Help honor the Arlington Caisson Platoon

UPDATE: 2/12/16.  Even I underestimated how big you guys would come through for me.  It took less than 24 hours, and you raised $3304.98.  So I am shutting it down for now.  Any overage we’ll keep in the account for now.

1 quick thing though, I got an email last night from a friend who works at the NRA National Firearms Museum who offered up a guided tour of the museum to anyone who donated.  If you happen to live in the area, it really is an awesome tour.  I took it a few years ago.  There’s stuff you never even imagined in there, like a shotgun that came over on the Mayflower.  Anyway, if you gave and you live somewhere in the area, send me an email if you are interested.  If I don’t hear anything, I will hold it for the next time we need to raise money.

You guys are awesome, and I couldn’t appreciate it more.   I know some are sending checks and such as well, I can hold it or return it, whatever you want.  Just let me know.  Those that wanted posters, I should get them out on Tuesday (I forgot Monday was a holiday, and hope to get in touch with Sal for some books shortly!)

Again, the TAH community is the best, and my sincere thanks to all of you who donated, shared, or even just offered your support.

 

Every time there is a snowstorm or rain or something in DC everyone sends up pictures of the guards at the Tomb of the Unknowns still out there walking.  And it chokes me up too.  But the Tomb Guards aren’t the only ones to work their asses off over there at Arlington.

Most of you have friends that live there now.  I do certainly.  SSG Robert Burton.  CPT Lawrence Yacubian (who’s birthday would have been last week.)  My two best friends have their fathers buried there, and I just went there for my own personal hero, Colonel Henry Cook, a special forces legend from Vietnam.   And it’s not the guard guys who take them to their resting place, it’s the Caisson guys, and their equine battle buddies.

And lest you forget, they are one of us (ie Infantrymen) as the website makes clear.

 

Most of these men and women come to Ft. Myer, Virginia not as expert horseman, but as trained infantrymen, skilled in their individual fields and tactically proficient. A new Soldier on this team must undergo rigorous training on a riding style the Army hasn’t used anywhere else since 1948. In addition to caring for the horses, the Soldiers must learn to ride in the erect posture of solemn military attention and sitting in a McClellan saddle.  In addition to maintaining the ceremonial uniform of an Old Guard Soldier, the Caisson Soldiers must learn to use, clean and maintain ceremonial tack and harness that is unique to their mission in Arlington National Cemetery. Because of this extensive equine training and experience, the Army has labeled the Caisson Soldiers with the Additional Skill Identifier D2 – Army Horseman.

Anyway, our long time friend and champion Parachutecutie had noticed for a couple of years that Caisson Platoon didn’t have challenge coins.  She surreptitiously asked around from time to time and learned from the Soldiers, many who are no longer with the unit, that they’ve just not had them for a while probably due to budget cuts.  And then she talked to the 173^rd Medal of Honor Recipients, Sal Giunta, Kyle White and Ryan Pitts, and they wanted to pitch in to help.  Again, every one of us that have friends there, the Caisson guys are the one that took them there.  They put in a shit load of time getting ready and training, and get a fraction of the praise their more high profile brothers get.

So anyway, I was going to get them all a boat with Leonardo DeiCaprio’s throw offs for them, but that might be out of the budget.  But they deserve something, and so Parachute Cutie and the MOH guys want to get them their own unique and well-made challenge coin.   I’ve offered to help raise funds.

Here’s the thing: we’re getting the coins.  If you don’t contribute, I’ll pay the whole thing, and then either my wife will kill me, or I’ll have to sell a kidney.  All told it comes to just under $3000.   But, I have 15 posters each of Kyle and Ryan from their medal ceremonies that are autographed, and I am willing to send to anyone who donates at least $50.  But of course that won’t get me to the end either (that would be $1500).  Sal is offering up signed copies of his book too, also for the $50.  But if we are going to make the goal and get to the end, we’re going to need other donations too, be it $5 or $25, or any other number.   Jonn and I and others haven’t asked for much, so hopefully you can find it in your heart to donate just a little and help us to honor those who honor our friends as they go to their final formation in the sky.

So, help us to honor those guys.  If you want the posters, hit up Jonn’s paypal at the side with $50, and then send me an email at seaveyattorney@gmail.com to let me know you did it, and whether you want a Ryan or a Kyle one, and I’ll get it out to you in the next day or two.  But my sincere hope is more so that every TAH reader who has a friend buried there will donate $5 in memory of each of their friends, and help us honor the Old Guard guys who did force protection on their last mission.   No matter how much you donate, do me a favor and send me a picture of your fallen friend, and what you would want to say to or about them.  Next summer I am taking 98 of America’s best and brightest rising seniors to visit people at Arlington during Boys Nation, and we’ll be visiting whomever you donate for.

I’m not rich.  But again, I’ll pay if I have to, because the Caisson guys deserve to know that we love and respect them as our brothers, and for having to deal with the mental part that comes with taking others loved ones to their final rest.  But I don’t think I will have to pay, because TAH always comes through.  Come through for me  now.

(If we go over the figure I am looking for the fund raiser, it will go into an account and I’ll give some of you the opportunity to get it back, or we can hold it for the next worthy endeavor.  Either way, I’ll keep on eye on our total and let you know when we reach it, but we know there’ll be other Medal of Honor events coming up, and it is always nice to know we have funds waiting.)

Picture of the coins:

Category: Politics