Much More than a Ripple at Peterson Air Force Base — and Almost Nothing at all Nationally — U.S. Army Command Sergeant Major Kevin Griffin Comes Home for Burial — on the Continuing Chasm between those Who Serve and Those Who Don’t

© 2012 Peter Free

 

20 August 2012

 

 

The entirety of Peterson Air Force Base turned out yesterday morning, as Command Sergeant Major Kevin Griffin’s body arrived for memorial services at Fort Carson and burial at Fort Logan National Cemetery

 

A very long, uniformed line of military personnel paralleled Peterson Avenue to salute CSM Kevin Griffin, as his hearse and procession passed silently from the flight line and out the north gate.

 

Sprinkled among the military line were civilian spouses and children.

 

A large number of regimented ex-military motorcyclists lent respectful majesty to the cortege.

 

 

Another world

 

Easily overlooked by outsiders is the significant impact that war deaths cause along the fallen’s route home.

 

Yesterday’s example at Peterson is typical.  Sunday morning was devoted to honoring Command Sergeant Major Griffin’s cortege.  No excuses.  No “I’ve gotta be somewhere elses.”

 

I heard no grumbling, not even from the kids.

 

 

The moral? — As is typical in our vicariously violent culture, this sad ritual speaks only to the people who already know its lesson

 

The civilians and politicians, who interminably send our troops to unnecessary wars, are not the ones who line the road, each time military deaths come home.

 

They are not the ones, who are daily reminded of the cost of armed conflict.

 

Poor geopolitical strategy, and profligacy with other people’s lives, comes from a lack of appreciation for what is really at stake.