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thedrifter
04-05-04, 12:09 PM
The Final Escort <br />
<br />
<br />
By Mary D. Karcher <br />
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Six gloved hands grip the flag-draped casket bearing one of their own. With ramrod posture and synchronized steps, the Marine Corps Body Bearers...

thedrifter
04-05-04, 12:09 PM
Training for Excellence
Although the school lasts four months, the training never ends. The body bearers drill for 15 hours a week in humble surroundings in the lower level of the Marine Barracks parking garage. Overhead, amber lights cast a dull glow on suspended industrial pipes. In a corner there is an assortment of caskets and a caisson used for practice. A wooden platform, which simulates the area around the grave site, is placed in the center amidst the parked cars.

The Marines practice funeral scenarios as they carry the casket and fold the flag. The training is "hard and heavy," Williamson said, explaining that discipline and bearing in practice are critical to success during an actual funeral. The Marines maintain ceremonial composure during the drill from beginning to end despite any complications that might arise.

During a funeral Marines often have to adjust to unexpected circumstances. They may need to navigate around a large gravestone, be wary of uneven surfaces around the grave site, or adjust to a flag that a funeral home has placed on the casket incorrectly. All six Marines must react to these anomalies in a heartbeat, often without commands. The training is designed to hone their situational awareness so they can inconspicuously adjust to these challenges while maintaining their military bearing.

Flag folding is a very precise and poignant procedure occurring at the end of the funeral ceremony, and it is a "tedious and time-consuming task to learn," according to Williamson. It requires many complicated movements that must be executed in tandem with the Marine on the opposite side of the flag. The slow, exaggerated movement must be fluid from the first fold to the final triangular-shaped flag that is presented to the next of kin.

In the large mirror mounted on the cinder-block garage wall, two Marines practiced "hand waves," gestures used in the flag-folding process. In perfect unison the Marines pantomimed the motions, critiqued each other and began again. The movement is an example of "phasing" or doing the exact same movement at the exact same time, usually without the benefit of watching the other Marines. It relies on counting and a lot of practice, according to Lance Corporal Todd J. Fox of Chicago, who said that phasing is the hardest part of the drill.

Pulling Your Weight
Teamwork and dedication to drill are common among Marines, but the third aspect of body bearer training, intense weightlifting, is an additional requirement critical to the success of their mission. Unlike the other services that mostly use eight men to carry a casket, the Marine Corps always uses only six men to bear the weight of a casket, which can be as much as 700 pounds. Additionally, Marines honor the deceased by lifting the casket head-high, a move no other service does, which requires great strength. Consequently, weightlifting is an integral part of these Marines' training, averaging 10 hours a week.

As in everything the body bearers do, they train as a team. When the lifting gets tough, fellow Marines holler motivating words of encouragement—"Go, Man! It's all you!"—and stand by to spot the lifter. Using mirrors and fellow Marines' advice, the body bearers scrutinize their form and work to maximize each exertion.

The average body weight of a Marine body bearer is 230 pounds. This necessitates specially altered uniforms that are tailored to fit, yet flexible enough to allow for the range of motion necessary to lift the caskets. Marines must monitor their weight training to meet the strength requirements, but still present the smart appearance required of every Marine. Strength training is coupled with health and nutrition classes to help the body bearers achieve their weightlifting goals safely.

While weightlifting is a very large part of the Marines' training, Williamson emphasized, "We are not just a bunch of big guys who lift weights all day. We are a professional group of Marines who honor fallen Marines with respect and dignity." To meet their mission of upholding the history and traditions of the Body Bearer Section and the Marine Corps as a whole, they train hard every day and execute their duties with precision and perfection in honor of all who have served the Marine Corps.

From the letters received from grateful families, the World Famous Marine Body Bearers do indeed uphold the Marine Corps traditions of honor and excellence. David S. Wininger penned these words in appreciation to the body bearers who laid to rest his father-in-law, Robert K. Dore:

"A former Marine myself, I cannot express the pride and honor I felt as the funeral procession pulled into the cemetery and the Body Bearer Detail came into view. ... I know the last thing these Marines wanted to do on Christmas weekend was to stand in cold wind and bury an old man. Express to them that they gave this old Marine the greatest farewell he could have asked for."


Editor's note: If your unit has a Marine who has the potential to serve with the Marine Corps Body Bearers, contact the Company B first sergeant at (202) 433-3301/2113.

Ellie

MillRatUSMC
04-05-04, 01:04 PM
http://www.mca-marines.org/Leatherneck/escort.jpg
"World Famous Body Bearers, The Last to Let You Down"

Great looking Marines!!!

Semper Fidelis
Ricardo