Not funny.
Caption: "We put the FUN in funeral--your fearless honor guard from various states..."
Unbelievably inappropriate.
These guard members have truly disgraced themselves and their service.
From the Appleton Post-Crescent:
A Wisconsin soldier’s photo posted on social media sparked outrage nationwide and prompted a military investigation Tuesday.Teresa Harrison is being identified as the guard member responsible for posting the photo on Facebook, though Maj. Rickert, director of public affairs for the Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs would not confirm that.
The Wisconsin National Guard confirmed that a full-time funeral honor guard member posted the photo that shows a team smiling around a flag-draped casket with the caption, “We put the FUN in funeral.”
Maj. Paul Rickert, a Guard spokesman said public affairs staff learned of the photo late Monday.
“The National Guard takes the responsibility for our fallen soldiers and veterans very seriously and we expect soldiers to handle it with professionalism and honor,” Rickert said.
The photo was taken with an empty casket at a training facility in Arkansas, Rickert said. A second photo has drawn attention from the same social media account depicting the female soldier complaining about the cold weather in Wisconsin and an upcoming outdoor funeral.
Rickert said the Guard does not prohibit soldiers from posting on social media, but has rules that members must “perform professionally and not dishonor the military.”
How stupid!
When will people realize that you cannot put stuff like this on the Internet?
This guard member whining about the cold weather can think whatever she wants. She can say whatever she wants to people close to her. But to put her comments up for the world to see, that she's ticked off about the weather when a military member is being laid to rest, is really despicable.
Posting online is a PUBLIC statement.
National Guard members in the funeral honor guard should conduct themselves with HONOR.
From FOX 47:
The text that goes along with the picture reads, "Somebody's getting a jacked up flag.""Somebody's getting a jacked up flag."
Another picture shows a group of guard members huddled around a flag-draped casket and posing. It's captioned with, "We put the FUN in funeral--your fearless honor guard from various states..."
There is also another picture that shows the Honor Guard member getting ready to eat a meal at a funeral. She called it "tailgating."
That's so awful.
Do you respond with a death threat to Teresa Harrison?
Good God, NO!
However, outrage is a proper reaction. Demanding HONOR from the Honor Guard is not asking too much.
I hope the outrage sparked by this controversy provides some comfort to the families of the fallen, that we get the value of their deceased family member's service to our country and the magnitude of their loss.
___________________
UPDATE:
From FOX6 News:
The photos appeared on a social media site that belonged to Spc. Terry Harrison – a member of the Madison-based 1st Battalion, 147th Aviation Regiment. The group photo with the training casket was taken at the Professional Education Center, a National Guard training facility in North Little Rock, Ark.Here's FOX6 video:
Harrison has been indefinitely suspended from the funeral honors detail pending an investigation into the matter.
Maj. Paul Rickert, the Wisconsin National Guard‘s director of public affairs, said he understands that their content is upsetting to many.
“We take this matter very seriously and the investigation will be conducted diligently,” said Rickert.
Rickert also said the Wisconsin National Guard expects all Soldiers who carry out this sacred detail to handle it with professionalism and honor.
David Kurtz is the State Adjutant for Wisconsin’s American Legion. He says his office was also getting flooded with emotional calls and passionate comments. Kurtz, like many others, is disappointed that a sacred image reserved for dignity and honor is being made into a mockery.
