Major General Harold Greene

On August 5th, Major General Harold Greene was killed in Afghanistan, the victim of an insider attack. He was the first general killed in a combat zone since the Vietnam. http://www.snopes.com/politics/military/greene.asp

During the same time frame there was the shooting death by law enforcement of an individual in Ferguson, Missouri. On the surface there may seem to be no connection to the two events, but the simultaneous timing of the events caused a common issue and that made news.  The common thread was representation of government officials at the funeral services. It was reported that two members of the White House My Brother’s Keeper task force and one from the White House Office of Public Engagement attended the funeral services in Ferguson, but no one at the Major General’s service.

This led to claims that President Obama had broken precedence, and sited that both President Nixon and President Bush in similar circumstances attended funerals for slain high ranking military officers. Upon further examination that statement’s validly is in question.

There was even discussion of flying the flag at half-mast in honor of the Major General. When done for Nelson Mandela, it was uncommon but not unheard of. For Whitney Houston flags flew at half-staff, an order from Governor Christie of New Jersey for New Jersey because it was Miss Houston’s home state. Ahh I digress.

Tradition has dictated that when a high ranking officer’s life is taken, in this case combat, that  when laid to rest there is a great deal of ceremonial pomp and circumstance. In the case of this Major General, all those elements were present http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/dana-milbank-gen-harold-greenes-funeral-is-a-fitting-coda-to-a-dozen-years-of-war/2014/08/15/89730650-2484-11e4-86ca-6f03cbd15c1a_story.html

The question still remained was the government represented at the services? It is now being reported that Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel attended and met with the family.
http://www.snopes.com/politics/military/greene.asp

OK so government officials attended or didn’t attend a funeral service. An observer at Arlington visiting someone she loved on the day of the Major general’s services puts it all in perspective when she said that witnessing that service with all its pomp and circumstance and maybe the attendance of a government official. “Brought me back” to her friend’s service in 2012. The lieutenant’s sendoff didn’t have so much pomp, of course, but that didn’t matter. “I miss him a lot,” she said. http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/dana-milbank-gen-harold-greenes-funeral-is-a-fitting-coda-to-a-dozen-years-of-war/2014/08/15/89730650-2484-11e4-86ca-6f03cbd15c1a_story.html

The bottom line is what does it matter? You will be missed by those who love you whether a government official attends your funeral or not.