RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas –
Losing a loved one is hard, but with the help of one Team Randolph organization, it can be a little less overwhelming.
When an active-duty or retired service member passes on, the 12th Force Support Squadron's mortuary affairs section briefs survivors on government funeral benefits, coordinates properly-rendered military honors and ensures the remaining family members receive subsequent entitlements due.
Sharon Rector, 12th FSS mortuary affairs officer, a retired Master Sgt. with 16 years of mortuary affairs experience, said she and her three-person section, plus volunteer Family Liaison Officers, called FLOs, brief survivors about traditional military burials, cremation and where they are to be buried. She also tells them if they are authorized a flyover, burial attire and military escorts from the airport, hospital or home to the funeral home.
Ms. Rector also tells survivors about secondary expenses for funeral flowers, limousines, headstones thank-you cards and transportation allotments. When there is an active-duty death, Ms. Rector appoints a summary court officer to deal with the legal aspects of death and final disposition of the deceased serviceman' s personal effects.
Through the Air Force Survivor's Assistance program, FLOs answer questions from survivors and provide them other assistance through the burial process. FLOs, who are detached from their day-to-day job while performing this additional duty, are empathetic and sympathetic -- and consider each case a month-long, full-time job.
"That family of survivors is the FLO's main priority," she said.
Maj. Andrew Quinn, 12th Operations Group T-38C standards evaluation officer attached to the 435th Fighter Training Squadron, served as a FLO for almost two months for an active-duty death case.
The major said his biggest challenge was balancing empathy with having to expect the family to make important decisions during a difficult time. Empathy with families is key.
He also said there were good feelings which ensued from working the atypically long case.
"The family's words and the relationship I forged with them said it meant a lot to them that even though their family member was gone, the Air Force didn't forget about the people he left behind," Major Quinn noted.
Sometimes, that gets emotionally wearing, said Staff Sgt. Ronetta Jones, 12th FSS ceremonial guard.
She said it's hard sometimes to keep her bearing when she sees family members break down during a burial. But she does so because she focuses on maintaining adherence to ceremonial standards - just as she'd want an honor guard member to do for her funeral.
Tech. Sgt. J.J.Krawietz, the Randolph AFB Honor Guard 12th FSS NCO-in-charge said, part of his challenge is covering funerals while constantly training Airmen new to the guard -- in an era where the Air Force is doing more work with less active-duty people.
"You still have to support leaves, TDY, regular jobs, family duties, school requirements, training and honor guard duties with less, so manning is always an issue," he emphasized. "This job takes a lot of heart. You train and train and put a lot of attention to the smallest of detail into readying your team for a funeral, to honor the deceased with dignity."
He said Honor Guard funeral teams travel to some of the most remote locales in Texas within a 41,000 square mile territory. It goes as far north as College Station, Texas, east to Galveston, Texas and south to the state's Rio Grande Valley.
Those who attend a grave site service and watch the Honor Guard fold the flag with customary precision and give a perfectly coordinated rifle volley over the grave site makes a lasting impression about the Air Force, Sergeant Krawietz said.
Second Lt. Bernard L. Harper, Jr., the section' s chief of readiness and plans, said the job of the Honor Guard is a highly visible one and must be done correctly.
"Doing military funeral honors is a lasting impression for a family," the lieutenant said. "There is no margin for error. We only have one chance to get it right."
For the lieutenant, the most challenging aspect of his work is handling various mortuary cases from an infant dependent child death to a military member death. There is no predictable pattern, he said, because each case differs from the next.
"This is an extremely emotional and sensitive time for families," he commented."We are tasked with making sure each family gets through the mortuary process smoothly."