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Author Topic: How Does Your Nation Honor And Farewell It´s Fallen?  (Read 4356 times)
Rattler
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« on: 12 February 2009, 02:53:57 »
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Here in Spain, with this song that I find most touching for its lyrics (translation by yours truly):

Homenaje A Los Caidos
: "La Muerte No Es El Final" (Death is not the end), lyrics in subtitles in the video: Check our King and Prince (apart from their institutional satus both career officers having served several years) joining in with the forces and the Patrulla Aguila with their gear lowered (the moderator does not know sh** when he calls the colours of the Spanish Flag, for the fallen in service (general: differently to partial forces, there indeed it is colours), it is gear lowered and WHITE)...

----- Translation by Rattler -----

When the pain reaches us,
(the pain) for the lost brother ("companion" in some versions).

When the painful goodbye,
searches for hope in faith.

(Then) we trust (in) Your word,
knowing, without doubt, that You:

- have already returned him to life,
- have already brought him to the light.
(rep)
- have already returned him to life,
- have already brought him to the light.



Here the hommenage for the GC´s killed by ETA 2006:



The funeral (and posthumous rewarding) for the Fallen Parachutists In Lebanon in presence of The Prince (I think for the families it is good to have a prince that embraces you in your pain, or a king or a queen, it gives something that other non monarchy nations cannot reproduce):



I cannot find a way to embed the following one, plz click the URL manually, well worthwile to understand what I mean when I say there are things a Monarchy is much better in than a Republic, especially when thinking about the families: 
Quote





In Spain we dont hide this stuff as they do in the US, this is always *very* public, and it is when I get off from work like many of my companions to co-mourn; Spain was 94% against the Iraq war, but - despite Aznar - 100% with its soldiers - that in the majority of casualities are Equadorian or Columbian - and this holds true for Socialists the same as for Conservatives...

Here a normal news report about coffins coming in from Afghanistan

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKcsB-NTWSs (Embedding disabled, limit reached)

Our youth also has contributions in this sense, plenty of hommenage vids out there, though they are of cause not in any way official, here some respects for the Fallen In Afghanistan:

This one starts out in Rock for starters, then in the middle changes to the traditional tune, I took the liberty to make a part of the lyrics the end of this message, it gives faces to the numbers, watch to the end, our youth has faith despite what some pessimists say!...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mF-Qrh_RUmQ (Embedding disabled, limit reached)

A nice one with the pictures and the soft music:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUYpeHmuKSk (Embedding disabled, limit reached)

And then, there are the old (falange) and young (skins) fascists that want to "clean" the nation of Equadorian, Columbians or else, and have their own form of "honoring" the fallen (I am sure 92% of them would turn in their grave if they knew). NOTE that those two vids were posted as a "Hommage to the Fallen"?!

They do not understand that those soldiers in last consequence stood for their right as falange/skins to utter those embarrasing barbarities, always ending *true* Spanish History at ´45 and a shame for constitutional patriots; IQ at room temperature (and no translation provided by yours truly  Kwaad)...:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7Qbd7kFF2E (Embedding disabled, limit reached)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUVBBlmpSvw (Embedding disabled, limit reached)

Rattler

"El mayor crimen es preferir la vida al honor y por ello perder la razón de vivir"
("The biggest crime is to prefer life to honour and so lose the reason for living")

------------------------------

"No quisieron servir a otra Bandera, no quisieron andar otro camino, no supieron morir de otra manera." D.E.P

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhScM0HVP-g (Embedding disabled, limit reached)

EDIT: Added some more details, re-arranged paragraphs
« Last Edit: 12 February 2009, 09:27:13 by Rattler, Reason: Capitalized the \"You\"s to make clear that God is meant » Logged

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Rattler
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« Reply #1 on: 19 February 2009, 01:13:56 »
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Is there an inconcious taboo concernd with this thread? Nobody answering though we have so many nations collected here and it seems a - at least from my POV  - serious question?

How is it done in the Netherlands, Belgium, the Us and UK? Germans (today or WWII)?

Come on guys, those soldiers out there are taking it on for you and you do not even know how they are honored when falling!?

Just curious why this thread is not advancing, I think this is one of the most basic feelings to share when with your troops, and the people that are obliged to do what their politicians (representing *you*) ask them, the minimum IMHO is to put yourself in their shoes, even if you are not content with the cause or the way they perform, they still are doing it *for you* (and it might well be they did not like it either, but performed as asked by higher in their work and trained for)?

Maybe this silence explains why the wife of a comrade of mine (Tornado sortie Kosovo) who fell to an accident on RTB (no EMY involvement), 3 month later got confronted (this is no joke!) with a bill of around 25 Eurocents = 0,25 Euros - these still were Deutschmark times so it was 0.50 DM - for the last coffe he had taken in canteen but not had paid...

IMHO a shame for the system - and a question to ourselves as (ex) soldiers -, how could nobody in the chain this bill had passed risk his career to throw such a bill to where it belonged, to the "File: Paper Basket" w/o thinking twice in rememberance, sad sign of the times and it looks this apathy is a general thingy (same thing, a stalled thread, here: http://www.military-quotes.com/forum/policy-change-possible-photos-flag-t71976.html ...

Rattler
« Last Edit: 19 February 2009, 12:08:30 by Rattler, Reason: Mainly typos, also added the conversion to DM » Logged

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« Reply #2 on: 19 February 2009, 03:13:19 »
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I had not seen this thread until you bumped it. When I did see it, I was moved by the depth of feeling in your post. Unfortunately, many of my countrymen have chosen to look the other way, when it comes to those who have served & sacrificed for them. The fact that there is even a question of viewing the fallen, tells a tale all of its own. Nevermind the serious problems experienced by those who still suffer from their wounds, in the inadequate care and concern by the very organization tasked with their recovery & rehabilitation, the Dept of Veterans Affairs. Now before someone lights off their flamethrower in defense of the VA, thinking I dont know what I am talking about, read my story.
As a veteran of Vietnam, my country recognizes that I was exposed to Agent Orange during my tour. They also recognize that there are health issues involved with that exposure. They therefore, accept without question, a veteran's claim for compensation when these health issues arise. Yet even with this premise in hand, when I filed my claim, after a nine month wait, they rejected my claim, saying they could find no diagnosis in my records to validate the claim. Upon looking further into their justification, we found they had only looked for the diagnosis up to Dec of  2006. I had been diagnosed in Apr of 2007, in a VA Hospital, and filed my claim the following month (May 2007). So I appealed their first ruling, giving them the date, the doctor and the VA Hospital that I had been examined in. After another 9 months, they finally recognized my claim as valid and apologized  for the mistake. If I was an exception, it would be one thing. However, my experience is not an exception, but in fact more common than one would think.
I fear the value of a vet is quite low in my country. Yes, there are many like myself, who hold their 'Brother Vets' in high esteem, unfortunately many of my countrymen dont.  It is not easy for me to speak on this subject, as I find it disturbing, but your second impassioned post, inspired me to speak out.

ays,

Jody
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Rattler
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« Reply #3 on: 19 February 2009, 13:08:18 »
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Glad you spoke up, Jody!

Without wanting to come over as condescendant, this is what happens to vets all around the globe:

- In Spain, our fallen to road side bombs in Lebanon or A´stan are only condecorated with the "Yellow" distinctive on their "Military Honor Medal" instead of "Red" (latter would be for having "fallen in combat", yellow is for having fallen "performing civil duties") which means only 30% pension to the widows (this is as Spain is officially and hence legally on a "Humanitarian Aid Mission" down there)

- A widow/er of a soldier that fell in one of the external missions (Spain: Currently A´stan, Kosovo, Lebanon and Somalia) has 48 (!) hours after the death of her husband/his wife has been communicated to her/him to clear military housing (if that was provided), on her/his own cost and w/o an alternative offered by the system. A shame in my eyes.

- AFAIK the same holds true for US and Germany (though not sure about the time frame there)

- Agent Orange in ´Nam is Depleted Uranium in the first Gulf war (http://209.85.229.132/search?q=cache:y8kcu-cwK8sJ:www.pdhealth.mil/downloads/Env_Health%2520Effects_DU.pdf+a+10+depleted+uranium+cases&hl=es&ct=clnk&cd=4) and PTSD in todays campaigns, all states refuse to take responsibility...

You find that disgraceful? Well, get your *a--* into motion and write about that to your political representative, put up pressure, make them change things!

OTOH, the Spanish really are with their guys (no hiding of coffins here), go to the celebrations and applaud, something I really find valuable.

While I only have become Spanish recently (though having lived here since ´83) I have not served for this country that I chose to be mine (and at my age probably wont ever), but I can at least try and communicate mine and my friends views about such issues.

Let me add that the majority of my friends are rather leftist, anti-monarchy and anti-military, but: They still accompany me when we have fallen here in Mallorca and share the feelings that I express, well aware that there are people out there defending their form of life and their right to be against the idea in general.

The way to go.

Check these:

This one is for our last fallen soldiers, in NOV 2008, published by a *leftist* group, just to stress what I said above (very emotional pics): "Lo demandó el honor y obedecieron, lo requirió el deber y lo acataron" ("Honor demanded it and they obeyed, the "must" asked it and they fulfilled...") bad translation, but there are no words for it in English AFAIK)



This one is an official funeral and while the majority of the spectators are probably old falangists, there are also many "normal" ppl honoring in person the "caidos" (fallen), in this case the victims of the February 24 bomb attack... Very emotional to watch to the end when the spectators applaud.



And to - once more - give faces to the numbers: This one done by the troops themselves for their comrades "Caballero Legionario Paracaidista" Burgos and Mera with a superb song (Parachutists: La Brigada de Infantería Ligera Paracaidista "Almogávares VI" o BRIPAC):

"Este es el homenaje de vuestros compañeros de la trua. Nunca os olvidaremos. CLP Burgos y CLP Mera siempre presentes. D:E:P" (This is the hommage of your comrades of "la trua". We will never forget you... CLP Burgos and CLP Mera, always present, R.I.P)



Rattler

FYI: This is the text that gets read out aloud for every mil funeral:

Quote
Lo demandó el honor y obedecieron,
lo requirió el deber y lo acataron;
con su sangre la empresa rubricaron
con su esfuerzo la Patria redimieron.

Fueron grandes y fuertes, porque fueron
fieles al juramento que empeñaron.
Por eso como valientes lucharon,
por eso como mártires murieron.

Inmolarse por Dios fue su destino,
salvar a España su pasión eterna,
servir en el Ejército su vocación y sino.

No quisieron servir a otra Bandera,
no pudieron andar otro camino,
no supieron morir de otra manera.



"No quisieron servir a otra Bandera, no quisieron andar otro camino, no supieron morir de otra manera." D.E.P

("They did not want to serve to another flag, they did not want to go another way, they did not know how to die in a different form". R.I.P)
« Last Edit: 19 February 2009, 19:24:53 by Rattler, Reason: changed end text to quote » Logged

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« Reply #4 on: 19 February 2009, 19:57:19 »
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Ratter sez:
Quote
Well, get your *a--* into motion and write about that to your political representative, put up pressure, make them change things!


Would walking from San Francisco to Salt Lake City qualify as getting off my Katukas? My plan was to walk all the way to wash. DC, but by Salt Lake Cty my 54 year old knee gave out. It probably had something to do with the 50+ lb. (100+ kilo) pack I was humping and no supporting staff along the way. Needless to say, that is not my only means of speaking out, as all my political representatives and the White House have heard from me as well. Fear not my Brothers, I am an activist from way back and will not go into the night quietly.

ays,

Jody

http://www.lahontanvalleynews.com/article/20040429/News/104290003/-1/NEWS
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Rattler
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« Reply #5 on: 19 February 2009, 20:24:36 »
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Quote
The 54-year-old ex-Marine said the nation's veterans need to start making some noise


Applauded and of course, concur, well done from my POV.

Rattler

------------

On 2nd thoughts:

I feel it is time to create a section here for vets, RL experiences, witnesses, something like "War/Military: The ugly/dark side"?

Havent found anything like this in other mil forums, its all about honor and glory exclusively.

My 2c

Rattler
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