Thank you to both your father, and your son, for their honorable service to our country. Indeed, men and women like them are the reason we are free.
Military Honors is one of the most important and moving elements of a memorial event. I’ve seen the flag folded and rendered hundreds of times, and yet the solemn action of it and the words spoken by the service person to the family still bring on tears and chills. The answer to your question is that, yes, your son can participate in the honors. Officially, each branch of service sends two uniformed personnel to fold and present the flag and play taps.
The funeral home arranges all honors, and we can communicate to the team that a family member, present in uniform, can present the flag, bringing even more meaning to the ceremony. Additionally, we are thankful that our local VFW Post 2406 sends volunteers to fire the rifle volley, which is not usually provided by the government. It is a great privilege for all who participate in honoring the life of a veteran. Words cannot express the level of gratitude to those who served, which is why we use ceremony. The few simple gestures – the 13 folds in the flag, the salute, taps, the swift crack of the rifles three times – this is how we say thank you.
This is how we remember.