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>> OKAY.
THIS IS THE CEREMONY JUST AS A
REMINDER, FOR PRIVATE FIRST
CLASS CODY PATTERSON, JUST 24
YEARS OLD.
A RANGER, TOO, BASED IN FT.
BENNING, KILLED IN AFGHANISTAN.
TWO OF THE FOUR SOLDIERS COMING
BACK TODAY WERE KILLED BY AN IED
DURING COMBAT OPERATIONS ON
SUNDAY.
OBVIOUSLY A VERY EMOTIONAL TIME
FOR FAMILIES THERE WAITING FOR
THESE BODIES TO COME BACK.
>> WHAT YOU SAW AS WELL,
ENTERING THE AIRCRAFT THERE, OF
COURSE, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE,
CHUCK HAGEL, WHO WAS LEADING THE
TROOPS THERE AND THIS IS ONE OF
THE CEREMONIES FOR THE CARGO JET
ARRIVES WITH THE REMAINS, THEY
HAVE TRANSFER CASKETS.
THEY ARE MET BY MILITARY
OFFICIALS AND THE FAMILY MEMBERS
AND SERVICE MEMBERS WHO WEAR
WHITE GLOVES TO CARRY THE
COFFINS COVERED WITH THE FLAGS
TO A WHITE VAN THAT TAKES THEM
TO THE ARMED FORCES, A MEDICAL
EXAMINER.
I WANT TO BRING IN OUR BARBARA
ST
STARR TO WALK US THROUGH WHAT
THIS MEANS FOR THE FAMILIES OF
THOSE WHO ARE SLAIN.
>> THIS MEANS EVERYTHING.
THIS MEANS EVERYTHING TO THE
FAMILIES OF THE FALLEN.
IT MEANS EVERYTHING TO THE
VETERANS WHO SEND THEIR FALLEN
COMRADES BACK HOME ON THESE
AIRCRAFT.
THIS IS THE CHANCE FOR THE
FAMILIES, OF COURSE, TO TRAVEL
TO DOVER AIR FORCE BASE AND MEET
THEIR LOVED ONES THE MINUTE THAT
TRANSFER CASKET COMES TO U.S.
SOIL.
SECRETARY HAGEL GOING TO DOVER
TODAY, OF COURSE, AMID THE
POLITICAL CONTROVERSY ABOUT
DEATH BENEFITS NOT BEING PAID
DURING THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN,
VETERANS DISABILITY BENEFITS
BEING DELAYED DURING THE
SHUTDOWN.
BUT I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT
AT THIS POINT TO PUT A HUMAN
FACE ON ALL OF THIS.
CHUCK HAGEL, A DECORATED VIETNAM
COMBAT VETERAN.
THIS MAN STILL CARRIES SHRAPNEL
IN HIS CHEST.
HE HAS BURIED FRIENDS FOR YEARS
AND HAD HIS OWN FRIENDS IN
VIETNAM NOT COME HOME.
THIS IS A VERY EMOTIONAL MOMENT
FOR HIM BUT SOMETHING HE VERY
MUCH WANTED TO DO.
HE IS VERY UNDERSTANDING OF THE
MESSAGE HE IS SENDING BY
ALLOWING THIS TO BE FILMED.
WHAT YOU ARE NOT SEEING ON THIS
CAMERA ANGLE, OF COURSE, ARE THE
FAMILY MEMBERS OF THE FALLEN WHO
ARE STANDING, AS WE SEE THOSE
TRANSFER CASKETS BEGIN TO BE
TAKEN OFF THE PLANE.
WE ARE NOT ALLOWED, OF COURSE,
TO INTRUDE ON THEIR PRIVACY.
THEY STAND IN A PARTICULAR SPOT
THAT OUR CAMERAS CANNOT SEE FOR
THEIR MOMENT OF VERY PRIVATE
GRIEF.
WE'VE SEEN THE PRESIDENT TRAVEL
THESE FALLEN.
>> AND JUST A REMINDER, TOO,
THIS IS CODY PATTERSON, PRIVATE
FIRST CLASS, IT WAS HIS SECOND
DEPLOYMENT TO AFGHANISTAN, JUST
TO PUT A NAME TO THIS CEREMONY
HE WAS AWARDED THE BRONZE STAR,
PURPLE HEART.
LET'S LISTEN.