As captain of the Honor Guard I extend my sincerest regards to the Wick family for the loss of their father and for the kind words they extended in their Sept. 29 letter to the editor, "Honor Guard deserves praise."
My Honor Guard members do deserve praise, including for the time, talent and money they donate to families who lose veterans and to the local communities. They deserve praise for their assistance in the Army National Guard Military Funeral Honors Program and for making themselves available to the Duluth Honor Guard so we may be able to provide the best military honors services possible. Veterans deserve nothing but the best.
In the military, we serve our nation and its interests. We are defenders of the U.S. Constitution. Some of us, when we retire or return from our tour of duty, continue to serve, only in a different capacity and on a scale not as large. The men and women of the Honor Guard are some of the finest individuals I am privileged to know and I am truly glad to call them my friends.
I would be interested in other responses the community might have, both good and bad, concerning services rendered by, and the professionalism of, the Duluth Honor Guard.
Unfortunately, and recently, someone accused us of doing something malicious without thoroughly researching facts. He claimed we were a rogue bunch of nefarious idiots who wandered through a cemetery tipping over stones and disrespecting the dead. That could not have been any further from the truth. I, myself, was there, along with a retired major and two command sergeant majors to verify there was no wrongdoing.
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Before anyone makes ludicrous allegations, they can please make sure their facts are correct.
Constructive criticism or compliments would be welcome.
May God bless you, our community and our nation.
John Marshall
Duluth
The writer is captain of the Duluth Honor Guard.
