Graves registration and soldiers jumping on coffins

The death and destruction industry (the military industrial complex and its favorite politicians) learned several big lessons from the Vietnam war.

1. Never show your own troops killing an enemy or a civilian from up close.
2. Keep your own KIAs (killed in action) off of the TV as best as you can.
3. Exploit the grief of surviving family members.

So, the reason why coffins of dead soldiers come off the plane with American flags draped over them has nothing to do with appreciation of service or respect for "the ultimate sacrifice" and everything to do with masking death as well as possible.

It is obvious then, that the elaborate pro military propaganda shows put up by armed forces around the world show sanitized death machines and leave out those tasked with the gruesome cleanup jobs.

The blogster is certain you have seen TV footage of breathtaking air shows, of grand naval parades, and - if you watch American sports - strapping young men and women marines at sports events.

Well, there is the practical matter that is is much easier and spine tingly to yell out "Semper Fi" instead of "'Dignity, Reverence, Respect", isn't it. The deep, soothing voice of a sports announcer just sounds better when he announces a Marines detachment. Imagine a happy "Ladies and gentlemen, we now welcome a detachment of the United States Armed Forces Graves Registration Service".

Try it for yourself, under the shower or in the attic. It feels quite different.

Don't worry, they renamed it in 1991 to Mortuary Affairs, which is marginally better, clinical enough to banish the image of dirt, stench, and beef stew size chunks of human flesh.
Obviously, parades that show off their bulldozers and diggers for the mass graves are also not advisable from a PR standpoint.

Dying with dignity is pretty much impossible in war, so the death and destruction industry and wider society try to make up with dignified funerals, which still can create pickets and counter pickets at a soldier's funeral, like this one involving the infamous Westboro Baptist Church.

One of the most sordid little anecdotes about military funerals the blogster fondly recalls is the description of German military funerals by a German colonel who reminisced about his younger days.

When the funeral was over and the family and mourners headed out, the detachment would form a shield to block the view of the grave by mourners, and one of us would have to jump in, landing on top of the casket, to retrieve the flag the coffin was draped in. 


This post brought to you by someone once commended for "exceptionally meritorious services", a phrase you may recognize as a favorite of the U.S. military.