SFC JONN V. LILYEA U.S. ARMY – Funeral at Arlington National Cemetery
Video provided of the ceremony this morning at Arlington National Cemetery.
https://youtu.be/iVOypVCNtC8
Category: Politics
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Fair winds and following seas, RIP John. Had been away for 3 months…just got back on here and saw the sad news.
BZ, Dave…
RIP, SFC Jonn Lilyea, Unites States Army
You will be missed…
RIP SFC Lilyea…
Rest well.
Keep up the fight.
Somber video, but I couldn’t help but chuckle at the Marine One comment. If only Donald knew who was being buried below…
RIP Jonn.
Fair Winds and Following Seas, Sargent. We have The Watch.
I never served with John, I never meet John and I only once exchanged e-mails with him. I sent a small donation and he sent me a thank you and a welcome home. That put a smile on my face. I have very much enjoyed his blog/website. Another great American has gone home to serve our Lord.
Rest well, except if you’re haunting the pentagon Jonn. If that’s the case, get back to it!
Thanks for the video clips of the ceremonies.
It just makes my heart hurt. Well, be a good DW…there are others to welcome you home, Jonn. Peace to your family. Always in my thoughts.
Jesus, God rest your soul Sergeant First Class and Godspeed.
Thank you for allowing us to attend.
Thank you Jonn. For your service to our nation. May God comfort your family. GO ARMY!
I have it on the very best authority that the rain fell in procession to the grave site, stopped completely during the honors ceremony and resumed in some force for several minutes after the service. The timing was…uncanny. Additionally, the report of the mid-ceremony fly-by is 100% accurate.
A man who has one true friend in life is a blessed man. Jonn had many. Please keep them and Jonn’s family in your prayers for a while.
The Lord mourns when one of his saints dies, but there is great rejoicing in heaven on the return of one of their own!
In a brief line by the by the chaplain, easily missed in the video immediately before the military honors are rendered, the chaplain says, “His service honored the flag. Today, the flag will honor him.” There is more in that second line than I can possibly hope to describe. More than any other aspect of the ceremony, that one small thing kicks me right in the gut.
Regrettably I couldn’t be there to hear that memorable line in person and to show my immense respect. It is even more regrettable that all of us who gather here could not gather there to be with him one last time.
Jonn was that rare soldier who by his own volition was in service to his nation long after it was required of him, right up until his long tour of duty finally came to an end. As he always said to us, his fallen brothers surely are now saying to him,
“Welcome home!”
Yeah, I broke down at that too.
Thank you Dave for posting this. RIP Jonn.
Rest in Peace.
Thank you Dave, we have truly lost a great man.
Rest well, good and faithful servant.
Thanks, Dave, for letting us be present at this solemn occasion.
God bless Jonn, until Valhalla.
Until Valhalla
Rest in Peace to a fine man, good Soldier and patriot.
Jonn, may God speed you to Heaven; may your family always remember you, the man; and may your spirit be transmitted to your children.
We never met, though we corresponded during the Portlandia foofaraw; I took comfort in your unflinching determination to stand up to bullies.
God bless you; God bless your family; God bless America.
So thankful Jonn was laid to rest yesterday, Tuesday, 21 August 2018.
Arlington National Cemetery had a bomb threat this morning that is under investigation:
https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Arlington-Cemetery-Evacuated-Due-to-Bomb-Threat-491457211.html
Whoa. I know what some people are thinking. I’m thinking it too.
That was my first thought too.
Glad I’m not overly paranoid.
You are absolutely correct, 2/17 Air Cav.
Kept telling myself “Nah, no way, folks can’t be THAT low/sick to pull that stunt”…and then I remembered that sadly, there ARE those who would do that…
Again,for Jonn’s family, am very grateful he was laid to rest yesterday.
Anyone here could give them a short list of viable suspects.
Let’s not go there, even a little bit. It’s dangerous ground in many ways, both to individuals and the site. Could be an employee who wanted the day off. Could be someone who thought it would be cool. Remember that woman who pretended to yell beside the “Silence” sign a few years ago?
Bomb threat? Oh, for Pete’s sake! That is just too gross and disgusting for words.
Give me 15 minutes, a pair of pliers and a soundproof room.
Allow me to offer the use of a TA1 Field phone and a few ice picks!
That was my first thoughts when I saw it on the net. Coincidence? No, I doubt it.
RIP Jonn, gone too soon.
RIP, my friend. You are so missed!
Thanks, Dave, for posting this. I left my phone in my car, so I didn’t take any photos or record any of the ceremony, but I knew the rest of you guys would.
Having you guys there made the event truly a military family one.
RIP, SFC Lilyea. May you wield your terrible swift sword of truth and honor for eternity in Valhalla.
Thank you Brother, for posting this. Truly, truly, I wish I could have been there.
Godspeed, sir. We’re better because you were here.
May God welcome you with open arms.
I’m sure that the first thing he heard in Heaven was “Welcome Home”.
RIP Warrior.
Fair Winds and Following Seas Jonn.
You Sir, are missed.
Goodbye, Jonn. You were a warrior on Earth and no doubt will be the same in Heaven. Love you, brother.
RIP
RIP Jonn.
Rest In Peace John. Thank you for all you gave. We will carry on the fight.. Stands and salutes a hero.
The gray skies seem appropriate for that day.
Rest In Peace Jonn
RIP, SFC Lilyea. You made a difference.
Damn straight.
Dave, thank you for posting this. I wish I could have been there.
SFC Lilyea, your time is done. Rest easy; we have the watch. Thank you for all you accomplished.
It is very hard to find words appropriate enough. SFC Jonn Lilyea served our country far beyond his military service, helping unmask valor thieves and embellishers regardless of the personal cost it entailed. SFC Jonn Lilyea was a true leader and I hope his examplary life motivates all of us to continue the fight against stolen valor with whatever means we have available.
On the personal level, Jonn held no punches back, and in the little time I have been here in TAH, the couple times I whined about racism, antisemitism or something he hit me hard in the head to teach me a very powerful lesson: to never be deterred by the opinions others have of you.
Until we are all call back to formation, rest in peace, SFC Lilyea.
Well said, Yef, very well said.
Thank you for sharing this. Truly and sincerely. I rarely post but always read. I have actually been dating a TAH poster for a while now. Sadly, I live fairly kinda close in SW PA and always meant to send a Google+ and ask if I could get a pic together. (I was an 11B in 3/5 1982-84). Rock on and may the his hand-picked admins rock on! He picked you for a reason. G-d Bless!
Rest in Peace Jonn.
Dave, brother, thanks for making this available. Will have to watch piecemeal, not able to go through the video in one sitting.
Rest well
See you on the other side
In Flanders Fields
By John McCrae, 1872 – 1918
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place, and in the sky,
The larks, still bravely singing, fly,
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the dead; short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe!
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high!
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
Godspeed Soldier, Godspeed
Got home from the AFCEA TechNet this evening and see this.
The honor, SFC Lilyea, is entirely ours.
I spoke to many young cyber and signal soldiers from Fort Gordon at the conference and can only smile at the truth that it is upon the shoulders of men and women like your self that they now stand their watches on the line.
Rest now, soldier. Your legacy is seen in them.
Like many others here, I exchanged emails with Jonn and a phone call or two. He did much for everyone who served honorably.
I haven’t posted here for years but continued to lurk. Thank you, Jonn, and all who make TAH a great place.
Until we meet again, John.
John was never too busy for my random emails and offered sage advice on blogging when I thought about doing it.
Rest easy, John.
That’s “Jonn” you autocorrecting POS phone!
Jonn, I will pay my respects at your resting place on Saturday in Arlington.
Sorry we never had that beer in GTMO, brother.
I’m sure he will spend his afterlife tracking down phonies who snuck past St.Peter and dispensing heavenly asskickings to Ballduster, Soupsandwich and Bernath.
Fair Winds and following seas John.