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06/02/08 07:12 pm
pst
That necklace will look really good on you!!! :)
Saturday was pretty good, because I decided to just be lazy and lie around the apartment most of the day. I rarely do that, but I knew that I was working Sunday and that I will be working all next weekend. Saturday was my only day off during this 3 weeks, so I decided to use it to just "rest up".
Yesterday, I had to meet some family members of a deceased Soldier, at the airport (the father and two brothers). I am their Casualty Assistance Officer, while they are here for the viewings and funeral. After meeting them at the airport yesterday, we went to two viewings. Today, we went to two more viewings. They were from 2:00 to 4:00, then 7:00 to 9:00. While the father is here, I am responsible for taking care of any problems for which he may need my assistance. With the practice this morning, then the two viewings, I had about a 12 hour day today. I wouldn't mind as much, but I have to wear my dress uniform all of the time, when I perform these types of duties. That thing is NOT comfortable, especially standing out in the hot sun, by the gravesite.
I had to be at the funeral home early this morning, to meet with the funeral honors team, for their practice. We practiced at the funeral home, then the church, then the gravesite. The funeral is tomorrow, so we want to be sure that everything is planned out and rehearsed. We always do our best to ensure a very professional and dignified funeral for the family. This is a "full honors" military funeral. We have military pall bearers and a rifle team (to fire the three round volley).
Fortunately, the family seems to be in the "acceptance" phase. They have not been overly emotional. I am very empathetic and I get really sad and depressed when spending a lot of time with sad and depressed people. Of course, I am expecting quite a bit of emotion during the funeral tomorrow. If you have ever been to a funeral, then you know how sad they can be anyway. During a military funeral, a LOT of people really start to break out in tears when the rifle team fires the three round volley and "Taps" is played.
XOXOXO
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