I got this in my email today with a note, “Do you know anything about this?”
Today I was incensed at the conclusion of a traditional Serbian-Orthodox funeral for my beloved 85 year old uncle, Daniel Martich, who proudly served in the US Army during The Korean Conflict.
During the committal service at a Pittsburgh cemetery the local military detachment performed their ritual, then folded and presented the American Flag to my aunt.
As I’m sure you have witnessed during military funerals, a soldier bends to one knee and recites a scripted message to a surviving relative that begins:
“On behalf of the President of the United States and a grateful nation, I wish to present you with this flag in appreciation for your husband’s service.”
However, today the dialogue began:
“On behalf of the Secretary of Defense and a grateful nation….”
After the service I approached the soldier who presented the flag to my aunt to inquire about the change in language.
His response was,
“The White House notified all military funeral service detachments to immediately remove ‘the President’ and insert ‘the Secretary of Defense’.”
I couldn’t believe what I heard and the soldier smiled and said, “You can draw your own conclusion sir but that was the order.” He, too, was ashamed of what he was required to say.
This president has taken off the gloves. My only response to this endless cesspool of Anti-American rhetoric dripping from his mouth is to borrow a phrase (with one minor change) uttered by another temporary Washington resident living in government housing: “Today for the first time in my adult life I was ASHAMED of my country.”
I did not serve in the military but my love of country parallels that of people like my late uncle who bled Red, White and Blue.
As a second generation Serbian-American whose heritage produced many patriotic military men and women who fought for freedom both in The United States as well as in the former Yugoslavia (most recently in Kosovo against the slaughter of Serbs by Muslim extremists), I implore you to make the American people aware of this little-known or, at least, publicly acknowledged fact.
May God Bless you and your family during these difficult times. Your voice of reason is a welcome change from the insanity plastered across the country by the liberal media.
Keep up the great work and thank you for your service to our country.
Sincerely,
John G. Martich
Weirton , WV
(304) 374-3518
There’s nothing on this at Snopes, but Truth or Fiction has a long article which I encourage you to read.
http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/m/military-protocols-funerals.htm
It’s hard to know what the deal is without personally knowing anyone working in a funeral detachment.
Truth or Fictions says they spoke with John G. Martich and that he verified the events are true.
The change in wording isn’t posted in the official regulations for military funerals, but that doesn’t mean the White House has not made it known that they do not want “the President” cited at these things.
It only means the official regulations have not been altered.
Can I believe this administration sent yet another slap in the face to our finest?
Absolutely.
The military personnel I know personally are honest people. I’ve watched them become more and more frustrated with the stupid things this administration has forced on them.
For example, they’ve been forbidden to refer to Privates as “Private” any more.
Although using any military person’s rank as a form of address is SOP for ALL ranks, some Obama twit decided it was demeaning to use THIS rank as a form of address,
I can’t help thinking … who is it exactly who has such a dirty mind that “Private” is interpreted as a dirty, demeaning word?
The answer? Leftists. Hard-core Leftists.
However they portray themselves … Alinskyites, Progressives, Socialists, Communists … they all seem to have their noses so far up their own (and other people’s) asses, that all they can see or smell is excrement.
How else could they defend “Piss Christ” (a crucifix in a bottle of urine) as “art” then foam at the mouth over the “insult to Islam” when our troops PROPERLY disposed of desecrated Korans by burning them?!
How else could they laugh when Ed Schultz calls Laura Ingraham a “slut” then demand Rush Limbaugh be thrown off the air for calling Sandra Fluke the EXACT SAME THING?
Things like shame, sacrifice, honor, duty, patriotism, courage, loyalty, love, honesty and charity are as foreign to hard-core Leftists as the beauty of a sunrise over the ocean is to the fleas living on the rats in the sewers of Chicago.
polination.blog 