to present it at the end of the funeral service.   With precision, you fold it tightly and it ends up in the triangle shape.  It was a long, sad journey to her final resting place at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado.  

My charge was to ensure all the military protocol was followed on her final journey.  At one point I had to insist on being allowed to climb into the cargo belly of a United Airlines plane to render the ceremonial salute...they had loaded her casket without letting me carry out the salute on the tarmac.  I would not let the plane depart until they let me into that cargo belly.  And being in my service dress skirt and heels did not slow me down from scurrying up the baggage loader while the ground personnel debated the legality of it.

I always think about many friends on this day.  Today, I am remembering Kim.