Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 News
    
        Photos

    Week in Photos

    Air Force TV

    Commentaries

    Features

    Art

    About Us
    
        Air Force Senior Leaders
    
        SECAF

    CSAF

    CMSAF

    Biographies

    Fact Sheets

    SECAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library
    
        CSAF Leadership Library 2022

    CSAF Leadership Library 2021

    CSAF Reading List Pre-2020 Archive
    
        2018 CSAF Reading List

    2017 CSAF Reading List

    2016 CSAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library 2023

    CMSAF Leadership Library

    50 Years of the CMSAF

    Adjunct Professors

    Air Force Strategic Documents

    Arctic Strategy

    Empowered Airmen

    State Licensure Portability

    Careers

    AF Federal Advisory Committees

    AF 75th Anniversary

    Policy Updates

    AF Content Management

    Contact Us

    AF Sites
    
        Site RegistrationU.S. Air Force LogoAir Force

        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders      On March 15, an Air Force HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopter crashed in western Iraq, killing all seven members on board. All service members were processed through the 387th AEG, prior to being sent home.Ensuring the fallen are sent home with honor
                        
                        
                        Members of the 387th Air Expeditionary Group Force Protection Flight practice the transfer of service members remains with an empty transfer case, at an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia, Oct. 13, 2017. (U.S. Air Force photo illustration by Staff Sgt. William Banton)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res

Ensuring the fallen are sent home with honorPublished April 17, 2018
                    
                    By  Staff Sgt. William Banton
                    
                    
                    386th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
            **SOUTHWEST ASIA (AFNS)  --**Senior Airman Edward Reta, 387th Air Expeditionary Group Force Protection Flight, remembers watching the C-17 Globemaster III as it taxied to its parking location at an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia.Watching a tail ramp lower, he felt moved by the setting and circumstances as he was one of six Airmen from the 387th AEG Force Protection and 387th Civil Engineer Fire Department to come to attention. Still, Reta was grateful to be part of a group that came together as they made their way on to an aircraft, in unison. They carefully moved the aircraft’s most significant cargo, a transfer case with the remains of a fallen warrior, to a theater mortuary evacuation point truck waiting on the tarmac. There is a heaviness that never becomes routine when dealing with loss of a life in today’s warfighting environments, he says but also there is a reverence involved demonstrating how vital and distinctive it is to be helping get the fallen home safely.“When a service member is involved it is a huge deal,” Reta said. “It was emotional for me to actually be able to see it in person.”In a deployed environment, the process can bring in an additional set of emotions for the team and they have to learn to manage in their own ways while completing the mission with care.“It’s hard to disconnect yourself from the situation that is going on at the time,” said Tech. Sgt. Cody Owens, force protection day shift lead. “It’s hard to not getting emotional and just maintain your military bearing, while trying to pay homage to the fallen member.”On March 15, 2018 an HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopter crashed in western Iraq, killing all seven members on board. All of those service members passed through the 387th AEG, prior to returning home.“At first it was difficult but I have learned to be able to separate myself from the event,” Owens said. “I knew a bunch of people personally that knew them, so it kind of hit close to home.”“I’ve never experienced that; a lot of thoughts go through your head that this is real and that it can happen to anybody,” Reta said. “Obviously the family and friends of the deceased goes through your head and then your thoughts are of your family and friends.”Upon returning from the theater of operations to the U. S., a solemn dignified transfer is conducted upon arrival at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, when a Air Force carry team transfers the remains from the aircraft to a transfer vehicle to honor those who have given their lives in service to America. Fallen service members, however, have stops to locations like here along the way before they head home to their family.Reta described this particular transfer as an honor, saying it was an experience he will be able to take with him to future transfers. The rest of the team echoed those sentiments. “There’s a lot of pride sending (Airmen) back home and (I have) torn feelings about it,” Owens said. “I hate doing transfers but I’m also proud of what I get to do.”HH-60 



Air Force 



Airmen 



southwest asia 



AF 



honor 



Dover AFB 



Iraq 



Dover Air Force Base 



Pave Hawk 



Air Force Base 



Warfighting 



remains transfer 



387th Expeditionary Wing 



387th EW 



service members Featured News
        Senior Leader Priorities
                DAF leaders talk budget, reoptimizing the force
                    
                    DAF leaders speak at National Character and Leadership Symposium
                    
                    DAF members recognized during BEYA STEM awards
                    
                    DAF senior enlisted advisors discuss Airmen, Guardians in the fight
                    
                    SecAF Kendall AFA Warfare Symposium Q&A: Reoptimizing for Great Power CompetitionInnovation
                AFWERX director discusses role of tech startups, quick innovation in Great Power Competition
                    
                    DAF delivers lethality at the speed of data during Project Convergence Capstone 4
                    
                    DAF welcomes industry partners to HQ development program
                    
                    DAF announces Spark Tank 2024 finalists
                    
                    Chief Digital, Artificial Intelligence Office to host hackathon in HawaiiMAJCOM News
                Air Combat Command welcomes new commander
                    
                    USAFE-AFAFRICA commander discusses Integrated Air, Missile Defense during Munich Security Conference
                    
                    Flosi to AFMC family: Embrace change, make every day count
                    
                    AMC rises to increasing global tension
                    
                    USAFE-AFAFRICA commander emphasizes five focus areas during AFA Warfare Symposium
 Quick Links
AccessibilityContact UsEqual OpportunityFOIA | Privacy | Section 508Information QualityInspector GeneralJAG Court-Martial DocketLink DisclaimerNo FEAR ActOpen GovernmentOSI Tip LinePlain LanguageQuestionsResilienceRSSSite MapVeterans Crisis LineCareers
Join the Air ForceAir Force BenefitsAir Force CareersAir Force ReserveAir National GuardCivilian ServiceConnect
            Get Social with Us
            
            Official United States Air Force Website
    Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil