July 2, 2010
U.S. Military support of Senator Robert C. Byrd’s funeral
Special to Huntingtonnews.net
Washington – The Military District of Washington, which exercises oversight of all joint service ceremonies in the National Capital Region, and elsewhere as directed, is tasked with providing support for portions of Senator Robert C. Byrd’s funeral.
Senator Byrd is authorized a congressional funeral in accordance with Operation Plan TRIBUTE, dated May 6, 1986. This document is an agreement between the United States Congress and the Assistant Secretary of Defense of Legislative Affairs. Those authorized a congressional funeral include serving members of the House and Senate.
A congressional funeral consists of military ceremonial support at the church and interment sites including:
· A joint service body bearer team of eight members representing the five armed forces.
· An Army firing party consisting of seven riflemen who will fire three volleys during the interment service.
· An Army bugler who will play “Taps” once the rifle volleys are complete.
NOTE: Unless members of congress have served in the military or a specific service was requested by the family, the Army, as the senior service, will provide the firing party and bugler.
Additional support for Senator Byrd’s funeral, as directed by the Secretary of Defense, will include joint service body bearer support to carry the Senator’s remains into and out of the U.S. Capitol.
Upon the arrival of Senator Byrd’s remains at the U.S. Capitol, July 1, 2010, at 9:45 a.m. EDT, the joint service body bearer team will escort the Senator’s remains from the hearse into the Senate Chamber of the U.S. Capitol to lie in repose. At the conclusion of the repose at 4 p.m. EDT, the joint service body bearer team will then carry Senator Byrd’s remains from the Senate Chamber to the hearse for departure to Joint Base Andrews/Naval Air Facility Washington, Md.
Upon arrival at Joint Base Andrews/Naval Air Facility Washington, July 1, 2010, 4:30 p.m. EDT, an Air Force body bearer team will remove the casket from the hearse and carry it to the plane for departure to Charleston, W.Va.
At the direction of the governor, the West Virginia National Guard will provide support for the Senator’s funeral for the duration of time his remains are in West Virginia.
The Senator’s remains will return to Joint Base Andrews/Naval Air Facility Washington, Md., July 2, 2010, at 5:30 p.m. EDT, and will be carried from the plane to the hearse by an Air Force body bearer team.
On July 6, 2010, prior to the beginning of the 11 a.m. EDT, funeral service, the joint service body bearer team will carry the casket from the hearse into the Memorial Baptist Church, Arlington, Va. At the conclusion of the funeral service, the joint service body bearer team will carry the casket from the church to the hearse.
Upon arrival at Columbia Gardens Cemetery, Arlington, Va., a committal service will be conducted. The service will be followed by military funeral honors including the firing of three volleys, sounding of taps, and concluding with the presentation of flags to each of Senator Byrd’s two daughters.
This concludes the U.S. Military support for Senator Byrd’s funeral.
Select members from the following ceremonial support units will participate:
U.S. Army
3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard)
Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Va.
U.S. Marine Corps
U.S. Marine Corps Ceremonial
and Guard Company, Marine Barracks, Washington, D.C.
U.S. Navy
U.S. Navy Ceremonial Guard
Naval District Washington,
Washington, D.C.
U.S. Air Force
U.S. Air Force Honor Guard,
Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington, D.C.
U.S. Coast Guard
U.S. Coast Guard Ceremonial
Honor Guard, Telecommunications
Information Systems Center,
Alexandria, Va.
Flag presenter
Maj. Jerem Swenddal
3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard)
Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Va.
Bugler
Master Sgt. Allyn Van Patten
The U.S. Army Band “Pershing’s Own,”
Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Va.
Explanation of special terms
The practice of draping the casket with the national flag
This custom began during the Napoleonic Wars (1796-1815). The dead were covered with flags and carried from the field of battle on a caisson. When the U.S. flag covers the casket, it is placed so the union blue field is at the head and over the left shoulder. It is not placed in the grave and is not allowed to touch the ground.
The practice of firing three rifle volleys over the grave
The firing of three volleys over the grave of a fallen warrior has its origin in the old custom of halting the fighting to remove the dead from the battlefield.
Once the dead were removed, three musket volleys were fired as a signal that the battle could resume. A firing party of seven service members traditionally fires the volleys. The fact that a firing party might consist of seven service members firing three volleys does not constitute a 21-gun salute.
NOTE: The U.S. Army Military District of Washington serves as the Army Forces Component and core staff element of the Joint Force Headquarters-National Capital Region to conduct operations that deter, prevent, and respond to threats aimed at the National Capital Region; and conducts world-class ceremonial, musical and special events in support of our Nation’s leadership.
For more information on military honors, please contact The U.S. Army Military District of Washington Public Affairs Office at 202-685-4079, or visit: http://www.mdw.army.mil/
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U.S. Military support of Senator Robert C. Byrd’s funeral
Special to Huntingtonnews.net
Washington – The Military District of Washington, which exercises oversight of all joint service ceremonies in the National Capital Region, and elsewhere as directed, is tasked with providing support for portions of Senator Robert C. Byrd’s funeral.
Senator Byrd is authorized a congressional funeral in accordance with Operation Plan TRIBUTE, dated May 6, 1986. This document is an agreement between the United States Congress and the Assistant Secretary of Defense of Legislative Affairs. Those authorized a congressional funeral include serving members of the House and Senate.
A congressional funeral consists of military ceremonial support at the church and interment sites including:
· A joint service body bearer team of eight members representing the five armed forces.
· An Army firing party consisting of seven riflemen who will fire three volleys during the interment service.
· An Army bugler who will play “Taps” once the rifle volleys are complete.
NOTE: Unless members of congress have served in the military or a specific service was requested by the family, the Army, as the senior service, will provide the firing party and bugler.
Additional support for Senator Byrd’s funeral, as directed by the Secretary of Defense, will include joint service body bearer support to carry the Senator’s remains into and out of the U.S. Capitol.
Upon the arrival of Senator Byrd’s remains at the U.S. Capitol, July 1, 2010, at 9:45 a.m. EDT, the joint service body bearer team will escort the Senator’s remains from the hearse into the Senate Chamber of the U.S. Capitol to lie in repose. At the conclusion of the repose at 4 p.m. EDT, the joint service body bearer team will then carry Senator Byrd’s remains from the Senate Chamber to the hearse for departure to Joint Base Andrews/Naval Air Facility Washington, Md.
Upon arrival at Joint Base Andrews/Naval Air Facility Washington, July 1, 2010, 4:30 p.m. EDT, an Air Force body bearer team will remove the casket from the hearse and carry it to the plane for departure to Charleston, W.Va.
At the direction of the governor, the West Virginia National Guard will provide support for the Senator’s funeral for the duration of time his remains are in West Virginia.
The Senator’s remains will return to Joint Base Andrews/Naval Air Facility Washington, Md., July 2, 2010, at 5:30 p.m. EDT, and will be carried from the plane to the hearse by an Air Force body bearer team.
On July 6, 2010, prior to the beginning of the 11 a.m. EDT, funeral service, the joint service body bearer team will carry the casket from the hearse into the Memorial Baptist Church, Arlington, Va. At the conclusion of the funeral service, the joint service body bearer team will carry the casket from the church to the hearse.
Upon arrival at Columbia Gardens Cemetery, Arlington, Va., a committal service will be conducted. The service will be followed by military funeral honors including the firing of three volleys, sounding of taps, and concluding with the presentation of flags to each of Senator Byrd’s two daughters.
This concludes the U.S. Military support for Senator Byrd’s funeral.
Select members from the following ceremonial support units will participate:
U.S. Army
3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard)
Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Va.
U.S. Marine Corps
U.S. Marine Corps Ceremonial
and Guard Company, Marine Barracks, Washington, D.C.
U.S. Navy
U.S. Navy Ceremonial Guard
Naval District Washington,
Washington, D.C.
U.S. Air Force
U.S. Air Force Honor Guard,
Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington, D.C.
U.S. Coast Guard
U.S. Coast Guard Ceremonial
Honor Guard, Telecommunications
Information Systems Center,
Alexandria, Va.
Flag presenter
Maj. Jerem Swenddal
3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard)
Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Va.
Bugler
Master Sgt. Allyn Van Patten
The U.S. Army Band “Pershing’s Own,”
Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Va.
Explanation of special terms
The practice of draping the casket with the national flag
This custom began during the Napoleonic Wars (1796-1815). The dead were covered with flags and carried from the field of battle on a caisson. When the U.S. flag covers the casket, it is placed so the union blue field is at the head and over the left shoulder. It is not placed in the grave and is not allowed to touch the ground.
The practice of firing three rifle volleys over the grave
The firing of three volleys over the grave of a fallen warrior has its origin in the old custom of halting the fighting to remove the dead from the battlefield.
Once the dead were removed, three musket volleys were fired as a signal that the battle could resume. A firing party of seven service members traditionally fires the volleys. The fact that a firing party might consist of seven service members firing three volleys does not constitute a 21-gun salute.
NOTE: The U.S. Army Military District of Washington serves as the Army Forces Component and core staff element of the Joint Force Headquarters-National Capital Region to conduct operations that deter, prevent, and respond to threats aimed at the National Capital Region; and conducts world-class ceremonial, musical and special events in support of our Nation’s leadership.
For more information on military honors, please contact The U.S. Army Military District of Washington Public Affairs Office at 202-685-4079, or visit: http://www.mdw.army.mil/
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