Media Witness Return Of War Casualty For First Time In 18 Years

DOVER, Del. — For the first time since an 18-year ban on news coverage of returning war dead was lifted, the media witnessed the arrival Sunday night of a soldier killed overseas.

After receiving permission from family members, the military opened Dover Air Force Base in Delaware to the press. An eight-member team wearing white gloves and camouflage battle fatigues carried the body of 30-year-old Air Force Staff Sgt. Phillip Myers of Hopewell, Va., off a military jet in a solemn ceremony on a cool, clear night.

Myers was killed April 4 near Helmand province, Afghanistan, when he was hit with an improvised explosive device, the Department of Defense said.

The ceremony under the yellowish haze of airport floodlights took about 20 minutes with Myers' wife and other family members in attendance.

Myers was a member of the 48th Civil Engineer Squadron with the Royal Air Force in Lakenheath, England, one of the bases the U.S. Air Force uses in the country. He was awarded a Bronze Star for bravery last year in recognition of his efforts in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, the Department of Defense said.

The new Pentagon policy gives families a choice of whether to admit the press to ceremonies at Dover, home to the nation's largest military mortuary and the entry point to the U.S. for service personnel killed overseas.

Critics of the previous policy had said the government was trying to hide the human cost of war.

President Barack Obama had asked for a review of the ban, and Defense Secretary Robert Gates has said that the blanket restriction made him uncomfortable. The administration will let families decide whether to allow photographs.

For example, if several caskets arrive on the same flight, news coverage will be allowed only for those whose families have given permission.

The ban was put in place by President George H.W. Bush in 1991, at the time of the Persian Gulf War. From the start, it was cast as a way to shield grieving families.

There have been several exceptions since then, most notably in 1996 when President Bill Clinton attended the arrival of the remains of Commerce Secretary Ron Brown and 32 others killed in a plane crash in Croatia. In 2000, the Pentagon distributed photographs of the arrival of remains of those killed in the bombing of the USS Cole and in 2001, the Air Force distributed a photograph of the remains of a victim of the Sept. 11 attack on the Pentagon.

One objection to lifting the ban had been that if the media were present, some families might feel obligated to come to Dover for the brief, solemn ritual in which honor guards carry the caskets off a plane. Few families now choose to attend, in part because doing so means leaving home and the support system of friends at a difficult time. The sudden trip can also be expensive and logistically difficult to arrange.

Comments

[sysmgr1345]

Why would we ever allow our leadership to manipulate our perception of sacrifice? You can't take the cost out of the budget, you can't fail to show the loss of life. We only want to be in a war that absolutely is necessary to protect our country. Our only guarantee is for our elected leaders to know they can't hide or manipulate us in that sacrifice.

[whosyourdaddy]

"Us"?

Tell me about your sacrifice sport.

[darleneslee]

I gave a father is that good enough?

[Eoin45]

YOU tell us about yours first sport. Bet you're another chickenhawk.

[dengal]

so unless youve had a personal loss your opinion doesnt matter?
it is "US" sporto
our country
our children
our fathers and mothers
our friends
our neighbors
our loss

it is indeed a collective us.

[jazabelz]

the vast majority of us pay taxes which have funded this unjust war and the loss of over 4,000 innocent Americans, not to mention the loss of women and children in Iraq and Afghanistan. Us is very appropriate. None of "us" are exempt from the losses that result from war, whether based on truth or lies. Every single one of "us" needs to see the true casualties of war.

[hjfraser2002]

Two good friends first time around.

[jdw1981]

As much as I HATE Obama's economic policies, he deserves praise for allowing Americans to see the real results of war.

[logic63]

Thanks for an objective remark from someone who disagrees with him. We don't see that very often.

[hjfraser2002]

Thankyou for that open mindedness.

[Shaddup]

This is as it should be and God bless all these men, women and their families. The shame is that we couldn't acknowledge them publicly for eighteen years.

[Roguewolf]

This is a good policy as long as the next of kin decide. I hope the media doesn't make a mockery of this. Watch Taking Chance if you want an idea of the dignity our brave men and women in uniform deserve.

[greatlardini]

As much as they don't deserve our confidence, I do not see the media making a mockery of this. I would like to think that they are above that.

[RainbowPhoenix]

The families should have always had this choice. That it was even removed in the first place is disgraceful.
It's true that Bush jr. didn't create this policy, but he is responsible for continuing it. So is Clinton for that matter, but he at least he has the excuse of having to get rid of it in the face of a congress controlled by the opposing party. Bush just hid behind it like the coward he is. Hiding what is really happening to our countrymen was the only way he could keep the majority from seeing what was happening and putting a stop to this.

[whosyourdaddy]

LOL!
Those families fighting the war, are perfectly aware of it. As have you been. The question here is, if you objected to it so much, how about filling us in on what you did about it when your congressman voted to fund it.
How about you cut and paste one of the many letters you wrote your congressman.
Thanks in advance.

[RainbowPhoenix]

Congressmen generally don't pay attention to people in their districts who are not of voting age, which I only reached two years ago. By the way, what about the people who neither pay attention, or have someone close to them involved in this? Far too many people simply ignore everthing that's not right in front of them. They are the one's the ban was created for.

[tonewheel]

Voted to fund it?

[qdog112]

Ludicrous! Are saying that if you never wrote your congressman that you can't be against that policy?

That makes no sense.

[jazabelz]

I along with many others were adamantly against this war from the beginning, wrote letters to my congressional representives and spoke opening about our opposition. In most cases I was told I was unpatriotic and un-American by friends, co-workers, family and our government. Don't be so smug and assume that we all sat idly by and condoned this mess. I realized from the minute 9/11 happened we would be going back into Iraq -- not because they were involved, but it was a good excuse for Bush Jr. to make up for his father's failure as well as feed the military machine and Bush/Cheney cronies like Haliburton!

[Budokan]

There is no reason for us to be ashamed of these brave men and women .Like the Republikans so obviously were....

http://www.beneath-ceaseless-skies.com/story.php?s=27

[BMLT]

Welcome HOME! THANK YOU for your service!

[PatA]

The Austin Statesman generally relegates the death of a soldier to the 3rd or 4th page now. I've watched the reports going from front page on back. If it is a local soldier, we do see more coverage.

I, for one, honor the soldier when I see the casket. I stop for a moment and pray for them and their family
and friends.

[greatlardini]

Me, too. I also try to thank anybody I see in uniform--we have a National Guard Unit based in our town, and wish them the best for them and their families.

[OneAngryDwarf]

I love how the ownership society and the Republicasn don't want people making their own decisions about the viewing of their lost soldiers. If they keep this up I might start to think that they are being hypocritical.

[Roguewolf]

The policy was in force throughout the Clinton administration.

[OneAngryDwarf]

What does that have to do with the ideological inconsistency that I was pointing out?

[qdog112]

And?

[jazabelz]

True, but we weren't at war during Clinton's administrations. Big difference in many ways.

[takeyourballandgohome]

I SAW Bill Clinton waiting in a hangar at Dover, with families, .... it was tough, but he was there. You no doubt know your facts, but I'm not sure what you speak of. I KNOW I SAW IT! I WAS THERE!!!!

[hjfraser2002]

Still doesn't make it right. Falling back on Clinton is pathetic. BU, Bu but Clinton did it. SAD.

[dengal]

is this an example of smaller govt? if so, why are the repubs on here whining? its within their values...

[LDnearthesea]

George W. Bush, the ex-Decider, the man who told Tim Russert that he could have volunteered to go to Vietnam, didn't want America to see what his horrendous decision caused!

[Nova16]

War and the dead that result from the horrors of it are amatter of foreign policy of the total nation and need the full attention of all facets of the american people --media, the general public and the government that sends the brave off to die for whatever reasons--fraudulent or legitimate. i do not consider this war to be fought in a vacuum even though attempts were made by the Bush administration to cover up its costs in lives and treasure. This war based on lies, deceit and chicanery will live as the biggest foreign policy blunder in our history and needs the total light of day to reveal its cause and effect in order that this nation always remember and never forget how we got into the mess and why we can't get out of it.

[MathIsTruth]

Wars are political acts, especially wars of aggression like the current Iraq war.

Americans deserve to know what they're spending in lives, blood and treasure. We deserve honest information from our government as to why we're spending it, and what we're getting for it.

Of course it's painful for everyone to see the caskets of our children. But what could be worse than blinding our eyes so that we can pretend those caskets don't exist?

If we force our children to suffer the pain of death, what could be worse cowardice than to refuse to bear the pain of their loss?

[EmmanuelTheTalkingHorse]

I agree with everything you say. And I agree that Math is truth.

[jadeh]

My boyfriend, SSG Steve Butcher Jr, was killed in action in Iraq on 05/23/07. He was 27 and on his third tour when he was killed.
I want the media to have access to the images of the returning soldiers' flag-draped caskets, if the family chooses to grant it. When I've been at Arlington Cemetery at Steve's grave, I have had photographers ask if they could take my picture and have information about both of us.
Being at his grave is an extremely raw and emotional experience, but I always say yes.
I want someone who isn't faced with this war (and its aftermath) every single day to have an image and a name and a real, live, grieving person in their mind for some part of their day. I want people to really care. I want this to be as real to other people as it is to me and others who have lost a soldier.
Thank you, Myers family, for sharing your soldier with us.

[JonShank]

Beautifully stated, jadeh.

[dengal]

sorry for your loss jadeh....
Thanks for your thoughts. I think we are too removed and your sharing connects us.

[MochasMom]

Thank you, Jadeh. I'm so sorry for your loss.

[ToL1]

amistad

yo mamma.

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Is this the level of discourse we have sunk to, amistad? {{SMH}}