I just returned from a five day trip out west to Herat and Badghis Provinces to visit the engineers and planners in the west. It was a trip worth recording, so I thought I'd memorialize it here. We arrived on Sunday and met the Commander of our unit out there. He informed his detachment that there would be a ramp ceremony the next morning, and that he'd be attending, but we were not obligated to go. Of course, we went.
For those of you who don't know, a ramp ceremony is when the casualties of war are delivered to the intertheater air ramp before being flown to their home country for burial. It is ceremonial and the servicemembers at the airfield turn out in full force to pay their respects.
In this case, two Spanish soldiers had been KIA by an IED in the west a few days prior. We formed up amongst our coalition partners (Italian and Spanish) in the hangar at Herat. Two priests, with just their combat boots peeking out from under their vestments led a Spanish mass. We stood at attention while the flag-draped coffins were carried into the hangar. Herat is much hotter than Kabul and I was keenly aware of hot rivulets of sweat running down my spine. It felt like sweat was springing forth from my kneecaps. I felt so small in that great big hangar and so honored to be able to participate in this multi-national send-off for the fallen soldiers. It was very somber and brought home the reality of this very dangerous place I'm in.
We had visited my friend, MAJ Morris, who is stationed there. He's attended 4 of these ceremonies just since we arrived in late-April. More tomorrow.
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