"Final Salute"

Hi friends,

This series is pretty long, but really well-written and a tear jerker. I don't think it's a problem if you don't read the whole thing, but once you start you might not be able to stop.

Anyway, it comes from the Rocky Mountain News and revolves around a marine who had the task of notifying family members of their loved ones' deaths in Iraq, following the "never leave a marine behind" tradition. While it's a situation we're all familiar with, I think the reporter took it to another level. Give it a go and let me know what you think.

A few teasers:

"From their seats in the plane, they saw a hearse and a Marine extending a white-gloved hand into a limousine, helping a pregnant woman out of the car.
On the tarmac, Katherine Cathey wrapped her arm around the major's, steadying herself. Then her eyes locked on the cargo hold and the flag-draped casket.
Inside the plane, they couldn't hear the screams."

"Each door is different. Some are ornately carved hardwood, some are hollow aluminum.
Some are protected by elaborate security systems, some by loose screen doors.
During the past year, the 40-year-old Marine major in the white gloves has stood at the front doors of homes in three states, preparing to deliver the message no family wants to hear.
It is a job he never asked for and one for which he received no training. There are no set rules, only impersonal guidelines. It is a mission without weapons."

PS: I can't take credit for finding this...Lisa sent it to me about a year ago when I was just a baby reporter.