Hi all,
This letter came to me the other day. I know many complain about police officers but having spent 28 years with the NY State Police, this is what we are really about. I know it's a long post but take a moment to read it.

Bill

Good Morning to all. This letter was written to members of the NY State
Police and Syracuse Police who participated in an impromptu ceremonial escort
for a soldier killed in Iraq.


On Thursday, April 17, 2003, you participated in an Escort Detail for
GREGORY P. HUXLEY JR who was killed in action in Iraq on April 6, 2003.


On behalf of the entire Huxley family and from me, personally "Thank You
Very Much". The sincere dedication and emotions that you displayed meant so
much to the Huxley family, that words cannot describe their feelings at this
time.


What most did not know was that the US Army had promised the family
members that they would be taken to Dover, Delaware to be present when their
son arrived from Iraq and there would be a full military ceremony in Dover
for GREGORY. Unfortunately, there was a communication problem and they were
not present during that ceremony. Then they were informed that the body of
their son was being flown to Syracuse and that the funeral director could
pick up the "fallen soldier" at the cargo area of the airport and that
somebody would help them remove the casket from the cardboard shipping
container for transport to Boonville, NY. That was found to be totally
unacceptable for a nineteen year old kid that gave his life for this country
and for the freedom of so many others. As a family friend, the funeral
director contacted me to see if anything could be done. We now had six hours
before GREGORY arrived in Syracuse.


Phone calls were made to SP North Syracuse, SGT Nick Harmatiuk took over
from here and what you participated in and observed the rest of that day was
truly an outstanding display of what this agency can do in very short time.
What happened, was just overwhelming.


From SP North Syracuse the procession left, led by eight Syracuse PD
motorcycles, followed by the hearse, four cars with family members followed
by ten State Police and Syracuse PD cars. How ironic it was that when the
procession was traveling parallel to the runway, the plane carrying GREGORY
landed next to use. We were able to enter the planes cargo and rid his casket
of the shipping crate and drape the American flag over it. When the casket
traveled down the conveyor belt, fifteen New York State Troopers and the same
amount of Syracuse Policemen lined the path to the awaiting hearse. All came
to attention and saluted as six State Troopers carried the flag draped coffin
towards the hearse. After a short prayer, the family was given some time to
welcome their son home. The entire airport was so quiet, I looked up at the
windows of the concourses and saw a hundred people there, all standing,
watching, with their hands over there hearts, saluting a young man that they
di! d not know. Somehow they were told, that a fallen soldier had come home
and they wanted to share the moment with us. The casket was then placed in
the hearse and the procession left the airport in the same fashion as we
arrived, only this time with a young hero that our hearts will never forget.


The motorcade was escorted to the Thruway entrance by the Syracuse Police
Department's motorcycles, all traffic was stopped for the procession and we
headed east towards Boonville. After getting off the Thruway, at every
intersection that the procession encountered we found that it had been
blocked by more State Troopers, allowing safe passage with no interruptions.
As we traveled through these intersections, every State Trooper, stood at
attention, saluting the fallen soldier and his family, honoring GREGORY,
giving him and his family the sincere respect, and thankfulness that they
deserved. How emotional that was to see and to reflect on now, words cannot
describe what that was like. When entering the Village of Boonville, the main
street was decorated with so many American Flags and yellow ribbons. As we
approached the center of town, all of the church bells began to chime at
once. Hundreds of people were there, lining the street, all holding American
Flags and all o! f them weeping for GREGORY and for what he sacrificed, for
us and this country. As we drove by the village park, the National Anthem was
being played, for GREGORY, and I think, for us. At the funeral home, eight
veterans lifted the casket out of the hearse and into the home with the
family. GREGORY, had arrived back in his home town.


I give you that description of events as not all of you took part in the
entire process and I feel that you needed to know. I also think that you need
to know what GREGORY'S family said to me, later. The images of the six State
Troopers lifting their son, in his flag draped casket off of the airplane, of
all the State Troopers standing at attention, saluting their son, of the
State Troopers standing on the street corners, at attention and saluting,
honoring their son, of the State Police escorts from Syracuse to Boonville,
these sights, and now their memories will always be etched in their hearts,
forever. But the one memory that will always be there first, was of the State
Troopers standing at the airport, standing at attention, saluting, with tears
running down the troopers cheeks, for their son, a fallen soldier, a hero,
that those Troopers never personally knew.


Our jobs take many different avenues in life, we hope that during our
day, or shift that we have made a difference, a positive attribute. Well, on
Thursday, April 17, 2003, you did just that. You let an entire family know,
that you cared, that you were sincere in your caring and the thanks that you
displayed for GREGORY and his family. Their words to me about you, told me
just that. We made a difference yesterday, and we did in style. The rewards
we receive for details like this one you participated in do not come from
anywhere but from your heart, take pride in what you accomplished yesterday,
because you accomplished so much. I have had so many good things happen since
I have been a State Trooper, but in the twenty fours years, I have never been
prouder of the New York State Police as I was yesterday.


A fallen soldier, a hero, a son, a brother has finally come home, in
grand deserving style, thanks to you

 

AMEN and bless our fallen. I am not ashamed I am sittin here bawlin while reading this. Thanks.<br>Ed

 

Thanks for sharing this with us Bill.
My hat is off to all af the folks that serve the public and make things better for all. Even though I have had a few occasions when officers of the law and myself didn't quite seem to see eye to eye in my younger years,,,,,, I realize that they were just doing their job. There is no way that I would want the responibility of being a police officer in today's world.
This is a prime example of the kind of stories that don't get enough publicity. I'm going to sticky this for a while because I think it deserves to be seen by everyone.
God bless Gregory, his family and all of the others who have given their life for our country and freedom.
Thanks again,
Dennis

 

OUTSTANDING!!!!!!!!! I am not ashamed to say that reading this brought tears to my eyes. I am going to copy this and send it around to some of my American friends down here.

 

Have just read this to my wife and had to stop repeatedly to gather my composure. Found that it was harder to keep composure when reading this aloud. My wife cried the whole time and cried for a while after I finished. <br>Our 19 year old son graduates this month from military college in Pennsylvania so maybe that is part of why we can feel a bit closer to this family.<br>Thanks so much for sharing this with us.

 

Bill, you don't know how much I appreciate you sharing that story. I was a policeman in the military, then did volunteer work for a while after I got out. In 1983, I had a friend on the Dlaas Police who I helped with security duties in the apartment complex we both lived in, and gave him marksmanship training with the pistols. My mother died of cancer in January, and this police officer arranged permission from his superior to be my driver to the funeral and back - i.e. I had a police car as my personal limousine. Unexpected by myself, during the funeral, this police officer gave a respect usually reserved for police officers (obviously respect for me and my police background) by placing the black tape acrros his badge during the entire funeral. Reading this story brought back that memory of unsolicited respect that puts tears in my eyes whenever I see or hear of it. God Bless all of you who so selflessly serve our country and communities today.

 

God bless the heros and all those who serve in every capacity, military and civilian branches.<br><br> Welcome home soldier and thank you.

 

Thanks Bill, for sharing this outstanding material. It is sobering as we remember what it costs to live like we do. The disturbing part is we are not done. We are living in a world containing irrational people driven by hatreds and idiologies that make them hate America and what makes us great.

God Bless America and all who fight to keep it free.

ProudToBeAmericanBob

 

Bill, thanks for sharing. This was truly a job well done and with great dignity by the NY State Troopers and Syracuse PD.<br>This had to be uplifting for the family to see proper respect finally being displayed for their loved one.<br><br>Jerry

 

Bill, Thank you for sharing that with all of us. It is truly a beutiful thing you all did for Gregory. I truly appreciate the effort put forth.<br><br>Gregory, Thank you for your Courage, Bravery and Willingness to serve for our country. May you rest in Peace my Friend.<br><br>Curt

 

Very, Very, Very touching......my heart go out to the families of all of our men and women who died.

 

Bill<br><br>Great job!<br><br>I am a 25 year retired cop, so, I know what you go thru! Keep up the good work buddy!<br><br>Hunter

 

That story was great. It made the hair on the back of my neck stand up and a tear to my eye. Recently I burried my best friend who was serving in the military and I had to escort his body home as well. That is one of the most touching things that a person can ever do. My heart goes out to the family of that fallen soldier and all of the soldiers that are still over there fighting for our freedom. Thanks again for the story.