A note from a friend

Jon Wedel is a member of the Air Force Honor Guard and was part of Pres. Ronald Reagan's funeral. I interviewed Jon for a story during the funeral because he is a Battle Creek guy. This was an e-mail from him about a program he is involved in. Please take a minute to watch this slideshow.

2005 National Military Survivor Seminar

This link is to the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, or TAPS, a program started by Bonnie Carroll after she lost her husband, a U.S. Air Force General, when his plane went down in Alaska.
She started the program to help spouses and children who have lost loved ones in military service, and each year over Memorial Day weekend, children and their families visit Washington, D.C. fir what is know as a "good grief camp".
The camp's staff members are all trained in how to help these children grieve. A majority of the camp's mentors come from the Ceremonial Guardsmanship -- USAF Honor Guard, U.S. Army's "Old Guard," U.S. Navy's Ceremonial Guard, U.S. Marine Corps Honor Guard and the U.S. Coast Guard Honor Guard.
These troops volunteer almost 50 hours over the holiday weekend to give back to the same families of the heroes we bury every day in Arlington. These troops provide an open ear and a shoulder to lean on.
The slideshow is from the 2005 camp. This was my third year, and it hits you harder every time. The slide show takes a minute to load, but it's extremely worth it.
Jon J. Wedel, MSgt, USAF
Superintendent, Formal Training
USAF Honor Guard