Honor Guard Sailors Neglected Their Weapons

[jofrdo]

I volunteer with a national organization called Bugles Across America (BAA). We have thousands of buglers standing ready to sound Taps at veterans funerals. Most military funerals use a digital recording of Taps, but it is so much more meaningful when performed live.

I showed up for a Taps mission on Saturday afternoon at an Episcopal church and cemetery in Virginia Beach, VA. There was a large crowd of mourners for the Navy Commander who had passed away and cars were parking in the grass at the edge of the main driveway. The Navy Honor Guard were already standing outside the church when I arrived. I was walking through a grassy area near some parked cars and had to stutter step to avoid stepping on their rifles lying hidden in the grass. I approached the group of sailors in their dress whites to discuss what they knew about the order of the service and where I would fit in. While we talked, there was a sudden snap, like wood cracking. We turned to see an older gentlemen parking his Jaguar sedan on top of the rifles! The sailors, all about 19 years old, ran to their weapons to retrieve them from under the car's tires, told the man to park somewhere else, and check the guns' actions. All of the bolt actions ejected rounds and fed from the magazines. Later, all fired their blank rounds when the triggers were pulled. I'll bet that closer inspection will yield cracked stocks and bent barrels.

Their commander, a mature older sailer of about 21 years, remarked to me that he had told them not to leave them there, and that each of them was responsible for bringing that rifle back to the base armory in the same condition as when it left. Fat chance that day! I was happy to know that my Glock was safely holstered on my hip.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[SARR001]

Sorry excuse for Sailors. I treat and have always treated my weapons with as much respect as I treat my elders and my parents raised me right...

[10thmtn]

I guess they were never taught how to stack their rifles?

And no one was guarding the weapons?

And the NCOIC didn't accept responsibility, as the man in charge?

Pretty sad all the way around!

I'll have to give my Navy friends a good ribbing after reading this...

[oneshot]

Where in the H-E Double Hockey Sticks did they put the rifles, In the roadway?
Or was the old codger parking on the lawn. In any case, they sure as heck should NOT have been just laying somewhere.
WoW.

[Bark'n]

They would understand the meaning of Rifle PT when I was through with them if I were in charge of that detail. I can guarantee that!

Then again, I would not have allowed them to reflect poorly on me as their NCO in the first place!

They would not have disgraced me, or the Corps, or have been allowed to dishonor the Naval Commander for which they had the privilege to render the 21 gun salute.

[WHEC724]

I recently watched an Army Honor Guard botch the funeral of a good friend of mine who was part of the D-Day invasion. The bugler had the wrong mute stuck in his horn (I had to help him dislodge it, while the crowd looked on), and the flag looked like a wadded mess by the time they were done. It was disgraceful. I should have put a call into their CO, but I was spent after that day.

[Thanis]

Sometimes when we see things being done wrong at say a church service, funeral, ceremony, I know why God put me there, and it is good to be helpful.

[POGOTHECLOWN]

Navy Saliors are usually not trained as riflemen.

They left their rifles laying in the grass?

Totally unacceptable.

[MSteve]

I recently watched an Army Honor Guard botch the funeral of a good friend of mine who was part of the D-Day invasion. The bugler had the wrong mute stuck in his horn (I had to help him dislodge it, while the crowd looked on), and the flag looked like a wadded mess by the time they were done. It was disgraceful. I should have put a call into their CO, but I was spent after that day.

If it was fairly recent, and you know what base they came out of, you still should. There's little to no excuse for that kind of thing, especially the flag. It may have been a fluke, but who knows? The base operator should be able to give you a number to casualty assistance/affairs, and they can take it from there. It's unfortunate, but allot of these details, especially near heavily deployed installations, are being filled by people in the rear detatchment. There's usually a reason they're in the rear detatchment...

[Deuce130]

Sometimes when we see things being done wrong at say a church service, funeral, ceremony, I know why God put me there, and it is good to be helpful.

+1....

[Eagleks]

UGH... your description even made me cringe.

[dukalmighty]

At my dads funeral CMSgt USAF Retired the USAF honor guard from McConnel AFB Ks. was extremely professional,Rifles used were M16's and they kept them locked in the van until time for the graveside ceremony

[goldshellback]

They were all taught better than that.

Should've been at least a senior First Class Petty Officer or a Chief keeping them in line.

There are some quality professionals serving in the Navy, but I wouldn't have been able to prove it there that day.

Silly skimmers (a.k.a.: targets)

[DIABLO9489]

At my dads funeral CMSgt USAF Retired the USAF honor guard from McConnel AFB Ks. was extremely professional,Rifles used were M16's and they kept them locked in the van until time for the graveside ceremony

Same here for my great great uncle who passed away last year. Why would you ever leave your rifles laying in the grass You can't really blame the guy who ran them over

[Divebum47]

I was stationed in Columbus, Ohio for shore duty in the early 70's. I led Military Funerals. We used M14's with BFA's. We kept them in the armory at Rickenbacker Air Force Base. Each member of my squad (I was able to hand pick them from the Reserve Center Navy contingent) was assigned a rifle. I inspected each weapon prior to the service and after they were cleaned - just before being handed into the armory. My squad marched from the vehicle to the site of the service and stood at attention until the actual firing. After the firing, they stood at attention until after the last person left the site. The only person who did not stand at attention for the full service was me and that was only when I presented the flag to the next of kin. There is a manual of arms for Military Funerals. These young sailors obviously were not in tune with the MOA. As a Navy Vet, it would have shamed me to see this kind of crap, and it would have never happened in my squad.

Navy Saliors are usually not trained as riflemen.

In many cases, they are. My squad was trained by a Marine Honor Guard at my request.

The CO of whatever station these idiots were assigned should be notified.