Page A12 april 2024 www.vischerfuneralsupplies.com Various Sizes • Cultured Marble Vinyl-Wrapped Stunning Vinyl Graph Wraps Colors Quality Cultured Marble DYNASTY URNS IS A DIVISION OF CUSTOM MARBLE DESIGN, INC. —U.S. PATENTS NO. 9,775,760, NO. 9,827,158 For Those Who Demand The Best and Know The Difference.™ See the Complete Collection or Request a Catalog: DynastyUrns.com Call Today (800) 886-2725 Personalized Urns Laser Engraving • Custom Colors Memorial Portraits 9 15+ awarded the Silver Star for Valor. This award is rarely given to a soldier killed by “friendly fire”. The knowledge of the “friendly fire” death goes from Major General McChrystal to the upper command. The President and Secretary of the Army be notified. On April 30, a press release awarding the Silver Star, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Good Conduct and the Purple Heart to Cpl Tillman. On May 16, it was concluded that friendly fire killed Cpl Tillman. On May 27, the Army briefed Pat’s wife, Marie, that it was friendly fire that killed her husband. On May 29, Lt General Kensinger holds a press conference to announce that Cpl Pat Tillman was killed by friendly fire. June 16, the family is fully briefed on the events of Pat Tillman’s death. On March 3, 2006, “Deputy Inspector General for Policy and Oversight requests Army Criminal Investigation Command to initiate a criminal investigation into Cpl. Tillman’s death and the death of the other soldiers.” There have been many positive developments from Pat Tillman’s death. Writer Marc Caltrider reports: Tillman’s numbers for the ASU Sun Devils and the Arizona Cardinals were retired in his honor. In May 2010, he was chosen to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. During June of the same year, the NFL and the Pat Tillman Foundation joined forces to create the NFL-Tillman Scholarship to honor an individual who “exemplifies Pat Tillman’s enduring legacy of service.” A documentary about Tillman’s life, called The Tillman Story, was released on August 20, 2010. The Tillman Foundation awards US military veterans and families, to be Tillman Scholars, “who are finding comprehensive solutions to everything from water scarcity to human rights, to national security.” (from their website). “I trust who Pat was will live forever. He died for our country. He didn’t just say things, he acted on them. I hope we all can gain from Pat’s will and desire to constantly strive to become a better person and to live out our convictions.” —Trainer and athlete J. R. Rosania, quoted in Pat Tillman by Rich Wolfe Observations “You don’t realize what a great life we have…that life wasn’t built overnight…A lot of my family has gone and fought in wars, and I haven’t really done a damn thing as far as laying myself on the line.” —Pat Tillman on the Cardinals website following 9/11 The late Senator John McCain, at the May 3, 2004, Memorial Service for Patrick Tillman, Jr at San Jose Municipal Rose Garden, spoke the most succinct sentence to know about Pat Tillman. “Pat’s service to us all was to remind us what courage really looks like.” Twenty years have passed since Pat Tillman gave his full measure of devotion on Aprill 2, 2004 in Afghanistan. Deception from the government doesn’t lessen the sacrifice of a patriot who gave up so much to put on a uniform to serve his country. Tillman was a star player for Leland High School in San Jose, California. A football scholarship took him to Arizona State University. They played in the 1997 Rose Bowl. In the 1998 National Football League draft, Tillman was selected by the Arizona Cardinals. September 11, 2001, woke another part of Pat Tillman. Football was not only a career, but a dedication. When the United States invaded Afghanistan, he realized how insignificant the game and the money meant compared to truly doing something for your country. Tillman walked away from a $3.6 million (over $6 million in 2024 dollars) contract from the Cardinals to serve a greater purpose. Pat Tillman and his brother Kevin, who was playing minor league baseball with the Cleveland Indians, enlisted in the Army. They became Army Rangers and were assigned to the second battalion of the 75th Rangers Regiment. After a tour in Iraq, the Tillmans joined Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. They were out in steep terrain, looking for enemy positions. Many of the platoon had not experienced combat action with By Steven Palmer the enemy. The Department of Defense Inspector General’s Report of March 26, 2007, gives this version of events: “On April 22, 2004, the 2nd Platoon, A Company, 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment was conducting operations in the vicinity of Magarah, Afghanistan.” A Humvee broke down and the group had to divide. Tillman’s group “traveled down a canyon road without incident in the vicinity of the village of Manah.” The second group did not follow their planned route but followed the same road as the first group. They came under fire, left their vehicles and returned fire. “Cpl. Tillman and an Afghan Military Forces soldier positioned themselves on the forward slope” The other group returned fire from where they saw “muzzle flashes killing both Cpl. Tillman and the Afghan Military Forces soldier.” Cpl. Pat Tillman’s wife and family were informed about Pat’s death “due to enemy fire.” The next day, April 23, the company first sergeant investigated the scene, finding cartridge cases from the American vehicles and digs a “.50 caliber bullet from the rock next to Cpl Tillman’s position.” He notifies the Company Commander that “fratricide is the suspected cause of death.” On April 27, it is recommended that Cpl Tillman should be A Hero Betrayed Steven Palmer entered funeral service in 1971. He is an honors graduate of the New England Institute of Applied Arts & Sciences. He has been licensed on both coasts, he owned the Westcott Funeral Homes of Cottonwood and Camp Verde, AZ, where he remains active in operations. Steve offers his observations on current funeral service issues. He may be reached by mail at PO Box 352, Cottonwood, AZ 86326, by phone at (928)634-9566, by fax at (928)634-5156, by e-mail at steve@westcottfuneralhome.com or through his website at www.westcottfuneralhome.com or on Facebook. FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS www.NomisPublications.com Monthly Columnsonline at A shirt of Pat Tillman’s and a signed football were given to the Carson Mortuary at Dover Air Force Base that cared for Pat Tillman’s remains. BROOKFIELD,WI— The National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) is accepting applications for the 2024-25 National Emerging Leaders program. This program, which has nurtured 38 funeral service professionals, helps talented individuals cultivate and enhance the skills, abilities and characteristics necessary to effectively lead in their business, their community, and state and national organizations. “The National Emerging Leaders program promotes the collaboration of like-minded funeral directors who desire to make a difference in a leadership role,” said Victoria Martin of Spadaccino and Leo P. Gallagher & Son Community Funeral Home in Monroe, CT, a member of the 2021-22 National and engage in high-level networking with leaders in the funeral service profession. The NFDA National Emerging Leaders program is open to all licensed funeral professionals, regardless of NFDA membership, from the United States and Canada who are still early in their careers (first-career funeral directors licensed at least five years or second-career funeral directors licensed at least three years). “One of the greatest challenges in funeral service today to is identify and train our future leaders,” said Jay Dietz, vice president of operations for the Vertin Group in Breckenridge, MN, who has had members of his team attend the National Emerging Leaders program. “Our recent attendees valued the fact that they feel more connected to other leaders of varying skill levels across the nation. Additionally, they left the program with a deeper understanding of the role and expectations of a leader, as well as having gained insight into the different ways to be a leader, regardless of position or title. Thank you, NFDA, for continuing to develop the National Emerging Leaders program and other programs for the good of the profession!” NFDA thanks the Funeral Service Foundation and NorthStar Memorial Group for their generous sponsorship of the National Emerging Leaders program. “Empowering leaders through support of this dynamic professional development experience is not just an investment in individuals, it’s an investment in the future of funeral service and the communities we all serve,” said Mark Krause, chair of the Funeral Service Foundation board of trustees. “Through strategic talent development initiatives, we are dedicated to cultivating a workforce that thrives. At NorthStar Memorial Group, our commitment to investing in people is unwavering, ensuring they reach their full potential and contribute meaningfully to our collective success,” said Rob Rens, national director of talent strategy and acquisition for NorthStar Memorial Group. Information about the NFDA National Emerging Leaders program is available on the NFDA website, www.nfda.org/ emergingleaders. Applications are due by midnight CST on April 15. Selected participants will be announced in late-April. Forge Your Path: NFDA Accepting Applications for Prestigious National Emerging Leaders Program Emerging Leaders program. “The camaraderie, problemsolving and teaching initiatives allows the synergy of our profession to strengthen at a national level.” This year-long program for 20 select individuals will kick off with a retreat at NFDA headquarters, June 23-25 and concluding during the 2025 NFDA Leadership Conference. Participants will meet virtually approximately seven times throughout the year to learn from experts, both from within the funeral service profession and from outside authorities. The program will empower participants to lead with vision, integrity, and influence, equipping them with the tools and strategies to inspire and guide others toward shared goals. Participants will also have access to mentors Send Us Your News! We welcome news of the industry. info@NomisPublications.com PO Box 5159, Youngstown, OH 44514 CALL 1-800-321-7479 FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY News News ASSOCIATION
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