While many fallen soldiers return home to families that remember them, some unfortunate soldiers…
Military personnel across the country have said that a veteran dies twice; once on the battlefield and once when people stop saying their name. For many soldiers, this can start as soon as their bodies return home and go unclaimed. These bodies are left forgotten with no one to send them off and show appreciation for what they have done.
For many veterans and soldiers, this is a sad and horrifying scenario. It haunts many men and women in the armed forces who wonder if they will be remembered when they close their eyes for the last time.
But one motorcycle club in Florida wants to change that.
A group of strangers come together to do their part to honor fallen veterans
Nicolas Morales, a member of the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association is part of an association initiative to honor fallen veterans.The video talks about how they start with Robert Krause, a veteran who was never claimed.
Their hope was that Robert’s spirit could finally move on knowing that his efforts were recognized and honored.
They did this in a big way, by providing an escort to a military graveyard for Robert Krause, a marine from the 1950s who died in service. You can imagine the respectful scene as Robert’s hearse was guarded and accompanied by a small crowd of veteran motorcyclists for a solemn procession at the Florida National Cemetery.
Once the motorcyclists arrive, they gather around for…
Like many military funerals, the procession that follows is a ritual affair. It comes complete with the folding of the American flag and that flag being prominently displayed over the fallen soldier’s casket. The group gathers beneath a gazebo to listen to words of remembrance and to offer salutes
The procession itself isn’t too different from what you’d expect. It has all the components of a military funeral that you can imagine. With associates and colleagues offering the solemnity that such an event requires. From the small rituals to the spoken words, it’s the most traditional of honors that fallen soldiers can expect.
But there’s one factor that’s easy to miss.
The members of this motorcyclists association have no direct association with…
These honorable and kind men and women are not directly related to Robert Krause. They are fellow servicemen and the families thereof who felt that unclaimed veteran’s deserved the chance to be remembered and honored. So they arranged to take on a kind act that no one else would. As Morales later says:
It’s not just Taps for Mr. Krause. It’s Taps for all of our fallen.”
This is a powerful way to make sure that no veteran passes away alone.
What this could mean for unclaimed veterans
Early on in the video, it offers statistics that dozens of military bodies go unclaimed every year, in just Tampa, Florida alone. These fallen soldiers have no family to see them to their grave. So providing understanding escorts and remembrances could be the last great service to provide to these heroes.
If this initiative were to spread across the country, then it would help fallen warriors be remembered. It would serve as a powerful message of thanks for veterans who may wonder if their service is truly appreciated and recognized.
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