20 years in the service, told he could not retire until he went to iraq for 1 yr - dead

[The Straight Story]

Courage, faith remembered
By Carol Ann Alaimo
Arizona Daily Star
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 03.17.2007

A fallen Tucson soldier, who turned down a job that would have kept him out of harm's way to stay on the front lines with his comrades, was honored as a hero in his hometown on Friday.

Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Darrel Kasson, killed in action in Iraq while working as a military police officer, was laid to rest at Evergreen Cemetery, fulfilling his wish to buried in the city in which he was born.
...
Last month marked Kasson's 20th year of Guard service, making him eligible to retire. But when his unit got word last summer of the upcoming Iraq deployment, he was told he'd have to go overseas for a year before he could leave the military.

Kasson took the news in stride and did his best to keep spirits high among fellow Guard members as they prepared to go to war, said Command Sgt. Maj. Robert Tatum, who spoke at the funeral on behalf of Kasson's unit.

http://www.azstarnet.com/metro/174081.php


Sharon Jones, from New Mexico, is given an American flag during funeral services for her son. Darrel Kasson was killed March 4 when a homemade bomb blew up near his vehicle. He is the 28th service member with Southern Arizona ties to be killed in conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

[riderinthestorm]

1. What do they do if the grieving relatives won't accept that flag?

I've always wondered....

The grief and terrible wounding-of-the-soul on that poor woman's face.... :cry:

[Solo_in_MD]

9. I have seen an officer refuse a certificate of thanks from the Pres at his retirement

It was signed by Clinton

[liberaldemocrat7]

10. The Republican party has hijacked his honorable service and honor.

The Republican party has taken the honor of over 3,000 soldiers and trashed them and wasted them.

[Solo_in_MD]

11. He retired during the Clinton years

I don't see now this administration could have hijacked anything from him over and above that taken from the rest of us.

All military retirement ceremonies follow a standard scrpit. At the reherasl the retireing officer asked that the presentation of a certificate of appreciation signed (or at least autosigned) by the president not be presented. It was agreed to, but someone forgot to cross it out of the script. When it was announced, he publically refused it. Could have heard a pin drop. It was set aside and the ceremony continued.

[frogcycle]

13. they confirm in advance

My sister was to receive Dad's flag as the eldest child, but she had them give it to me, as I had been primary caregiver for several years. Would not have happened except they consulted with her in advance.

[southerncrone]

2. Our military is now Hotel California...you can check in, but you can never leave.

[Erika]

4. Three, four, and five tours becoming normal for these volunteers.

None of the Bush extended family has one family member enlisted. War is for the "common" folk, not the elitist ruling class.

[nadinbrzezinski]

7. The only reason my husband was allowed to retire

was... who I knew...serious.

[ljm2002]

14. You can check out anytime you like...

...but you can never leave.

[southerncrone]

15. Thanks for the correction, been awhile since I heard the song!

[Erika]

3. W's death march in Iraq continues on

at www.icasualties.org His sheeple followers keep this war going on.

[Auntie Bush]

5. And then on to Iran!

[roody]

6. He may be a hero, but he is dead.

What a waste of this man's life.

[nadinbrzezinski]

8. Oh but the best kind of hero if you are a rightie

many years ago we used to play a game called battletech, and some of the jokes we made (at the time one active duty, one retired and I left after ten) went like this

The Chancellor loves dead heroes, the best kind, they won't talk... or complaint, or contradict.

These days sadly, this has become reality...

[Subdivisions]

12. God. Damn. It. n/t