Families of Fallen Soldiers Visit Afghanistan

[GGboy]

CTV has a story on families of 8 fallen Canadian soldiers visiting KAF recently:

http://watch.ctv.ca/news/latest/final-farewell/#clip264270

As far as I know, this is the first time something like this has happened anywhere. Kudos to whomever came up with the idea and organized the trip.  :yellow:

 

[vonGarvin]

Hey RangerBoy
Yes, it is an outstanding programme.  This, however, isn't the first time.  I was over there last year when one such visit took place.  Very moving.

 

[GGboy]

Interesting: how many such visits have there been?
But the whole program is still a uniquely Canadian initiative I think and worthy of recognition.

 

[mariomike]

"As far as I know, this is the first time something like this has happened anywhere."

The U.S. Government provided fully escorted ( by Army officers and nurses ) pilgrimages overseas for 6,693 women  ( Gold Star Mothers or widows only ) - completely at government arrangement and expense -  by trains and First-Class on trans-Atlantic ships ( the "most desirable cabins" were reserved ) and road ( no aircraft ) in the early 1930's ( At the height of The Great Depression ) The trips were over a month long, and didn't cost the mom's a penny from door to door! The army took care of passports, customs, tipping waiters, bellboys, maids, drugs and medicines, interpreters, laundry service, and other such incidentals along the way. The army officers took care of the baggage. If the ladies wished to purchase little gifts and souvenirs during their sight-seeing tour of Paris, that was at their own expense.
So many thoughtful things to list. It was a large expenditure of public funds for the relief of private grief:

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~txmatago/gsm_kelly_pil_intro.htm
http://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/1999/summer/gold-star-mothers-1.html
http://www.will.uiuc.edu/pressroom/goldstarhistory.htm
http://www.worldwar1.com/dbc/akins3.htm
http://books.google.ca/books?id=CQARf7boqkYC&printsec=frontcover&dq=gold+star+mothers+1930%27s+letters&source=bl&ots=hCTptGxcfE&sig=FGjx5qF2CZBbGPKe8BGrSEu7CJ0&hl=en&ei=98ZtS4XTGsTp8QaQjZmNBg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CAcQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=&f=false
http://www.qmfound.com/war_mother.htm

 

[captjtq]

I can't find the link for some reason, but I was reading an article last night that said that this was the 8th time that families of our fallen soldiers have visited KAF.

JTQ

 

[Gunner98]

See page 6 of Maple Leaf at this link: http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/Commun/ml-fe/vol_13/vol13_05/1305_full.pdf

It is called the Next of Kin Program and was developed in 2006 by Chief of Military Personnel.  Article has lots of info.