Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif. -- Most Marines stand by the saying “Once a Marine always a Marine,” including Marine Corps Air Station Miramar’s funeral detail, who supports the saying by performing honors to Marines and their families at funeral services.
The 16 members of the detail are volunteers who spend a year performing both their primary duties and funeral honors.
“It’s just doing something nice for the families of the young and old Marines who have passed away,” said Lance Cpl. Nam Him, a member of the MCAS Miramar funeral detail.
The detail practices about once every month, depending on how many funeral honors they need to perform. Headquarters Marine Corps assigns funeral duties among Marine Corps Installations West depending on the funeral locations and each installation’s schedule.
For each funeral, the MCAS Miramar detail arrives at the air station’s armory hours before the memorial service begins. They check out rifles and practice with them to ensure every member is prepared to perform drill movements.
After the team finishes practicing, the detail arrives at the funeral site at least 45 minutes early and sends one member to scout the area. Any changes to the drill movements depend on the number of members who can attend the funeral and the location’s terrain.
Aside from the standard drill movements, the team members must learn to perform a 21-gun salute and “weapons down.” The detail developed special movements such as weapons down, which involves the team setting their weapons on the ground to allow members to perform multiple parts of the routine. At least three Marines perform the 21-gun salute during the funeral by firing blank rounds. After they finish, the Marines march to the casket.
The Marines align to the casket and fold the flag that covers it in half several times. The senior and junior flag folders then fold the flag into triangles. Once complete, the senior flag folder inspects the flag and carries it to the flag presenter.
The flag presenter is a Marine of equivalent rank to the deceased Marine. When the senior flag folder gives the flag to the presenter, the presenter will place three casings from the 21-gun salute into the fold of the flag. The rounds signify honor, courage and commitment.
The funeral honors conclude when the flag presenter delivers the flag to the deceases Marine’s next of kin.
Although many people view funerals as a time to mourn the lost, the funeral detail views them as a way to give final honors to Marines both young and old.
“I’ve been to Iraq and I’ve lost friends,” said Sgt. Ian Cameron, a funeral detail member. “For me it’s a way of giving back, a way of closure. You see how much the families appreciate it and it makes it all worthwhile. You feel like your doing something that matters.”
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