A Final Honor: Inside the Fort Meade Military Funeral Honors Mission

FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, Md. — There is no room for error in military funeral honors. There are no second takes; every movement is a result of hours of deliberate practice. At Fort Meade, the Military Funeral Honors team treats every ceremony as the most important mission of the day, ensuring that every veteran receives the dignity and respect they earned.

The Fort Meade Military Funeral Honors teams are composed of all borrowed military manpower. These Soldiers from multiple units across the installation are trained for 30 days and serve on the teams for three months, traveling to funerals across a five-state region (Maryland, Washington, D.C., Virginia, Pennsylvania and Delaware).

Soldiers brought into the military funeral honors mission learn ceremonial marching movements, flag folding, uniform standards and how to perform the different varieties of funeral honors.

Each cycle of Soldiers performs approximately 200 funeral services during their three months serving with their teams.

Detail leader Sgt. Christopher Fisher of the 780th Military Intelligence Brigade said that military funeral honors is a mission that impacts him deeply.

“I take great pride in being able to honor the grieving families and give their loved one the most beautiful send-off that they rightfully deserve,” Fisher said. “But the nature of military funeral honors is a very somber mission, so it can take its toll on the heart and soul.”

Being part of the military funeral honors mission made firing party member and bugler Spc. William Jones understand the importance of military history.

“It’s one of those roles in the Army that make you understand that we are standing on the shoulders of giants,” Jones said. “Even though we’ve lost brothers and sisters, we keep going. And that’s beautiful.”

Former military funeral honors noncommissioned officer in charge, Staff Sgt. Jarrett Turnipseed, said it is rewarding to give Soldiers the skills for this mission, but also to succeed in their careers.

“I’m training them to not only just do the mission, but I’m training them to think logistically, to plan and prepare, to function as a team and as individuals,” Turnipseed said.

He also said that being part of military funeral honors allows Soldiers to learn what service means.

“The Army is not just about boots on the ground in a combat zone and service is not just when bullets go flying,” Turnipseed said. “Service is every day you put your uniform on and represent the United States Army and the sacrifices of those that have gone before.”

While the ceremony itself may only last a few minutes, the impression it leaves on the families remains for a lifetime. Through unwavering professionalism and deep respect, the Fort Meade military funeral honors mission turns moments of immense grief into one of pride and remembrance. These Soldiers honor a legacy, ensuring that every veteran receives the dignity they earned through their years of service.